Have you heard? Ghana apparently had a “no violence” aftermath election, and the well-meaning people in the press (or the West, I guess) feel Ghanians should be applauded and padded on the back for not hacking each other to death, a la Kenya-style. It seems that we, Africans, are expected to kill each other after elections as if, I don’t know, we are all savages. I know, I know…I’m being a bit cynical and sarcastic, but I just couldn’t help but laugh at first and then get angry while reading these so-called news coming out of the Western press with suggestions like, “some feared violence could erupt as it did earlier this year in Kenya,” buried in the ‘analysis.’ Also notice no mention of Zimbabwe’s two, no aftermath violence elections since Bobby Mugabe wasn’t defeated at the polls.

I wonder, is there a hidden paternalism or even eurocentric views in these “news reports”? Or am I the crazy black dude who’s always suspecious of our well-meaning, well-intentioned friends in the West? Hmmm…well, I’ve yet to see otherwise for now.