The season of reaping where nobody has sown has come. Super rich countries-G8 converged in Toyako, Hokkaido Japan. Along with this summit, African rulers in their expensive suits gate crushed the conference to foster their desire and hoo-ha.The G8 talks participants included leaders of Algeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania.

Shamelessly, Africa sent her master beggars to go and convince the high and mighty that this time around they’ll make changes that have never arrived. Why should African rulers go to G8 meeting whilst they have nothing substantial even for their countries and region? Topspins were shrewdly at work appointing sweet words for pleasing and convincing donors. Their briefcases were full of pamphlets on development, economic revival, structural adjustments and what not.

"I said that sanctions... wouldn't change the regime," Senegal's leader Abdoulaye Wade told AFP news agency. What then should change this illegal regime in Zimbabwe?

Hear president Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania speak: “The only area that we may differ is on the way forward. You see differently but for us in Africa we see differently, but I think again there is still room for us for discussion.” What does this really mean? No definition or elaboration of this different point of view and why!

As Africa’s coffers are drained to finance trips to Japan and night allowances for those tourists that went there to enjoy all yum-yum and do some shopping, one mind boggling question is still looming: for how long shall Africa depend on cup-in-hand missions deprived of vision?

Last meeting in Germany, many resolutions were reached at. Important of all was the drive to stamp out corruption and poverty as the means of reviving Africa’s economy. Ask our rulers. What did they attain since then?

What did Africa achieve? Japanese Foreign Ministry press spokesman Kazuo Kodama acknowledged that Africa was well behind target on health, but added: “G8 leaders will certainly deliver a strong and concrete message to help African countries to achieve MDGs.”

If I were G8 leaders, I would oblige African mumbo jumbos to make sure that they put their house in order before speaking whatever ballyhoos and hoo-ha they have. Ask African rulers: How much did they attain with respects to those they agreed upon in Germany? There is nothing but politics and blah blah.

Kikwete, who is also head of the African Union, said: “I want to assure you that the concerns that you have expressed are indeed the concerns of many of us in the African continent.”

“I believe the G8 should send a strong message so as to ensure that democracy in Zimbabwe will be protected,” Brown was quoted in a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.

Let me surmise by telling our beggars that they are bringing shame on us all. Stop begging and start thinking right. Invest in your people in lieu of begging and self degrading.

Source: The African Executive Magazine July 16, 2008.