Timi Frank warns African leaders against deals with France

A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has warned African leaders against entering into what he described as “devilish” and “anti-people” agreements with France.

Frank gave the warning on Friday in a strongly worded reaction to recent diplomatic engagements between France and some African leaders, where he said a plethora of ridiculous agreements had been signed at the “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth Summit” attended by French President Emmanuel Macron and several African leaders, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in Nairobi, Kenya.

While urging African youths to resist any renewed French influence on the continent, he claimed that Paris was attempting to regain influence in Africa after facing rejection in several Francophone countries.

He described the reported agreements as a “Greek gift,” claiming they would neither benefit African citizens nor promote genuine development across the continent.

According to him, African leaders must place the interests of their citizens above personal ambitions and corruption-driven alliances.

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“Any agreement signed with France will only benefit the leaders themselves and not the people. Africans must reject such deals because they are like death warrants for the continent,” he said.

Frank particularly referenced the stance taken by countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali, which have openly resisted French influence in recent years.

He argued that if smaller African nations could distance themselves from France, larger countries should also resist what he termed “a fresh attempt at recolonisation.”

He further accused France of historically exploiting African nations through economic arrangements that allegedly kept former colonies dependent on Paris.

“All these years France controlled the resources and financial systems of many African countries. They kept African money and still loaned the same money back to them. That system only promoted poverty and dependency,” he alleged.

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, also accused France of backing African leaders who alter constitutions to remain in office, alleging that Paris had historically supported corrupt regimes across the continent.

He therefore called on Africans to vote out leaders who enter into agreements that compromise the interests and sovereignty of their countries.

“Africans should reject leaders who mortgage the future of their countries for selfish gains. The continent deserves partnerships that promote development, security and prosperity for the people,” he said.

The political activist also called on African youths to stage peaceful protests against any agreement perceived to undermine the continent’s sovereignty.

“The youth must wake up and reject this new takeover agenda. The era where France dictates the future of Africa is gone,” he stated.

Frank urged African leaders to instead strengthen partnerships with the United States and Israel, which he said had shown greater commitment to trade, technology, agriculture and security cooperation beneficial to African nations.

He praised Donald Trump and the United States for what he described as opposition to unconstitutional tenure elongation and support for democratic governance in Africa.

According to him, America and Israel had demonstrated “shared developmental values far more inspiring and people-oriented than France.”