Daily Times

The University of Ghana has removed a statue of Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi. This has been a two-year struggle in the making; with academics, students and artists campaigning to have the effigy taken down almost as soon as it was unveiled back in 2016 by former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee.

At the heart of the move are allegations of Gandhi’s inherent racism. Indeed, in his numerous writings penned while living in South Africa (1893-1915), he was known to employ pejorative terms to describe black Africans. He also made no secret of how he viewed Indians as being “infinitely” superior to the savage Natives of Africa. Ditto when it came to expressing his disdain for interaction between the two peoples. This is to say nothing of how Gandhi’s anti-colonial struggle focused exclusively on liberating Indians from the clutches of the British Empire. Thereby leading to charges of complicity with the imperialist masters to subjugate the African people in their own land. Though his supporters insist that it was efforts for Indian self-determination that paved the way for eventual African self-rule. As if there was no indigenous resistance to the imperialist project.

Thus the removal of the statue signifies Ghanaians disallowing the hijacking of their colonial past by others. This is extremely important. Not least because the modern global race narrative has become, for the most part, North American-centric. Meaning that international media tends to overlook resistance against imperialism’s toxic legacy when this comes from within the Global South. Thus the decision by the University of Ghana not only signifies victory in the face of attempts to whitewash history — it also serves as a timely reminder that when opposing subjugation of a people based on race there can be no room for selectivity. The same may also be said of religion.

The Gandhi effigy was meant to signify the close bilateral relationship between Accra and New Delhi. And as such, it was a misstep in this regard. But that is no reason why its subsequent removal should stall ties. In fact, it should pave the way towards the dialogue of reconciliation. This needs to happen across the board. If, that is, there is any hope of mounting sufficient international pressure on the former colonial masters to cough up substantial reparations — as opposed to foreign direct investment — to those whom they shackled and plundered. For western imperialism remains one of the darkest stains on humanity. *

Published in Daily Times, December 18^th2018.