Author:Essa Bokarr SEY.
My take on this proposed visit to our continent is based on past and present experience,for the general and for the specific. Who says Bush has no past and present connections with Africa? For the specific I will ask any peeping critic and my own self the above leading question. I will also give an explicit answer to this question...then leave interested parties nibble the rest at their own pace. Different versions can be shared within and without Africa as answers for that matter. I cannot control the way analysts or researchers will attend to this question. Neither can I propose how writers,critics or journalist will analyse these contents! However,I would also expect these very peeping critics to respect my own side of this thought-provoking article.
Lets come back to what my answer to the question here above is. Yes George Walker Bush has personal and official connections with Africa. Videos,letters and traces are there to justify that. Mr Bush in 1990 visited my country The Gambia,he was there to attend the celebration of the 25th Independence anniversary of our land. This also marked the day we still remember as the Silver Jubilee anniversary. Who was the President of The Gambia then? The first President of The Republic of The Gambia Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara.
Who was the President of the United States of America then? President George Bush(Senior). Therefore George Bush(Junior) was sent to our country to represent the image of his father. This same Bush(Junior) does still remember The Gambia. In that regard I will come into the scene from a personal experience. On september 25th 2002 was the first day I met the same President George Walker Bush to present my credentials as a representative of The Gambia being a sovereign country. On the other hand as an envoy of President Yahya Jammeh,current president of The Republic of The Gambia. When I entered the oval office, these were President George Bush's remarks to me,my wife,two kids and Nanny maid of our physically challenged child Baba Sey:"Welcome Mr Ambassador...your country is beautiful...The Gambia,a country of sunshine and lovely people!" My family members are living witnesses in respect of what transpired in the oval office on that day. This was a good historic occasion for the specific because in the USA Presidents invite Ambassadors to come to the White house with their immediate families while presenting letters of credentials. During this short meeting I caught one thing about the man Bush. In all honesty he is not Bossy. He is natural and not the least artificial when it comes to the way he talks to others. He spoke to me with no protocol strings attached. He candidly said in his official reply to mine that there were areas where our government still needed improvement. This was meant to highlight on, maintaining a steady course towards nurturing democracy in The Gambia. What is bad in this? Of course nothing. He spoke and wrote to The Gambia as a good old friend of its people. Politically I saw our meeting as one important and rare occasion. For me Bush's handshake was like seeing the whole of the USA standing before me, because he is the elected leader of its citizens!
To further justify why we should welcome this man's proposed trip to Africa I will elaborate on the positive side of things from the past to now. During Bush's first trip to The Gambia he was a busy young man growing to be what he is today from the plains of Texas. Couldn't he have excused himself from visiting The Gambia in 1990? He could have simply asked his father to choose another person. But no the man went to visit our people at a time he was no where near making a name or wanting to get more votes from African Americans, simply because he went to Africa. This undertaking was on Bush's schedule both naturally and personally. I am not thinking as a Bushist(which no one can call me anyway). I am thinking as an African who cares about drawing more friends towards my people than foes.
Here begins my answer for the general. I am still going to release what I gathered about the man when it comes to Africa. In May 2003 I was received by his former assistant as governor,Governor Rick Perry. He is the current governor of Texas state. Mr Perry served under Bush as governor of Texas for 8 years. During this visit I was invited as a special guest at the Texas legislature when the house passed the 78th legislature. Those able and seasoned politicians handed over the historic gavel they was used on that day to me, as a respresentative of the country called The Gambia. Before announcing my presence as a person and an envoy, The Gambia's name was introduced to the listening audience. The honourable speaker called it a country where one can find good peanuts and fish. This was mentioned on the public address system. Indeed that was a good marketing strategy for our poor country. As the Moscovites used to say..."seeing is believing..." No one told me,I saw it. I saw Texas caring to go and visit Africa,create economic links and political ties. This was not coming from politicians alone. I saw economists at the Austin International Economic Bureau perform. This made me listen to some Latinos,Chinese,Arabs and Africans in the streets of Austin. This came after I requested to be driven around town thus gather first hand knowlegde on what the people in the informal sector had to say. Believe me or not,I was educated on what the man Bush did towards creating avenues leading to the creation of so many opportunities for immigrants in Texas while he was governor of the same state. These avenues helped spread the wings of small businesses that indeed included Africans too. Anyone who cares can find out from Texas State if Africans are not fairing in the business arena. This is why I strongly believe in welcoming Bush's proposed visit to Africa. This visit will be a magnetizing positive move when it comes to building economic bridges.
There are investors in those areas of the USA who would not hesitate going to see African after Bush's visit. Bush's advantage in this country and in Texas in partiular is twofold. He is a political figure and a business figure at the same time. Lets be real here,naivety or thinking that Bush is not needed in Africa even after he leaves office is simply untrue. In the business arena we certainly need the man's support. Make no mistakes peeping critics,this is not about what we feel towards Bush as a person(negative or positive). This is about how we can spread out and invite participation towards building economic links with potential partners. How many businesses can the man convince towards Africa? They are countless. This is not a political fact,it is a business fact! I also know this for a fact. I have been in Washington as a diplomat and I lived in Texas after leaving the political life for a while. Now I am back into that political life in full force. My take here will never seek for popularity,I will run after production. Nothing more,nothing less. Even if one does not appreciate Bush for political reasons,one is also expected to understand that Bush commands respect in the business or economic life of the country. This we need too in Africa because it is all about searching for potential partners. Isn't he one? Aren't his tycoons his Texas also needed in Africa? The answers are yours not mine!
When it comes to some of the countries he is proposing to visit during this forthcoming trip I see more light here. These are Rwanda,Liberia,Tanzania,Benin and Ghana. Indeed that list is a good choice in my book. This helps me explain one thing. ACTIONS ARE SPEAKING.
This will help us Africans sell the positive image a lot. I heard on NRP radio station today an analyst saying Bush skipped Kenya. I concur with that feeling. Africa also cannot continue being shattered with vibrating microphones of hopelessness all the time. Yes Bush! I agree with that list. The state department did a good job there. I mean them and any other official involved in this mapping and zoning in respect of Africa's present or future relationship with the USA. It is a complete break away from the feelings of going to Africa the land of diseases and wars. This time it is a feeling of sharing achievements with thriving and striving African nations.
When one reads between the lines it means a lot. Rwanda has come a long way from the dark days of genocide and the times of genocidal maniacs. Yes Rwanda has shown the whole world that Africans are not meant to use machets and axes on each other when it is convenient for evil politicians. Rwanda has refused to remain on that bad spot. Bush has chosen to encourage that. It is BETTER TOO LATE THAN NEVER!
They have taken a complete U-turn! This is a big achievement Bush and team have seen therefore recognized it with readiness to share the achievements from far away.
Benin is one country,which for a long time been on the good list of the White house. They have been identified as a country that is nurturing democratic culutre within. If the USA via the Bush administration was not ready to break away from the past,would they have visited Benin? Benin is a former colony of France,however the new US players have realised we Africans are no one's colonies anymore. We are free countries ready to relate with any nation that cares or has vested interest in that vein. This is where I salute both Benin and the USA. Benin is no longer tied to the idea of belonging to any colonial power.They use the open door policy.
Liberia is another sparking star in this list of ahcievements. From a lengthy period of endless carnage they have come to achieve so much on the socio-political front.
Infact one can say that Bush is brave enough to acknowledge an achievement in Liberia that is yet to be seen the US. Liberia is presently headed by a female president(which America is yet to have!). Despite all odds the US will be there because Liberians have achieved a lot. Tanzania too has always been working hard along the path of socio-economic develpment. From Nyerere to now. This is another country that can show those Africa-pessimists that, we are determined people who can run the show and perform very well. Next on line is Ghana! Ghana is a flashing icon on the screen when it comes to good references in Africa. They have also gone a long way in that direction. Infact Ghana has special links in Texas state itself that I know. Its sons and daughters are striving hard on the plains of the blue bonnets.
This is what makes me welcome the trip! It shows to all and sundry that indeed in Africa there are shining spots where hope can grow into reality.
As a president this will be Bush's second trip to Africa. As a US citizen this will be Bush's third visit to Africa. His first visit to Africa was when he landed in The Gambia in 1990.
He who does not care would not visit a place THREE TIMES! Lets encourage his positive approaches we need him,he needs us!