Daily Times

The terms elite capture and elite club are uttered frequently by leading experts (usually men) in their talks, conference papers, written analyses, sundowners, and many other forms of informally formal chats. I clearly recall that around two decades ago when I used to write or mention myself as a nonelite activist or nonelite Gender expert I used to get frowning or curt advice from various elites on influencing positions at the different forums in the tapestry of the social development industry, business or sector. I used to see, think, and act on Social development as a calling and consequently experienced the cost. There is interesting literature available on the internet on decoding this jargon in the lexicon of development. I recall that in one of the World Bank’s reports, the term Elite Capture was used and then it came to all of us the stakeholders with varying degrees of influence and yes these and many other jargon are here to stay.

The irony dies when Elites who have captured all forms of resources criticize the very capture and lament the club. These are the same actors who are actually responsible for not only income poverty but poverty of opportunities as well. This obstructs upward mobility too. However, the entire drama is carefully directed. Some nonelites are also picked up, trained, brainwashed, lured, and whatnot. The theatre of the oppressed also needs to be understood to comprehend my point. More interested readers can read Lords of Poverty by Hancock.

There are no simple solutions to end the elite capture. The deep-seated poverty of social justice has to be surgically removed.

Many still mistakenly see me as an Elite. Some of my closest friends ridicule me that why do I write in English if I claim to be a nonelite. To discredit them if at all I occasionally employ different techniques. At times I give an informed lecture on language and decolonization. I try to convince them that my English too is nonelitist. I also show them my cheap mobile, my old car that never fails to misbehave, my non-manicured hands, and injured heels. Living decently and not in rags does not make one elite. Many of my likes have been making futile protests against this grand deception. Sometimes we enter the system. Likes of me get entry after a competitive process. Even today I edit my CV, appear in written tests and interviews, and bear the humiliation of reporting to people who are too junior or even getting rejected. I have to make a lot of effort to maintain my mental health and intellectual faculties intact. Why I do what I do? The answer no matter how irrational it appears remains the fact that there is no other option but not to give up. So I did and will do it with the hope of reforming or negotiating. It does not mean that I am naïve. This capture and club are too big, too vast, too deep, and too strong.

The system has been structured to ensure the continuity of the elitist consensus. The members of the elite club help each other in establishing NGOs, consultancy firms, and private companies, getting lucrative jobs nationally and internationally, scholarships and fellowships, and much more. The system has brilliant minds and God-fearing people as well. Yet, they remain silent mostly to ensure their own survival. I understand for many in this corrupt system the paycheck at the end of the month is above all mantras of ethics and philosophy of development. Therefore, after years of anger and resentment, I have finally forgiven ( without receiving any apology thought) my many perpetrators in this malfunctioning business. I have no complaints with those women friends who work with fake virtuous agencies in the system and never respond to my emails or include me in some exclusive mailing lists at the perceived or actual risk of being marginalized themselves.

Between the drama of development and phoenix-styled dismantling hangs the fate of millions of disadvantaged people. Among them, my primary audience has always remained children of the lesser God or wretched of the earth. Since this too is a multiramified sample today I want to focus only on non-elite women of all ages. These women and girls experience a multitude of violence, yet there is no formidable and convincing program to address their needs. The whole industry is chasing targets. The sectors and subsectors within this façade industry are cruelly wasting money and other resources on fancy initiatives, aligning with the world of glitter and glamour in the name of media advocacy and there are so many malpractices.

I have been working against Dowry Violence for nearly three decades. I have swallowed many bitter pills of intellectual dishonesty on this front by elite feminists. However, what gives me immense pain is the handling of the issue by a powerful platform mandated as the voice of women. I am less grieved by my own sidelining but totally devastated on noticing the involvement of those who are perpetuating the custom of dowry and institutionalizing it. The conflict of interest between the fashion industry and dowry-based violence has been cleverly concealed by the elites and voices like myself do not get validation even from the renowned women activists. This is just one of the many examples of the detrimental impact of the elite capture and elite club.

Many women and some women in this development industry, theoretically championing the causes of human rights, mental health, and equal access, endure torturous moments in their professional work due to the hostile treatment offered by the elites. Alas! Changes that can change the status quo in the current systems are not the constituencies of donor-backed startups by elite kids.

There are no simple solutions to end the elite capture. The deep-seated poverty of social justice has to be surgically removed. This would cause pain and problems for the elites. The frank question is; are they ready to give up their privileges? Are young elite feminists, activists, academics, and advocates of the equal world ready to disown their pedigree? Can they leave the space for the nonelites and be ready to work under them? Can they strike off their names from the list of those lists reserved for them and put the names of nonelites? This is a sacrifice, and it is not going to happen.

How long one can stay hungry and act like a fool? The benefits of entitlement are seductive and alluring. One needs to be a saint to absolutely refrain from this world or even the desire.

The writer is a serial social entrepreneur ,activist ,gender expert and former TV anchor & producer. She can be reached at founderkafekaamgmail.com