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By Christopher Fon Achobang

Sarkozy Addressing Black French Viceroys: Heads of France’s Bastille States in Africa.

Former African French colonies joined France last Wednesday 14 July 2010 in celebrating the Bastille Day. Bastille Day, the most important French national holiday, commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which took place on 14 July 1789 and marked the beginning of the French Revolution. The Bastille was a prison and a symbol of the absolute power of the Louis XVI regime, so the attack on the prison was a sign of freedom and the fight against oppression for all French citizens.

President Paul Biya played a central role as dean of the 12 Francophone African Presidents and scores of others invited to France to watch the parade and listen to self-amnesic congratulatory messages to and from Nicolas Sarkozy. Cameroun government media jubilated that their president was sitting on the right hand side and closest to Sarkozy. Quite an achievement! Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, President Biya celebrated his being the best student of Paris as he was regularly received at the Champs Elysees by François Mitterrand. We know what that subservience has produced; more dependence and depletion of natural resources in the Cameroons by France.

Towards the end of the military parade President Biya and his peers applauded as 14 flags from former African French colonies were presented to France. Supporters of this show claim the flags represented and recognized the countries which helped in the liberation of France during the First and Second World Wars.

In this anniversary year of celebrating 50 years independence of a majority of these former French colonies, France is getting jittery that it might be losing its grip over its Chasse gardée. Faced with growing competition from China and the United States, France is eager to diversify its economic interests in Africa. The French president invited scores of African states to the 25th annual Africa-France summit in Nice in May. Sarkozy co-hosted the summit with Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. Dozens of French and African businessmen were also invited. In sync with international opinion and African Union recent positions Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and President Omar El Bashir of the Sudan were not invited. Out of tune with this stand, several other leaders with dubious records received invitations.

When the French air force landed parachutes carrying 14 flags of the former African colonies, the excitement of the countries whose flags were brought in from space was visible.

By taking their countries’ flags from French paratroopers and presenting them to the jubilant French authorities, the Africans conceded that the illusion of independence was a farce. France proved that it could fly into space and like an eagle seize any recalcitrant former African colony. Biya, Idriss Derby, Ali Bongo Odimba, Sassou Nguessou, etc know the countries they rule are in fact still subject to French control.

Celebrating the storming of the Bastille should send a message to all the oppressed around the world, especially Francophone Africa that freedom and independence is good for all people. If it was good for the French in 1789, the Africans may be too late not having it today. Opening their eyes, they will be able to see their oppressors clearly. The leadership of Francophone Africa is as oppressive to their countries just as French monarchy was in France. Marie Antoinette has reincarnated in the wives of Francophone African Presidents.

Africans are hungry and the wives of African Heads of State mock them saying, if they cannot eat cocoyams, let them eat yams. When will Africa storm its own Bastilles?

*Culled from Southern Cameroons Yahoo Forum

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