The presidential election last week in Benin stunned all. Most thought that the candidate of the hexagon Lionel Zinsou, the candidate of colonialism, was going to win. We all thought that, France, was going to crush the people’s will and have its man be handed the country. But the people of Benin said NO! The people of Benin resoundly said NO! The country of Béhanzin said NO! The country of the beloved Mathieu Kérékou said NO to France and its puppet and elected Patrice Talon. Vive la Démocratie! In some other African countries (I will not name them), France’s will would have been almighty… but in the land of the fierce Amazons said NO! We, the people has spoken!
I live you here with an excerpt of this victory, and its meaning to all Africans. We have a lot to learn from the people of Benin who have taken a hold of their destiny. Check out these articles by the Brookings Institute, AlJazeera and the BBC on this historic win. And of course, when ‘We the people’ wins, the imperialistic forces are bitter and unhappy, and want to brush it aside in the press.
African Heritage 
Personally I don’t believe it is an historic win. It is just the example that when a country is managed properly and its people are given freedom, and are used to act as citizens, they can win. In other African countries (namely in Central Africa), citizens do not believe in politics. Opposition is as weak as the government is, and even in cases where opposition stands out, no democracy exists. Therefore, we can have the feeling that France’s candidate wins, but I believe it goes further than that. It is more about “dictature” wins on one side and on the other side “citizenship” is a word not a reality. You do not become a citizen in one day, it takes ages and it is only when some countries would have got to that state that no external pressure will be able to have effect on their will.
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I didn’t realize that it happened in Benin. I have so much to learn about these cultures I’ve never been told about in school.
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