Madagascar's Neo-Colonialism (English)
- Miles Henderson
- Oct 8
- 4 min read
"Chance has never yet satisfied the hope of a suffering people. Action, self-reliance, the vision of self and the future, have been the only means by which the oppressed have seen and realized the light of their own freedom.” - Hon. Marcus Garvey
The youth of Madagascar as you find yourself going into the 21st century, you are looking around and seeing the difficulty of living in a nation that can not provide basic amenities. The international protests that the Malagasy Gen Z have spearheaded has gained international coverage.
At the forefront of this movement are university students. University students represent a nation's future and its potential. The writers of history, destiny and development. This generation of Malagasy have rejected their circumstances and are determined to change their future and the future of their nation.
The initial actions of the youth, while initiated by a lack of water and electricity; basic human rights in the 21st century, have expanded to a call for the stepping down of the current leader of Madagascar, President Andry Rajoelina. While President Rajoelina, represents the ills and qualms of the nation; his stepping down will not change the systematic Neo - Colonial capture of the country. The history of Madagascar specifically as a former colony of the French, perhaps the most egregious colonizer. Most definitely, the most continuous given its modern CFA Franc monetary system, and notable modern exploitative relationships with most of its former African colonies.
The current leadership of Madagascar, like so many African leaders before them, function within a system that enforces dependency regardless of who leads. Madagascar’s resources, its minerals, its agriculture, and wealth are funneled outward to Europe via multinational corporations, while the Malagasy people remain impoverished. This impoverishment only serves foreign visitors in an exploitative tourism industry, while the nation is not designed to develop itself but to serve others. The current unrest is not simply about water and electricity, it is about a nation resisting the continuation of an extractive model designed in Paris and perpetuated by foreign capital.
Neo - Colonialism is defined as the last stage of colonization. Kwame Nkrumah, the great Pan-African visionary and first President of Ghana, warned us of this very danger. In his seminal work Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage of Imperialism, he wrote:
“The essence of neo-colonialism is that the State which is subject to it is, in theory, independent and has all the outward trappings of international sovereignty. In reality its economic system and thus its political policy is directed from outside.”
Madagascar, unfortunately, while it achieved independence in name, the levers of power remain controlled elsewhere.
So in this moment in time, the youth of Madagascar and it's populace ultimately will decide how their nation will move forward. One would think it would be wise to redefine the nation, toward ideals that would position Madagascar toward sovereignty and control of its destiny as opposed to staying within an illusion of independence.
The only durable ideal to develop the nation around is Pan-Africanism. Pan-Africanism is the cultural, economic, and political unification of all Black and African descended people on the continent and its Diaspora in the world.
Madagascar does not and can not exist within a vacuum. Only through tangible and strategic connection to the Black World, will Madagascar find the international support necessary to go through the shedding process of Neo - Colonial restraints. Just as Burkina Faso embraced the tenants of Pan-Africanism, and in return the Black World rewarded them with global attention and support as it pushed back against foreign influence; allowing it to redefine itself and its relationship with its own resources.
Madagascar could do the same. However, it hinges on Madagascar as a society seeing itself as fully part of the Black World, being an active member and adopting the ideals toward the glorious pursuit of Global Black unity. The Black World; Black Africa and its Diaspora only when united can it fully resist foreign designs on its sovereignty, development, and people.
The effects of colonization have directly effected the education system not only in Madagascar, but throughout the African continent. One of the primary efforts to develop the nation properly is through an education that fosters the proper skills, attributes, and orientation that is necessary for students to properly equip themselves and their nation. An education that emphasizes a global worldview, Pan-African thought, cultural-historical preservation with an Afro-Futurist vision of the future aided by technological excellence.
Having diagnosed Neo - Colonial dependency, we must cultivate the leadership to overcome it.
I am Miles Henderson, the Founder and Executive Director of a Pan-African ecosystem built by youth, and we have developed a platform that does exactly that - True Culture University.
The True Culture University Ecosystem, a 10 year initiative that has worked to create a global network of Black college students that encompasses, showcases, and amplifies the goals of Pan-Africanism through various mediums and forms. TCU fosters understanding, communication, and engagement amongst the Black collegiate population both locally and globally.
Our expanding collegiate network already has 17 chapters in Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Brazil, the Caribbean, and the United States. These clubs serve as the catalyst to develop the next generation.
These chapters are not just clubs; they are incubators for leadership and education, equipping a new generation of thinkers and professionals who understand the stakes that we all face, and recognize it is only through global collaboration, education, and technology can the ideals of Pan-Africanism be made material. Through our global TCU chapter network, students will gain tools, resources, connections, and access to our ecosystem including our social media platform, speakers, courses, and business ventures that will both localize and globalize the Pan-African pursuit in Madagascar.
I cordially invite all the university students of Madagascar to join our network and to establish True Culture University clubs on your campuses. Not only is the future of Madagascar in your hands, but your role in the Black World is as well.
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