Review of Wangari Maathai's ‘The Challenge for Africa'

In her new book Nobel Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai is on a journey of rediscovering the wealth of Africa; its people and culture, flora and fauna and the challenges of responsible stewardship.

Maathai laments that many African countries 'fall short of genuine democracy'. She uses the apt example of the traditional three-legged stool to outline the prerequisites of good governance: respect for what each and every person thinks; respect for the environment; and a general, positive and respectful disposition contributing to a culture of peace.

While placing the blame on African leaders who are best placed to effect change and set goals for the future, Maathai acknowledges the problems they face in being fully accountable to the people they represent. She notes a 'reluctance to embrace the concepts of accountability and transparency' in many leaders, but points out that 'it is in no one’s interest to have governments threatened by guns, or coups, or civil wars.' Instead she suggests, they should be ‘threatened by votes, cast in free and fair elections'.

Maathai struggles with the question of the appropriateness of Western goodwill, something which often masks opportunism and a new scramble for African resources. While 'Soviet trawlers off the Angola coast' are busy fishing, 'Nigeria’s economy has been almost wholly reliant on oil' exports. While acknowledging that ‘multinational corporations reap huge benefits', the author also lets us know what became of the Chinese arms destined for Zimbabwe.

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Maathai also explores the deep psychological impact of cultural dislocation felt by many Africans. Much of this has to do with painful memories passed down from ancestors who had to adjust to living under colonial rule. The colonial administrator – by means of the gun – organised the settlement of European farmers and the relocation of whole African communities. Missionaries, who often worked under the protection of these administrators and held a monopoly on education, brought a 'colonization of the mind'. They taught Africans that 'their societies were backward, their religious traditions sinful, their agricultural practices primitive, their systems of governance irrelevant and their cultural norms barbaric'.

Ever hopeful, Maathai retraces her own journey of self-discovery and encourages a re-embracing of African-ness and community. With such common ground we can strengthen our identity, she contends, and pass on to future generations something they can hold onto as they take their place on the world stage. This is the beginning of self-determination.

While most of what Maathai says has a familiar ring, it is every bit of as relevant today as before. The question is one of alternatives. Do they exist? Is there a commonsense approach to counter the fear that gives rise to corruption, ethnic tensions and poor governance? Is there an alternative model for the relationship between Africa and the West, one which affirms Africa’s cultural identity and yet enables the equitable sharing of resources? Maathai creates tension as she explores these difficult questions, offering some suggestions, but mainly encouraging a reframing of problems and solutions.

I encourage everyone to get hold of this book and take the journey of ‘Who am I?’, ‘Where have I come from?’ and ‘What next?’ with Wangari Maathai.

* Wangari Maathai's ‘The Challenge for Africa: a New Vision for an Emerging Continent' is published by Pantheon Books.
* Helen Mukholi is Pambazuka's picture researcher.
* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org/.