Not Yet Uhuru: Lingering Chains of Black Colonial States

By Nokrach, O. (2025)

Nearly sixty years ago, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga penned the powerful words: “Not Yet Uhuru.” Today, those words remain as relevant as ever.

NOT YET UHURU By Oginga Odinga

Across the African continent—from Egypt in the North to South Africa in the South, and Somalia in the East to Senegal in the West—black colonial states continue to operate under systems that render true independence impossible. These nations are not sovereign in any meaningful sense and will not become truly independent without fundamental restructuring, including, but not limited to, the redrawing of colonial-era borders.

Black Colonial States: The Illusion of Sovereignty

What exists in many African countries today is not self-rule, but rather a continuous play performed on the stage set by former colonial powers. Take Burkina Faso, for example: under Ibrahim Traoré, the country has seemingly pivoted from French influence to Russian patronage. However, this is merely a change in colonial overseer—not liberation. If history is any guide, Burkina Faso may very well revert to French influence once Traoré is gone.

These so-called independent nations remain shackled by technological, financial, cultural, and political dependency. The revelations by WikiLeaks underscored this stark reality: even the private conversations of African heads of state are monitored by foreign powers. Leaders are forced to choose their words carefully praising one empire while castigating another. There is no room to reject all masters. There is no true autonomy.

The Multipolar World Is No Savior

As global power structures shift toward a multipolar world order, there is a dangerous illusion that Africa will somehow benefit. But the reality is that black colonial states will simply find themselves swapping one master for another. The United States may retreat, but others—Russia, China, France, the UAE, Turkey, the UK—are eager to fill the vacuum.

• Turkey has entrenched itself in Somalia.

• The UAE supports factions like the RSF in Sudan.

• Russia and France battle for influence in West Africa.

The game has not changed—only the players.

A Path Forward: Building Indigenous Excellence

What, then, is the solution? How do we escape this cycle?

The answer lies in building strong indigenous institutions. For the Luo people (Joluo), this means creating centers of excellence that can serve as the bedrock for genuine independence. True sovereignty will not come through slogans or alliances with new superpowers – it will come through excellence in all fields of human endeavor.

The 21 Luo National Congress (LNC) associations represent the seeds of this vision. They are the nuclei from which a powerful network of Luo institutions can grow—capable of charting an independent path free from the mediocrity and dependence of black colonial states.

There is no quick solution.
But there is a solution—and it begins with us.