A Cultural Case that has Conquered the Decision-Making Centre

Senegal had offered Africa a President Poet. No one questions Léopold Sédar Senghor’s contribution to cultural enhancement in Senegal. Haiti also has been having its President Singer since 4 April 2011: Michel Martelly. The pop music singer defeated Mirlande Manigat. She is the former first Lady.  No one agreed that he enjoyed some political maturity. Besides, people only knew he will run for the elections in July 2010. Haiti is a small African section located in the Pacific Ocean. The country shares its evils with the continent: abject poverty, hunger, diseases and cataclysms. In this regard, Haiti, the maiden Black republic, is the poorest nation in America.

Hitting the Target celebrates Michel Martelly’s courage. Political victories against men and women in power or closer to it are a handful in “so-called small republics” in Black countries. Moreover, the new President did not have the same fate with his singer counterpart Wyclef Jean. He is reported to have been shot a bullet at the eve of the elections. Besides, Michel Martelly is rejuvenating

the presidential function. So far, most African Heads of States aged 50 or less came to power after revolutions like Sankara in Burkina Faso or after turning republics into monarchies where fathers hand over power to their sons after cases of sudden death in Congo, Gabon, Togo and why not Senegal in the days to come.

A socio-cultural analysis places the success of Michel Martelly under the conceptual framing of the conquest for the decision-making centre. A previous column encouraged arts people to stop occupying social periphery. They are endowed with resounding political marketing assets and tools. Sweet Micky, as his fans call him, made use of it to rise to the presidency. However, the discourse on the conquest for decision-making centre is not limited in particular to the executive. It is not a call for all artists to rule countries or to be appointed ministers. However, any artist can find himself or herself useful even locally. Decentralisation is still very recent in many countries in Africa. Unfortunately, majors do not understand the ins-and-outs of it. The involvement of people in the process takes time. Things are even worse. Politicians are hardly abreast of arts and culture issues. Therefore, municipal councils need information. One of the best ways to provide information is to be elected municipal councillor. Other artists have the means to become members of parliament. Mp function is even an ideal way to get the message across. Parliament is the place where laws are voted. If arts people had invaded parliament houses, devising and implementing cultural policies would not have delayed in Africa.

Michel Martelly has succeeded in being elected President in Haiti. However, his campaign discourse stressed youth employment and land reform to booster productivity in the country. The sole cultural aspect discussed is tourism. Let pray that cultural hopes will gain ground.