Ekuqaleni kwenoveli ye-acerbic ye-VS Naipaul's A Bend in the River, ibekwe kwindawo ephazamisekileyo yasemva kobukoloniyali kuMbindi Afrika, umbalisi, umrhwebi waseIndiya osendleleni, ugqabaza kakubi malunga “nalo lonke elo shishini kwizithuba zomda. , konke oko kungxola ehlathini ngaphandle kwezindlu ezenziwe ngamaplanga ezibhabha iiflegi ezingaqhelekanga.†USalim ngokucacileyo uvakalisa iimvakalelo zikaNaipaul ogxeka ngokunzulu kunye ne-Afro-pessimist, kwaye amagqabantshintshi anokufundwa njengokulangazelela i-bucolic kwaye iyalelwe. I-Afrika elawulwa yi-Yuropu ehambelana nemibono efana no-Evelyn Waugh kunye no-Graham Greene-ihlabathi elifikelelekayo kwaye likhuselekile kubantu abangengo-Afrika. Kodwa nangona kunjalo inenyaniso ebaluleke kakhulu. Imida yase-Afrika ubukhulu becala yindawo engaphantsi kwemithetho yezithethe okanye yokufudukela kwelinye ilizwe kuneyokuqweqwediswa kunye nokuxhatshazwa kwabahambi kunye noosomashishini ngamagosa amancinane asebenza ngokungohlwaywa. Kwaye iindleko, malunga nokuphazamiseka korhwebo oluqhelekileyo nolusemthethweni, ixesha labahambi kunye neemali zokukhwela izithuthi, ukuphazamiseka okuqokelelweyo kunye nezothuso ezincinci, zikhulu kakhulu.

Ukuhamba ngendlela enqumla eNtshona Afrika, njengoko ndenze mva nje, ngokuqinisekileyo kukufikelela kwesi sigqibo: Ngenjongo yomanyano olunokuba luncedo, i-Ecowas kufuneka iqulunqe umgaqo-nkqubo womda onengqondo, odityanisiweyo nolungelelanisiweyo, onokuthi mhlawumbi uphelise ngaphezu koku. Iipesenti ezingama-50 zamagosa kunye nezibonelelo ezinikezelwe ngamazwe ngamanye kubonakala ukuba zigada imida yawo.

KwakungoNovemba kulo nyaka uphelileyo apho ndajamelana nengxaki ngokuphawulekayo xa ndandihamba endleleni ukusuka eAccra, eGhana, ukuya eLagos, eNigeria, ndidlula eTogo naseBenin, yonke into ebizwa ngokuba yiGulf of Guinea unxweme, kwaye bonke banekratshi. amalungu ombutho wohlanganiso wengingqi i-Ecowas. Uhambo, olumele ukuba luthathe malunga neeyure ezisixhenxe, lundibangele ukuba ndichithe ubuthongo, phantse i-octane ephezulu (enjani i-adrenaline engxamisekileyo! maxhala anjani, imithambo-luvo!) Ubusuku e-Cotonou, kwi-craggy bedlam edlula kwisikhululo somda ekucingelwa ukuba sahlula iBenin. evela eNigeria. Yaye anjani wona amava!

Ngenkulungwane yeshumi elinesine, uIbn Battuta, owayehambahamba “eyedwa, engenamntu endandinokukuvuyela ukuhamba naye,” emva kohambo olude eNtshona Afrika wabona ukuba akuyomfuneko ukuba umhambi kuloo mmandla athabathe uhambo. nabalingane ngenxa yokhuseleko lwendlela†apho. Oko kwakungexesha langaphambi kobukoloniyali, kwaye uhambo luka-Ibn Battuta lwamsa kubukumkani obuyintsomi baseMali, obungumzekelo wokusebenza kunye nokuhambelana ngelo xesha. Kungekudala emva koko, ubukhosi bawa, ngokuyinxenye isiphumo sokuphangwa kwangaphandle, kwaye wonke lo mmandla ngokukhawuleza emva kokutshatyalaliswa ngabarhwebi bamakhoboka, kwaye emva koko, emva koko, bahlulwa baba ngamathanga amancinci ngama-impiriyali aseYurophu. I-Afrika yangoku, i-Afrika yamazwe amancinci kunye nemida ye-shabby kunye neeflegi ezingaqhelekanga, sisiphumo. Kwaye kule Afrika, indlela ngokuqinisekileyo ayikhuselekanga njengangexesha lika-Battuta, ukuba ayinamandla.

Ndaluqala uhambo e-Accra, ngesithuthi endisinikwe liBhunga laseBritane apho (bendisiya e-Abuja ukuya kuthetha kwinkomfa ethi ‘Ukomeleza iDemokhrasi yase-Afrika,’ eyayiququzelelwa liBhunga laseBritane kunye neChatham House eLondon). Umqhubi, indoda ethobekileyo enobuso obune-anodyne kunye neenwele ezicocekileyo ezichetyiweyo, wathi uye wahamba uhambo oluya eLagos ngaphambili, oluye lwaba bubuxoki-kunye nengxaki enkulu. Kwakhona kwafumaniseka ukuba inqwelo-mafutha ayizange iluhambe—ingxaki embi ngakumbi.

I-Accra ibona into entle, enezakhiwo ezitsha kunye neendlela ezintsha mihla le, uqoqosho olusempilweni. Ke ifika njengomothuko omncinci oza kujongana nayo, iimayile ezimbalwa ngaphandle kwayo, ubungqina be-antique squalor isagqugqisa ezilalini zaseAfrika: indlela engalungiswanga, iilali ezakhiwe ngezindlu ezifulelwe ngengca ezitshabalalayo emva kwamaxesha ambalwa onyaka, amadoda angasebenziyo, abilayo ayasebenza. kwiindawo zabo zokwembiwa, iifama zabalimi abahlwempuzekileyo. Kwasithatha malunga neeyure ezintathu ukufika kumda weTogo. Sisikhululo somda we-Aflao, kwaye kwelinye icala sisixeko esincinci esiselunxwemeni saseLome, ikomkhulu laseTogo. Lo mmandla womda uchazwe ngemibalabala, kodwa hayi ngokungachanekanga, yintatheli yaseMelika uRobert Kaplan 'njengesiphithiphithi…: isango elirhabaxa nelinengxondorha, izindlu ezitshisiweyo kunye namathala, ukungcola, isanti, iimpukane phakathi kwemfumba yeemango ezixheshwa yincinci. isihlwele sabafazi, kunye namakhwenkwe amaninzi akwishumi elivisayo axhobe ngee wads ze cedis, imali yaseGhana, ababeyithengisa ukuze batshintshiselane ngeCFA francs,†imali esetyenziswa eTogo.

Kukho intaphane yamagosa amasiko kunye nabafuduki, kwaye kufuneka umntu ahlawule umrhumo wokuphuma (ekuthi, ubuncinane, kubonelelwe ngerisithi kwicala laseGhana); kwaye ngoko nangoko emva kokuwela isango elinyanzeliswayo, umntu uphinde ahlawule imali yokungena eTogo. Kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba ndihle emotweni kuzo zombini ezi meko, ndandinikela nje incwadi yam yokundwendwela—incwadana yokundwendwela ye-Ecowas—kunye nemali ethile kumqhubi ukuze ndikwazi ukunyamekela abo bazimiseleyo—yaye omnye usenokongeza, afuna ukwazi—amagosa. Kodwa intengiselwano yathatha ixesha, kwaye ngokuqinisekileyo imali. Ndiphawule ukuba uninzi lwabantu abancinci kumacala omabini omda lwaluhamba ukusuka kwelinye icala ukuya kwelinye kungekho mntu ubakhathazayo: ulawulo lwemida, ngamanye amazwi, lwalungelulo lweenjongo zokufudukela kwelinye ilizwe okanye lwezithethe kodwa yayizizixhobo ezenzelwe ukwenza oko. imali yabahambi kunye noosomashishini.

Kwakukule ndawo yomda, kwicala laseTogo, apho uMongameli ohloniphekileyo nophantsi emhlabeni uSylvanus Olympio, umongameli wokuqala waseTogo, wadutyulwa wabulawa ngamajoni akhe ngo-1963. esebenzela ubhukuqo-mbuso, igosa eliselula elikhohlakeleyo eligama linguNnassingbe Eyadema, wathatha iintambo emva kokubulawa, kwaye akakayeki ukuba ngumongameli. Namhlanje, le ndawo yidolophu yemarike ephithizelayo, enamawakawaka abantu kumazwe omabini asenza urhwebo olunqumla imida olwenziwa ukuba lubize kakhulu kwaye lube lusesikweni ngokungeyomfuneko ngezithintelo zemida. Zombini iTogo kunye neGhana ngabantu abaninzi abantetho isi-Akan, bethatha isithethe esifanayo kunye ne-cosmology. Amakoloniyali aseYurophu, iBritane (eyayilawula iGhana de kwangowe-1957) kunye neFransi (eyayilawula iTogo de kwangowe-1960) bahlula aba bantu baba ngamaqela ahlukeneyo ezopolitiko, babanika isiNgesi nesiFrentshi njengeelwimi ezisemthethweni ngokulandelelanayo, kwaye umphumo kukuba iTogo encinci, efanele ngokwenene. ibe liphondo laseGhana, lilizwe elihlwempuzekileyo elingasemva elihlala kakhulu kurhwebo olungaphantsi komhlaba (isiphumo sezithintelo zobudenge zobudenge) kunye nabamelwane bayo.

ILome sisixeko esincinci esibonakala sixinana malunga nolwandle lwaso oluhle lweAtlantiki kunye nendlela yaso ebalaseleyo yemoto, ebonakala ngathi ilungiswe kakuhle imithi yekhokhonathi ecaleni kwayo. Le ndlela ikhokelela ngqo eCotonou, ikomkhulu laseBenin, malunga neeyure ezine ukusuka apho. Unxweme, olubonayo phantse kulo lonke uhambo, oluya eLagos, lwenza indawo eyaziwa ngokuba yiGulf of Guinea. Kudala kwakubizwa ngokuba luNxweme lwaMakhoboka, elona shishini libalulekileyo kurhwebo ngamakhoboka eAtlantiki apho izigidi zabantu baseAfrika bathunyelwa eMerika, ilizwekazi elidlakazwe kwaye lingenamkhethe. Ngaphambi nje kokuba umntu afike eCotonou kukho iQuidah, idolophu encinane yaseBenin eyayiyeyona ibalulekileyo izibuko lamakhoboka eNtshona Afrika. Izibuko laliyindawo yokunduluka kumakhoboka asisi-1.5 sezigidi; indawo ngoku iyindawo yenkcubeko yeUNESCO. Imbali kaQuidah edume kakubi, ngokuyinxenye ithandwa nguBruce Chatwin Isekela Lokugqibela laseQuidah, ngumthombo wodumo lwayo: idolophu likhaya levoodoo, apho uToussaint L’Overture wafumana inkuthazo yokukhokela imvukelo yamakhoboka yehlabathi, eHaiti ngenkulungwane yeshumi elinesibhozo; kwaye inokuba yayiyindawo yokushiya abantu baseAfrika abangamakhoboka ababehlala eMelika kunayo nayiphi na enye.

Kwisithuba esingangeyure emva kweQuidah, safika eCotonou, idolophu encinane exakekileyo (abemi: 200,000 7) eneemoto ezininzi zemidlalo—isantya namandla ezi zinto zokudlala, amadoda namabhinqa ayexinene phezu kwazo—ngaphezu kweemoto. Kodwa le ibingeyonto yam yokuqala okanye eyona inomtsalane ngale ndawo. Njengoko inqwelo-mafutha yethu yayidlula kwindlela yeasphalt ezele ngxi kodwa ilungiswe kakuhle ukuya ekupheleni kwedolophu apho isikhululo somda (neNigeria) simi khona (kukho i-toll gate enkulu ngaphambi kwayo), enye yabethwa ngamakhulu amancinane. iitafile ezisecaleni kwezitalato ezinejeri-iitoti zepetroli ezigcweleyo ezithengiswa kwizithuthi ezidlulayo nakwizithuthuthu. Ezi petroli zithutyeleziswa zisuka eNigeria, zithengiswa ngokuphandle ezitratweni, nto leyo eyenza ukuba izikhululo zepetroli ezimbalwa zingasebenzi esi sixeko sincinane. Kwakhona bayenza imfeketho yomda oxineneyo noxineneyo ekupheleni kwesixeko. Ngoku kwakusele kusondele intsimbi yesi-00:1 ngokuhlwa—saqalisa uhambo ngentsimbi yoku-00:XNUMX emva kwemini—yaye ukugxalathelana ngamandla eCotonou, iimoto ezihamba ngesantya esiphezulu nezithuthuthu, amawaka abantu ababexinanisela ezitratweni bevela emsebenzini okanye bezulazula nje emarikeni. abafazi bepakisha iimpahla zabo, kwakunzima kakhulu.

Igosa lasemdeni laseTogo elikhangeleka liphelelwe lithemba linxibe igawuni equkuqelayo, ehonjisiweyo, iinyawo zalo ezinothuli zinxibe iziliphu ezifanayo, lacela ukubona amaphepha ethu, esawakhuphayo. Wenza ngathi uyawahlola, wawabuyisela ngokukhawuleza. Emva koko wacela ukubona amaphepha emoto. Umqhubi wavelisa. Eli gosa lajonga amaphepha malunga nemizuzu emihlanu ngaphakathi kwishedi yalo, labuya, laza lacela amaphepha abonisa ukuba imoto yayikhe yahamba isiya eNigeria ngaphambili. Wayethetha ngesiNigeria esigqibeleleyo IsiNgesi esophukileyo (okanye patois) endaweni yesiFrentshi, ulwimi olusemthethweni lwaseTogo. Kungelo xesha endathi ndazi ukuba akukho moto okanye umqhubi owayekhe waya eNigeria ngaphambili. Eli gosa lathi le moto kuza kufuneka ibhaliswe, nto leyo eya kuthatha usuku lonke ukulungiselela. Emva kwemizuzu engama-20 yokuhexa, wagqiba kwelokuba kufuneka sihlawule imali elingana ne-20 yeedola endaweni yoko, kwaye wasilumkisa ukuba siza kujongana nobunzima obukhulu kunye namagosa omda waseNigeria ngoloyiko alinde iimitha ezimbalwa kude. “Abantu bathatha iimoto bawelise umda ukuya eNigeria ukuze bazithengise, kwaye baninzi ubusela beemoto mva nje,†utshilo. Ekubeni imoto yethu yayingazange iluhambe uhambo, bekuya kucingelwa ukuba siyisa eNigeria ukuya kuthengisa. Umqhubi wahlawula ii-R20—ngoku sobabini sasihlawule ngaphezu kwee-R50 kumagosa ahlukeneyo ukususela oko saqalisayo uhambo.

I-Benin kunye nommandla omkhulu waseNigeria kumda wayo unabantu abaninzi baseYoruba, abantu abanetalente abadumileyo nabanomdla kwinkcubeko yabo elawula i-diaspora yase-Afrika, ukusuka eBrazil ukuya eCuba ukuya e-US naseHaiti. Kodwa nge-colonial fiat, iBenin yakrolwa kubukumkani baseYoruba obuqhekekayo baseOyo-yahlaselwa yaza yaphangwa ubugcisa bayo obumangalisayo bobhedu yiBritane ngenkulungwane yeshumi elinesithoba-ngumkhosi wamaFrentshi owawuhlaselayo. Kwiimephu, zombini iBenin kunye neTogo zikhangeleka ngathi ziziphithiphithi, iziqwenga zezindlu ezithengiswayo phakathi kweGhana neNigeria. Uluvo lwe-anomaly luphuculwa kuphela yimeko yendawo efana ne-Cotonou-edandathekileyo kwaye phantse isiphithiphithi, ephila kakhulu ngoncedo lwangaphandle kunye nempahla ethutyelwe ngokungekho mthethweni isuka kummelwane wayo omkhulu notyebileyo, eNigeria, ekufuneka ibe liphondo layo. Ngapha koko, ngaphandle kwegama elinobukhazikhazi kunye nezopolitiko ezinobunkunkqele, iCotonou ibonakala njengenye yedolophu yaseLagos, iyure nje enye okanye ngaphezulu.

Amagosa adikayo omda waseNigeria ahleli kwizitulo zamaplanga ezomeleleyo kwiipaseji zesakhiwo esakhiwe yi-Ecowas kwiminyaka edlulileyo, ngokucacileyo balityelwe ngabasebenzi bakarhulumente abenza izithuba zabo ezihlala zibuhlungu ngokugxunyelelwa izinto ezincinci, ngabokuqala ukwenza eli cebiso kuwe. “Bangabantu abakhohlakeleyo, aba bantu baseBenin,†omnye wabo uye wavolontiya, engenanto yakwenza, njengoko ndandinikezela ngepasi lam. “Abananto. Ngosuku esavala ngalo lo mda kubo, ilizwe lonke lakhala.†Wayethetha ngesiganeko sowama-2004 xa abasemagunyeni baseNigeria, babenexhala lokubiwa kweemoto nokuthutyeleziswa zisuka eNigeria zisiwa eBenin, bavala okwethutyana umda. Kodwa i-irony yale meko, ekubeni yonke ingongoma kukuba imida (akukho pun ecetywayo) kwimpilo yakhe, ibonakala ilahlekile kuye. WayengumYoruba, kwaye wathi wayeziva “enonxibelelwano lwezinyanya” kubantu baseBenin, kodwa “ndinomsebenzi ekufuneka ndiwenze.” Yenye yeendlela zale meko: iimbono ezibhuqekileyo zolongamo, ukuthand' izwe okulambathayo, ukuhlolelwa izinto ezincinci njengomgaqo-nkqubo.

Esi sithuba somda, kwicala laseNigeria, kufuneka sibalwe njengenye yezona zinto zingaqhelekanga emhlabeni, ezingenangqondo kunye nezonakeleyo. Igosa lajonga incwadana yam yokundwendwela xa usenza into engaqhelekanga, latyhila amaphepha, laza, lingawahoyanga, labuza ukuba ndinawo na amaphepha okugonya i-yellow fever. Ndathi andiyifuni, kwaye andiyidingi. Wathi eso sigqibo sesakhe. Yaye isigqibo sakhe yayikukuba ndihlawule imali elingana ne-15 yeedola ngenxa yokungabi nayo. Ekupheleni komda, kwigumbi elinothuli nelixineneyo elidlulayo lisiya kwiCandelo leCustoms, umqhubi wayebuzwa ngemoto. Ngoku kwakusemva kwentsimbi yesi-8:00 ebusuku, ibe kwakumnyama.

Eli gosa lalifuna ukwazi ukuba ngubani otyala imoto. Xa oko kwaqinisekiswayo, wabuza enoba imoto yayikhe yahamba isiya eNigeria na. Kwakungekho ngxelo yoko. Eli gosa lancuma libawa laza labhengeza ukuba kwimeko enjalo umqhubi umele amfakele ibhondi ye-1000 yeedola ukuze avumele imoto inqumle umda. Ngeli xesha, ndiye ndathethathethana ukuba bendiza kuhlawula ngantoni na ngenxa yokunqongophala kwamaphepha okugonya i-yellow fever, kwaye ndanika i-10 yeedola. Ndacela irisithi. Wandincumela ngokuphoxayo, ngokungathi ngumntu wasemzini ongenalwazi nesidenge, waza wandiphakamisa isandla, exelela oogxa bakhe—ababehleli ngokulandelelana emva kwakhe—ukuba bahlole amaphepha am ngakumbi. Ngoku kwakucaca ukuba siza kuchitha ixesha elide kulomda.

Enyanisweni, sisala ukuhlawula ibhondi ye-$ 1000, sachitha ubusuku apho. Bendifuna ukuwela ndiye kusela eBadagry kumgama oziikhilomitha ezimbalwa, kwicala laseNigeria. IBadagry, njengoQuidah, yayiyindawo yokurhweba ngamakhoboka, yaye amakhulu amawaka abantu baseAfrika ababengamakhoboka bathunyelwa apho ngenqanawa ukuya kumazwe aseMerika. UBadagry—igama lobumbongo lalinomtsalane. Ngoku kwakumalunga no-10:00 ebusuku. Ibhinqa elinobubele kweso sithuba landicebisa ukuba ndingayi. Wathi, kwakukho imiqobo emincinane endleleni, yaye phezu kwazo nje ezi zinto—mhlawumbi wayethetha ngazo ngenxa yezi—indlela yayingakhuselekanga ebusuku.

Ndathenga utywala ecaleni kwendlela, ndahlala phantsi nabantu basemdeni, ababesele benobuhlobo ngesiquphe. Ezinzulwini zobusuku, abafana abaninzi bafika kwindawo enkulu, evulekileyo phambi kweposi baza bondlala iimethi ukuze balale. Xa ndandibuzisa, ndaxelelwa ngunogada wasemdeni waseNigeria ukuba “ngabo” basuka kulo lonke elaseNtshona Afrika, yaye ibhinqa elidlamkileyo libaqeshisa ngeemethi ebusuku. Intle! Kwaye eli shishini lidumileyo laseNigeria! Umbhali wasePoland uRyszard Kapuscinski ubalise ibali elifanayo, labafazi baseNigeria abaqala ishishini elincinci lokutya ababelithengisela abakhweli ababelibaziseke ngonaphakade ngenxa yomngxuma omkhulu othe wavela ngequbuliso phakathi kwendlela enkulu eyayicothisa izithuthi ezidlulayo. kwindawo ethile elizweni. Kodwa ke? Ndahamba ndaya kwiqela lamadoda, abantu abaselula abavela kwimimandla eyahlukahlukeneyo yaseNtshona Afrika: kwakukho abemi baseGhana, baseSierra Leone, baseNigeria, baseTogo, nabanye. Bathetha bonke IsiNgesi esophukileyo kwaye babonakala ekhaya kwihlabathi labo elinzima. Kukho izigidi zolutsha olunjalo kuwo wonke ummandla, ihlabathi elikhulu, eloyikekayo luma eNtshona Afrika. Kwi Le Ndlu iwile, umcholacholi weendaba uKarl Maier ucaphula inani labantu abaselula abaphakathi kwama-60-70 ezigidi eNigeria kuphela, uninzi lwabo olungaphangeliyo—nto leyo ebonisa ukuba ulutsha luphela. Aba bafana, abahlali bezitrato kunye neendawo zemida kunye namatyotyombe esixeko, benza intlekisa phantse kuyo yonke ingcamango yesazisi esekwe kubuzwe okanye kwimida: bahamba bewela imida benolwazi oluncinci ukuba bafudukela kwelinye ilizwe: ku. nje enkulu luma umhlaba kubo.

URobert Kaplan, ehamba eNtshona Afrika ikakhulu ngendlela ekuqaleni kweminyaka yoo-1990, ukucinga kwakhe esonganyelwe lolu lutsha lungaphangeliyo, wacinga ukuba “ukwimida yesiphithiphithi.” Andizange ndibone siphithiphithi. Ewe, ndabona ukuchithwa kwamandla, ukutyeshela okukhulu. Kodwa kwakhona ndabona kuyo yonke into entsha, umqondiso oyilayo, wemida engenanjongo yaseNtshona Afrika ekugqibeleni ibuna, yommandla udityaniswa ngokupheleleyo ngaphandle kodidi lwabahambi ngeenyawo bezopolitiko. Le nkqubo, engenakuphepheka, idinga isikhokelo esincinci, uhlobo lolongamelo lwezopolitiko. I-Ecowas, eyasekwa ngeminyaka yoo-1970 njengesixhobo sokudityaniswa koqoqosho lwengingqi kodwa ngoku yonganyelwe ziingxabano zangaphakathi, kufuneka ibonelele ngolongamelo olunjalo. Ukungabikho komzamo onjalo, amandla aba bantu baselula, njengoko sisazi ngoku, angenelwa kwimizamo eyonakalisa ngokupheleleyo, njengemfazwe ye-mercenary. Ezi mfazwe sicinga ukuba ziimfazwe zabavukeli. Kodwa baluvukelo kuphela xa i-nihilism iyimvukelo. Aba bantu baselula asingabo abavukelayo—basuka nje bangenelela emfazweni ngamarhamncwa: enoba aba baselula baphelelwe lithemba nabangamahlwempu bayayazi loo nto, ngokusisiseko bangamaxhoba. Le yingxaki entsha yelizwekazi, kwaye imida inegalelo elikhulu kuyo. Kufuneka bahambe.

NGENXA YENKQUBO Ndachitha ubusuku bonke kumda, nditshaya ndibala neeyure. Kwakusasa ngentsasa elandelayo, ndaqesha inqwelo-mafutha ndaza ndadlula kumda ndaya eBadagry. Imoto evela kwiBhunga laseBritane yabuyela eAccra. U-Badagry: Ngoku ndandiseNigeria, kwesi sixeko sase-Yoruba esidala, indalo yaseDickensian. Ndonwabile kuba ndingazange ndifike kule ndawo kubusuku obudlulileyo. Ngokuba apha, ‘Uphuthaphutha indlela yakho kangangeyure kwiindledlana kunye neendledlana ezidlulayo kunye neeyadi zenkundla kunye neepaseji; kwaye awuzange nakanye uvele kuyo nantoni na enokubizwa ngokufanelekileyo ngokuba sisitrato. Uhlobo lwesiphazamiso esirhoxayo lweza phezu komfokazi njengoko wayenyathela loo mazenge anobuqhophololo, kwaye, ezinikela ngenxa yokulahleka, wangena kwaye waphuma kwaye wajikeleza kwaye wabuyela umva ngokuzolileyo xa efika eludongeni olufileyo… kwaye waziva ukuba indlela Ukusaba kwakunokwenzeka ngexesha labo elifanelekileyo, kodwa ukulindela kwangaphambili kwakunganiki themba…Iiglasi, uphahla lwezindlu, iifestile zentsimbi, intlango phezu kwentlango. Umsi nengxolo eyanele ihlabathi lonke ngaxeshanye.’ Isicatshulwa sisuka kuCharles Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit, kwaye sichaza icandelo likaTodger's London. Kodwa ithatha eyona ndawo idityanisiweyo yeBadagry, inika isaziso esihle sokuba zeziphi iindawo zaseLagos, isixeko esikhulu nesityebileyo, ezinokuba njani….

Ndafika eLagos ngendlela ndaza ndabhabha ndaya eAbuja, ikomkhulu lale mihla laseNigeria (onjani wona umahluko phakathi kweBadagry, Lagos, kunye nesikhululo esibi semida!)…Kwiveki kamva, ndakhwela inqwelo-moya ndaya eGeneva, eSwitzerland. Ukusuka apho, ndahamba ngendlela enqumla eFransi ndisiya eMont Blanc eItali. Uhambo lwathabatha iyure enye nemizuzu engamashumi amathathu. Uhambo olunqumla kumazwe amathathu, kwaye bekungekho nasinye isibonda somda. Kwaye la ngamazwe anembali yeemfazwe eziphalaza igazi kunye nokhuphiswano lwezizwe….

Ndiqale ngokuthi imida engenakubalwa yaseNtshona Afrika ayilunganga kushishino, ayilunganga kuhambo, kunye nokugculelwa kweenjongo ezibhengeziweyo ze-Ecowas zokuhlanganisa uqoqosho lwaseNtshona Afrika. Ndide ndacebisa ukuba banokuba yinxalenye yokungazinzi kommandla okungapheliyo. Ndiphindaphinda la manqaku ukuze ndigxininise: imida kufuneka ihambe.

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