‘We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,

But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.’

T.S.Eliot

Today, we are witnesses to history. Déjà vu.

In the twilight of the 19th century, during the Berlin Conference, there was a ‘scramble and partition of Africa’. By that time, an unjust world order had gripped Western Europe, until its venom found expression across the world.

That unjust order faces its severest threat yet.

Europe won the world, not by the superiority of its ideas nor its culture nor religion, but by the intimidating power of organised violence, Samuel Huttington had suggested. Non-Westerners did not forget that. So today, as the Arabs scramble for Europe, choosing for themselves which country is filled with milk and honey, ‘the scramble and partition of Africa’ comes to mind.

The aboriginals of Australia witnessed the Europeans taking over their ancestral land, while driving them to the fringes of humanity. In Southern Africa, Europeans settled there and lord it over indigenous ‘black’ Africans. Apartheid was the peak of it. This form of unjust rule was extended to other parts of Africa, in various degrees of severity. The Broad street in Lagos Nigeria symbolised Apartheid to a lesser degree: Europeans made the street broad, in order to create a distance between citizens of the colony for her majesty’s pleasure, and ‘savages’ who must not have their abode close to European quarters.

In the Americas, including Canada, the story was the same. Until at about 1776 when the 13 British colonies had had enough of tyranny, resulting to the declaration that all men are created equal. But that declaration which birthed the USA to international preeminence, has often been disregarded by the country that prides itself as the land of liberty.

From the Middle East, to the Far East, all across the world, peoples lands were raped, plundered, exploited and harnessed for the good of Europe. Trade was unfavorable. Has always been unfavourable. The superiority of Europe over barbarians and savages was acclaimed through out the globe.

Nemesis reared its head in the form of Hitler who declared the Aryan race superior to every other race, including Aryan superiority to fellow Europeans. They fought a world war to reject this notion of superiority. As a result of that war, Britain was so broke it took a loan from the USA for post war reconstruction, which was finally repaid a few years ago. Then was a golden opportunity for Europe to learn its lessons and turn a new page.

As the post WWII era shows, the United Nations was thought of as one of the ideas for a new, just world order. Colonies and protectorates were given the right to self-rule. But the injustices of over 300 years had spread across the world.

It has been projected that by the year 2050, Europe would likely be populated more by Arabs. Birth reductions on the side of the Europeans and monogamy meant that their population hasn’t been growing. It is commonsensical to say that indeed, with millions from the Middle East making their way into Europe, the projection is certainly a matter of time. Another nemesis catching up with Europe.

However, injustice can only give birth to injustice. This is why European injustices across the world has led to hate, angst, global insecurity, and a resurgent imperialist quest to take over Europe. Another age is therefore at the threshold, one that is been delivered on the alter of unprecedented bloodshed worldwide. Obviously, an age that so far promises to unleash a system far malignant compared to the one that pervaded the world for over 300 years.

The world order as we know it has been existing like a woman who carries braids as cover for her lice- infested hair. Justice, peace, equality, love, brotherhood under God Almighty have all been lacking.

Most would agree that the current world order is unsustainable given the amazing global insecurity and injustice. All these points to an urgent need to redraw a new world order that could guarantee fundamental freedoms under God, protect people’s ancestral homes and ensure international peace and security. The United Nations has proven to be too dysfunctional to usher a just and secure dispensation for the world.

While the world’s leaders and international organizations fail to lead the world toward justice and equality, groups like ISIS would continue to exploit this state of affairs to further their own objectives.

Istifanus Yaro,

Researcher with interests in international constitutionalism, writer, poet, public servant and a lawyer

Views expressed are solely that of author and does not represent views of www.omojuwa.com nor its associates