Commission for Africa: Ousman Njie

We asked eight Africans for their views on the UK-sponsored Commission for Africa following the group's second meeting since it was launched.

Godwin Emejuobi: Port Harcourt, Nigeria "God is the help of Africa" Kasozi Lubega: Kampala, Uganda "Gain power without conflict" Ousman Njie: Cairo, Egypt "Reaffirming British interests" Samantha Smit: Lusaka, Zambia "Teachers and textbooks"

Iqbal Jhazbhay: Pretoria, South Africa "Development and stability" Yared Mussie: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia "Uncompetitive in business" Trevor Simumba: Freetown, Sierra Leone "We have to help ourselves first" Amboka Wameyo: Arusha, Tanzania "Africa should be trusted"

Ousman Njie

I do not trust Mr Blair and I do not believe the West is willing to help Africa.

MEET THE PANEL Name: Ousman M Njie Age: 22 Lives: Cairo, Egypt Occupation: Unemployed (recently graduated with Education degree) Born: Fass Omar Saho, The Gambia Religion: Muslim Ethnic group: Wolof (Serere) In 10 words or less: Ambitious young man who believes in knowledge and works seriously

There have been lots of initiatives which have yielded nothing so far.

Tony Blair has been the prime minister for nearly 10 years without any real gesture to help Africa overcome her problems until now.

I cannot believe him.

I believe that Mr Blair is only reaffirming British interests in Africa.

We have seen what he did to Mugabe by imposing sanctions on his government in pretext of human right violations and bad governance.

I believe that Mr Blair did this because of Mugabe's land redistribution program.

I also ask where Mr Blair was during Uganda's election.

We did not hear him say anything about the mass irregularities that occurred until the main opposition leader Kizza Besigye had managed to flee.

In 1994 when Gambian President Jammeh took over from Jawara's government through a coup d'etat, Mr Blair told British tourists not to visit The Gambia because of the danger to their safety.

But we Gambians knew that there was no danger.

African voices: See where our panel live

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He did this because he feared for British interests in The Gambia.

Mr Jammeh was critical towards the West at that time and frequently gave speeches saying so.

Can anyone believe that this man is realistic and really wants to help Africa lift up from poverty?

According to my ear, I heard him mentioning al-Qaeda when talking in Addis Ababa.

He spoke of the possibility of al-Qaeda being able to recruit greater numbers of members from African countries as a result of poverty.

I always describe Mr Blair as a "glib" talker as he can easily convince you if you listen to him.

Since I came to Egypt I have been helping fellow African students, like many others do here, with English language among other subjects free of charge.

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Your comments:

Let Blair take back all his non-emergency aid but allow fair trade Kendi Kotiina, Uganda

Africa will never develop without its own home grown initiatives. Let Blair take back all his non-emergency aid but allow fair trade. Another issue is good governance. It is difficult to get a leader among the incumbents and opposition to fight corruption and allow positive criticism. In Uganda, it is easy to hear an opposition politician saying Museveni should leave power to allow others to eat.
Kendi Kotiina, Kabale, Uganda

I partly agree with what you think about the commission, just something I want to clear it up. From my own experience, I believe that it is hard for someone to succeed without any help; people are for each other in one way or another. I also believe that life is based on exchanging benefits, so I don't mind Mr Blair or whoever to help and have something in return; this is the nature of the life. But I see that we need help but not ready to give something in return. Our real problem is our leaders... we have to get rid of those who sell African prosperity for their own interest. So I welcome the idea of Mr Blair (or whoever) as long as it is good for African, and I don't mind giving something in return (a fair deal).
Abdelmanam Mahamat, Central African in Egypt, Cairo

This is our fight and I believe that our leaders will wizen up and make a change Afra, Nigeria/Switzerland

I am very proud of you Mr Njie for questioning Mr Blair's sudden concern in Africa. I think if he is such a good samaritan, he should first of all clear up the huge amount of racism and discrimination faced by the Africans living in the Western world, then we will welcome his idea of justice and equality. As for my leader I am terribly ashamed Well Mr Blair I think that this should not be any of your concern because none of your people are drowning in the high sea or neither are they involved in risk out of desperation. This is our fight and I believe that our leaders will wizen up and make a change. Besides Mr Blair we do not really understand your sudden inquisitive concerning the African continent and if it is of good intention?
Afra Brown, Nigeria/Switzerland

Blair has been Prime Minister for 10 years and not helped Africa? Mugabe has been President of Zimbabwe for 24 years and how has he helped? He has turned Zimbabwe into a basket case, not to redress past imbalances as you believe (if that was the case he would have addressed the land problem in 1990) but out of pure self interest in keeping power. British self interest (or lack of it) seems less destructive than the home grown variety a lot of the time.
Chris Mcloughlin, Perth, Australia

Our lives will continue to be the same and even worse if we don't start to organise ourselves now Harry, Finland

The problem facing the African continent can only be solved by Africans themselves, if they want Mr Tony Blair's idea of setting up a commission it will not solve the problems in Africa. I have to say that some of our colonial masters would want to see an improvement in Africa but even the effort they will try to put in to help will depend on Africans if it will succeed. Why are our leaders still stealing and saving money into Western banks? Why do our leaders believe in cheating to become presidents? Why do our leaders still kill their own children? Why is it that citizens of Africa are not even known to exist as citizens of their own country?

A child born in Europe is even known before he/she is born so what ever the state has to give to its nationals are shared equally for all. Our leaders travel to Europe all the time but pretend like they do not know what is meant by transparency and democracy. Our lives will continue to be the same and even worse if we don't start to organise ourselves now. Greed, useless cultural practices, racism among Africans, power greed, stealing and the misuse of state properties must stop for ever if we want to develop. Stop thinking about the West because they will never have the time to fully help us.
Harry, Finland

Do we Africans really see ourselves as one?! Jurby, Nigeria

I'd rather not comment on if to trust Mr Blair or not but I'm an advocacy of the fact that the limitations to achieving one's set objectives lies with one. Simply put, Africa's and African's problem lies right on our door steps! We should not expect any outsider (non-African) to come and help us sort ourselves out. Mr Blair would naturally think first about Britain and their interests. We should first help ourselves before expecting others to help us. First, God-fearing leaders should rule - with that corruption and stability (which is our main bane) would be drastically reduced and real development can start. God-fearing leaders would not sell us short for foreign businessmen (foreign governments) in any guise. We need to look inwards and not outwards! Do we Africans really see ourselves as one?!
Jurby, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

It's not that hard to buy the various natural resources from the African nations. They're paid a reasonable amount, and in so far as the capitalist West, that's all we ought to care about. Whether you lay your problems at the feet of Europe, the US, or yourselves doesn't change the fact that the problems are still affecting you.
Christopher Magee, Fairfax, VA, USA

To Mr Christopher Magee, USA: You are partly right for saying, "Whether you lay your problems at the feet of Europe, the US, or yourselves doesn't change the fact that the problems are still affecting you." My answer to you is: Do not let thirstiness push you to drink boiling water! Otherwise you will regret. Do not let eagerness to solve your problems push you to trust people like Mr Blair. Thank you.
Ousman Njie, Cairo, Egypt

What is the use of setting up a new commission for Africa in the first place? Foday Kangbai, USA

The issue of Western interest in Africa cannot be made any clearer. Mr Njie is right on point. What is the use of setting up a new commission for Africa in the first place? You already have aid agencies who have been working Africa for decades in the name of economic development, stable democracy, good governance etc etc.

I think Mr Blair is just trying to divert people's attention from the mess they have created in Iraq. Africa is better off left alone. The only people who can uplift the continent is a group of well meaning Africans who will be willing to carry on the legacies of the likes of Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela, Patrice Lumumba, Thomas Sankara and so on.
Foday Kangbai, New York, USA

Africa does not need Mr Blair and his commission. This proves that Africans are masters of self-deception. Why should the West emancipate Africans when our exploitation is essential to their very survival? Where will Blair get cheap natural resources and accessible open markets once Africans are trading among themselves? I have a secret for Blair and his commission: Africans are now realizing your true intentions, and we will not take it lying down - you are not welcome here.
Chifundo, Johannesburg, South Africa

To Chifundo, South Africa: You said: "you are not welcome here." Well, too bad because we don't get to decide whether to welcome them or not. It's our corrupt politicians, who are eager to steal the aid money and show their fake democratic image to the outside world, that can do that. I also share Mr Njie's concern. This commission thing has got me thinking. PM Blair has been watching all along what corrupt governments in Africa, such as Meles Zenawi (a member of his new commission by the way) has been doing to silence the plight and protest of the African youth for years. Why now?

Is it really to help Africa or, as Foday Kangbai mentioned, to divert attention from the Iraq issue, since he is planning on pursuing a third term in office? But If he really wants to help Africa, I think he should work towards getting to the roots of the problems by securing freedom for African kids by facing the corrupt politicians, and strengthening their education. I believe they can take it on by themselves after that. And I don't think any financial help gets to the root of the problem since it hasn't done anything until now.
MM Sibhat, Ethiopian in Los Angeles

People must rely on themselves to sustain development and growth Nora Adams, Canada

This commission reminds me of the schoolyard bully who promises to protect you while he takes your lunch money. This commission behaves as though we are in church and there is a collection bag that is being passed around for Africa. Africa and Africans should be allowed to trade fairly with the rest of the world as this is a largely agricultural society.

Aid agencies that flood local agricultural markets with surplus food from their countries force local farms to stop producing since they cannot sell their crops. They also breed dependency and cycles of abject poverty which they use to further extend their stay. People must rely on themselves to sustain development and growth.
Nora Adams, Somali living in Canada

There is selfish Western interest in Africa, to be sure - but Africa's biggest problem remains the sheer gullibility of Africans who do not have the stomach to admit that the biggest problem we have in Africa is corrupt, murderous dictators like Robert Mugabe. Most Africans still believe what they choose to believe - what is easiest to believe. And it is killing us.
M'Beki Salawi, Nigerian in the UK

To M'Beki Salawi, UK: I disagree with you when it comes to your comment on Robert Mugabe for some of us share in his dream. I don't believe the blame for Africa should be put on its leaders alone. I believe Africans lack initiative and that is what we have to learn. Otherwise, I share the view that Tony Blair is not there to help Africa. He just wants the British to forget about Iraq for if he really knew anything about Africa, he would know that we have nothing in common with al-Qaeda.
Susan, Harare, Zimbabwe

To Susan, Zimbabwe: You are one of the lucky few - no doubt with a Zanu PF card in your hand - to be able to voice your opinion in my former homeland. Mugabe is indeed a dictator and tens of thousands of black Africans of all ages are dead because of him and his thugs. The total number of the dead through enforced starvation, torture and murder may never be known. While I may not trust Blair's motives, the snake in Harare needs decapitating.
Johnathan Somba, Helsingfors, Finland

Please pack up your commission and turn back to Europe Deng' Dekuek, Australia

It is a shame to see the great extent to which the world powers can go, so that they can get their hands on African resources. Tony Blair and the British government have been neglecting Africa and their former colonies like Sudan for decades. What has changed now if I may ask Mr Tony Blair? I think their (British and Americans) plans have gone sour in the Middle East, now they are eyeing Africa's new found resources.

Well something they should understand is that Africans will have more PhDs than any other continent in the world in a few more decades, so they cannot rob us any more. So please pack up your commission and turn back to Europe. We have had enough of you and you so-called African initiatives.
Deng' Dekuek, South Sudanese in Perth, Western Australia