Something very interesting happened at the Africa-France Summit held on Oct 8 in Montpellier, France.
For the first time in the history of the summit held since 1973, no African leaders were invited. This wasn't a big deal though the politicians were not too pleased with French President Emmanuel Macron for keeping them out of the few minutes of "fame". Neither was the summit's name change — France-Africa to Africa-France — a sign of "improvement" of how France looks at Africa and its people.
Consider Macron's recent dismissal of Algeria being not a nation before its colonisation by France. If Macron thinks Algerians have no cause for offence, then his presidential feet aren't on the ground. But more of this later. Now for the interesting thing.
France's post-colonial order came in for some thrashing in Montpellier, Macron's home ground. We have to give it to the youths. There was no glad-handing or a you-who-must-be-obeyed supplication as it happens when some leaders are in attendance. Africa knows the cost of such diplomacy to the continent.
Instead, it was, Paris we have a problem. And the problem is France. Not Africa. We agree. Many from elsewhere would nod in agreement, too. Call it the Montpellier moment for Macron.
And what a moment it was. Of the 11 African youths who spoke, Kenyan radio personality and civil society activist Adelle Onyango arguably put it best for the continent. "We as Africans feel the pain of colonisation every single day." Except for the recent acknowledgement of its colonial bad behaviour sans responsibility and reparation in Algeria by Macron, French denial is the default mode. Onyango is right. "How can you trust the source of your pain when the source doesn't acknowledge it?"
She had a to-the-face question for Macron, too: "What does France stand for?" Bravo, Onyango. Arguably, you are the first person on this blessed Earth to have asked a sitting head of state the question. And diplomatically put, too.
Small wonder, the speech is a viral sensation. Onyango's question is Algeria's question, too: What does France stand for? Although Macron hasn't come out in the open as having denied the existence of Algeria as a nation before France's colonisation of Algeria, Le Monde — as quoted by Al Jazeera — did report the French president as saying that Algeria's "official history" was "totally rewritten" to something "not based on truths" but "on a discourse of hatred on France".
Was there an Algerian nation, Macron is reported by Le Monde as asking at a ceremony held to pay tribute to Harkis, Algerians who fought on the side of France in the war of Algerian independence. Such a view of Algeria's history means only one thing: Macron's denial of France's colonisation of Algeria. Why the change? France must know that history cannot be wished away thus, not even by Macron. He knows France colonised Algeria for 132 years. Torture and murder were not unknown. He knows, too, there was an eight-year war of independence, during which his country's army behaved brutally against the Algerians.
Granted, Macron inherited France's colonialism, but that doesn't mean he can deny it. We leave you with Onyango's Montpellier question: How can you trust the source of your pain when the source doesn't acknowledge it? This isn't just an African question. It is also one many colonised countries will be asking. Not just to France, but to others on a colonising mission.