April 5, 2002

All too often we are seduced by the Myth of the One Evil Man. The people of the Congo thought that if they could just be rid of Mobutu Sese Seko, things might come right. Two President Kabilas and four years of civil war later, the world sees that this country's troubles run much deeper than that.

Zimbabweans dreamed of a brighter future without Robert Mugabe. The chance to test that dream has been postponed for now, but there's no doubting that Mugabe has not crushed his country's hope and promise all by himself, and his passing, when it comes, may well not provide the salvation Zimbabweans crave. People in Madagascar moved to end the rule of Desiré Ratsiraka, and their fate now hangs agonizingly in the balance. But however today's struggle of the two presidents ends, the survivor will have a difficult job pulling the pieces together. Neither one is likely to emerge as a savior. The trials of nations rarely come down to a single person, no matter how powerful, gifted, or evil.

That said, the exit of Jonas Savimbi from the scene in Angola does seem to have opened the door to a new future. Ever since Angolan independence in 1975, Savimbi has used his militant force, Unita, to foil the possibility of peace and prosperity at every turn. Savimbi's aggressive actions after the 1994 Lusaka accord were particularly tragic and maddening, as they were motivated only by his thirst for personal power. Angola seemed doomed to endless civil war. But then a miracle happened. Savimbi was killed in a raid this past February. A mere six weeks later, Unita and the government have agreed to a cease-fire, and the way seems genuinely paved for Angola to focus on nation building, rather than war.

From the perspective of African music fans, Angola's story has been sad indeed. Read afropop.org's writeup on Angola, or our review of that album Soul of Angola, to get a taste of the fantastic musical creativity and promise that existed in that country in the 1970s. For the most part, all that came to an end as Cold War politics overrode local realities, and Savimbi, with help from the U.S. and South Africa, built his malevolent army. So much time and talent has been wasted during the ensuing decades of war. Music is of course just a metaphor for all the promise and happiness that should have been--but has not been--Angola's.

Today's reports from Angola speak of a genuine and pervasive mood of hope following the cease-fire agreement. For the moment, it seems that One Evil Man really was the greatest obstacle in Angola's path to peace and prosperity. Let's hope so. Obviously, Savimbi's death will not bring instant happiness to a country so ravaged by war. But it could be a decisive turning point. Joy, and music, may soon emanate again from Luanda. We'll be listening!

Banning Eyre