What the conflict between Russia and Ukraine can teach African leaders

Map of Ukraine. Photo BBC

OPINION - Africa is not new to conflict. Conflict has been a way to settle misunderstandings all over the world. While some learn from their clashes, others don't. This latest incident plays out like a world class drama. The Russian/Ukraine stand-off is an example of how interwoven, how related we are as a race and how we all need each other.

Since the Russian build-up of military force in the Ukraine began, news has filtered out about the extent of the business connections between Russia, the UK, Europe and the US. News of the big pipelines which run all over Europe form Moscow, the gas supply and many other raw materials which are important for the growth of most western economies. 

Here are the lessons African leaders can learn:

It's all about the money

The fact that US is not doing much about the Russian occupation of Ukraine except to withdraw the country from the G8 says a lot about how much Russian's power is recognized  and how the west wants to hang on to the business arrangements with the Russians. 

Military defense is power

Russia is a world power, manufacturing her own aircraft, warships and missiles. The country can rise to the highest challenge if need be and the US knows this. UK’s William Hague has pleaded to the Ukrainian soldiers not to be provoked by the Russians who fired shots at Ukraine soldiers today. Hague knows that any return of fire can result in an all-out war with surrounding countries like Korea, China, Turkey, Pakistan, India all taking sides and forming allies. This is what Africa leaders’ needs to focus on as well. To start with, the manufacture of defence weapons in the continent because defence is power. Indian for example manufactures their weapons. In this age, a country without top quality weapons of defence is leaving her territory vulnerable to invasion. I watched sadly as the Russian soldiers shouted at the Ukrainian solders on Ukrainian soil. The Russians have taken hold of all the Ukrainian aircrafts and military stations. In fact, the Ukrainian soldiers were locked up in their barracks and guarded by Russians soldiers.

Form allies with powerfully allies

Sanctions will not work on Russian in this conflict - if the US remove visas, economic investments, energy and so on from Russians, Russia has a choice of turning to her now lucrative neighbouring Asian countries - China, Korea, India whose population is more than half the population of the world. A threat of disconnection by the west will therefore be meaningless to President Putin.

Confident leaders who have their people’s interests at heart

While it is not lawful for a country to occupy another sovereign country, President Putin says he has sent his soldiers into Crimea to protect the Russian people there from the uprising in Kiev where 80 people died last week. How many African leaders would try to do something like that to protect their citizens? Even in Nigeria where Boko Haram is causing mayhem what is the country's leaders doing?