Couscous metaphor reveals Africa's uneven solidarity, argues doctor

Osumud Agbo argues that couscous serves as a metaphor for Africa's uneven solidarity, noting that while Sub-Saharan Africans readily defend migrants facing xenophobia in South Africa, similar abuses against their compatriots in North Africa draw muted outrage. He cites documented migrant mistreatment in Morocco, Libya, and Mauritania, including arbitrary arrests, forced expulsions, racial discrimination, physical abuse, and modern-day slave markets in Libya, as well as the persistence of hereditary slavery among Haratins in Mauritania despite legal bans. Agbo contends that North African governments often invoke African identity only when convenient—such as celebrating continental sports victories—while migration policies and public discourse reveal a lack of reciprocal empathy. He also points out that Sub-Saharan Africa's own leadership failures drive migration, but stresses that acknowledging one injustice does not excuse another. The author urges Sub-Saharan Africa to engage North Africa as equal partners based on mutual respect, not sentimental narratives, insisting that trust and respect must be earned through consistent cooperation on shared interests, not assumed due to geography or Pan-African rhetoric.

SOURCE: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/901434-why-i-am-no-fan-of-couscous-by-osmund-agbo.html