Far right polices or right-wing extremism as a political spectrum is prevalent in contemporary European and American politics.
Right-wing fanatics share in political ideologies such as extreme nationalism, nativism and to a large extent exhibit authoritarian tendencies.
Examples of right-wing parties are conservatives, fascists, Christian democrats, classical liberals and nationalists.
This school of thought has set new narratives for activists and political candidates in the US and Europe igniting intermittent insurrections from groups in Germany, France and the UK among others.
There have been conscious efforts in recent years to suppress left-wing ideas like libertarianism.
The President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump has audibly professed with his “make America great again” agenda to achieve nationalistic goals instead of an integrated global interest.
He has in his four years in office executed policies intended to preserve jobs for native Americans, marginalize immigrants and limit America’s contribution and involvement in global agenda like UN climate change goals, nuclear proliferation deals, funding the World Health Organization and subsequently making known his plan to exit the United States from the WHO. Recently the world witnessed how his comments aggravated anti-racist protests all around the world with some far-right groups even attacking protestors in London and Paris.
The crux of my opinion is the rippling effects such extremist ideologies have had on African countries and Africans seeking refuge and greener pastures in Europe and America.
In as much as the world has resolved to push for global ideas through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) like equality, eradication of hunger and poverty, fight against injustices, improvement of quality education and health to mention but a few, African leaders should not be carried away by western support and relent on their efforts to become self-reliant and achieve sustainable economies.
I believe far-right resistance around the world should be a catalyst in accelerating our measures in significantly reducing our reliance on western support.
Sooner than later, far-right influence will shape legislation on American and European economies, immigration, and foreign policies that will restrain African’s apron- spring relationship.
We will have no choice than to suffer and regret our indecisiveness in shaping our discourse to have our annual budget independent of foreign donors.
Our citizens who will find themselves as immigrants in these regions will suffer an aggregated form of injustice.
If corruption and unnecessary polarization continue to be the status quo, a doom day of far-right dominance will take us by surprise and Africa will eat the bitter fruits of this evil tree.
African leaders should not fail to pay attention to evolving socio-economic dynamics due to far-right extremism lest, they lead the next generation into another indentured servitude.
As Ghanaians and citizens in the diaspora share in the wording and spirit of Ghana’s anthem that “we will resist oppressor rule”, we must be careful to honor it. If not, the future generation will much likely embrace the oppressors’ rule incognito.
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The writer, Murdock Kwadwo Yeboah, is a student leader. He is the Press and Information Secretary of the University Students Association of Ghana (USAG).