This morning, that Ivorian tyrant - Laurent Gbagbo - who has put his own personal lust for power ahead of an election result has tried to assuage people's worries by saying that he will enter into negotiations to resolve the tensions now apparent in his country.
Remember the kid who brought the tennis ball and the cricket bat to school. Remember, when he went out first ball how he'd take his equipment away from everyone else? How he didn't give a shit that 12 other people were also trying to play? Well Gbagbo is that same shyster, with a lot more than sports equipment, though.
Are we really supposed to take this offer of negotiation as anything but a shot at clinging onto some kind of government role? Is there supposed to be a positive aspect to this statement?
Screw you, Mr Gbagbo. The people of Côte d'Ivoire voted your ass out. Piss off and let the chap they chose - Mr Alassane Ouattara - take over.
In the last decades we have seen impressive improvement in Africa: Apartheid dismantled, a change (be it temporary) in Zimbabwe's political landscape, the rise of Ghana, stability in Rwanda, Eritrea finally breaking free into independence, slavery again being outlawed in Mauritania (although not yet eradicated), Somaliland's shining example to it's neighbour, the change in Mozambique's economy (with still a long way to go but it's growth is staggering) and so on. There is fast development breaking through what were once stagnant and virtually continent-wide problems.
Well, Gbagbo doesn't give a stuff about any of that.
He is one of those leaders who hopes our continent remains in the post-colonial-politicised age where anti-France rhetoric will keep him in the presidency, where we can't exist outside European reasoning, history and comparisons. He is the type that provides those whom view our continent with condescension and patronisation the ammo to do so while the rest of us are trying to help it achieve its potential.
I think it's awesome that the Ivorian folks have angled against this dictatorial power-addict.
This negotiation attempt is bullshit.
Nope, Mr Gbagbo. You're wrong.
