Who is Selling Papa's Land? Africa is not for Sale!

Abstract

It is now commonplace in some major Nigerian urban and semi-urban settings to spot boldly written notices on buildings and plots of Land warning unsuspecting prospective buyers that such premises are not for sale. This absurdity is the tip of an iceberg of the colossal scam afoot the second scramble for Africa. Africa's fatherland, Papa's land, in the words of the late generic musician, Sonny Okosson, is today being put up for sale. A massive inflow of foreign capital is taking advantage of this "open door.” In the first scramble, Africa was taken by the force of arms, and now systematically by an alignment of financial muscle and political collaboration. Behind this are chants of the poor masses of African farmers, pastoralists and the urban poor whose lands are being grabbed saying "Africa is not for sale!” Thus looking closely at the spurt of land grabbing in Africa, in the spirit of this desperate and rancorous chorus of the affected people, we are forced to ask many questions. Is Africa in the dawn of a new development initiative? If so, are the proofs of the devastating consequences of doing this in a continent that has for too long being in the backwaters of the global economy, something to just dismiss with the wave the hand? Is Africa not again dancing to a new music churned out by its Patrons? Will the voices of the affected African people crying in the wilderness of depravation not triumph? How much of Africa has been grabbed and how far can this go on? The answers to these questions will try to tell the story of land grabbing in a subservient continent with enormous resources that are hardly being used to benefit its people.