(en) US, WSA, Ideas & Action - Remembering Sam Mbah

On November 17, the blog administrator for Sam Mbah?s website announced that Sam had died 
on November 6, 2014, ?of complications arising from his heart condition. His recovery had 
appeared to be going well, but then a crisis arose and he was rushed to hospital. He died 
a short time later.? ---- On behalf of the Workers Solidarity Alliance (WSA), we send our 
condolences to the family, friends and comrades of Sam?s. Some of us met Sam when, on very 
short notice, hastily organized his US tour some years ago. We reflect back on the key and 
pivotal role Sam and the Awareness League played in Enugu State, Nigeria in the struggle 
against the then military dictatorship of Abcha. ---- We remember well the WSA?s initial 
efforts at developing relations with the AL, a relationship which was partially successful 
in bring the AL into the fold of the International Workers Association. And, to help 
develop international relations between the AL and countless other anarchist, libertarian 
socialist and syndicalist individuals, groups and unions throughout the globe.

It was delightful and pleasing to read the (then) new AL declaration, proclaiming 
themselves ?a social libertarian organisation inspired by and committed to the ideals, 
principles, objectives, goals, ends and purposes of revolutionary socialism and 
anarcho-syndicalism, characterised as the anti-theses of statism as well as their 
manifestations and institutions thereof.?

Perhaps, just perhaps, the efforts of former members of the US Revolutionary Socialist 
League, Bob McGlynn (of Neither East Nor West) and the WSA have helped our Nigerian 
comrades move from your typical marxian socialist views to that of anarcho-syndicalism and 
libertarian socialism.

The relationship deepened and develop. Many of us worked especially hard to make sure our 
pre-internet and pre-cell phone campaigns to aid AL prisoners, try and purchase a computer 
and other supportive and solidarity oriented activities gained as much support as could be 
garnered. In some aspects, we were successful, in others not. Certainly the campaigns that 
we helped to initiate and push were some of the best that some of us can recall.

Additionally, during this time period, Chaz from See Sharp Press worked hard to publish 
the landmark book ?African Anarchism?.

Sam?s tour to the US was less then stellar. We had two weeks to arrange a national tour. 
Again, this was done pre-internet and pre-cell phone. It was tough, it was uneven, very 
last minute and it was clear to this writer Sam was terribly disappointed and let down. 
His hopes that a big, effective and well financed and oiled movement existing in the US 
were dashed. When dropping him off at the airport, I sensed his disappointment. 
Communications thereafter dropped off precipitously.

After a number of years of not hearing from the AL, in reply to one of our letters, WSA 
get a communication which started off in the most pleasing and satisfying manner: ?It has 
indeed been a long time since the Awareness League last communicated with the WSA. Suffice 
it to say that the AL holds the WSA in special esteem and will continue to. We continue to 
look forward to improved relations and a deepening of our ties through future 
co-operation/collaboration.? (May 2001) I believe that was the last communication we had 
with the AL.

WSA tried to keep up with the AL even after we were no longer part of the IWA. Apparently 
the AL was dissipating in membership and activities due to a number of factors, most of 
all the downfall of the military dictatorship.

As Sam explained in his 2001 letter:

?With the advent of civil rule, many in our ranks have tended to lower their guards. The 
philosophical and ideological underpinning of the struggle for a truly free society 
remains at best, underdeveloped in these parts. And this coupled with the fact that life 
here is an everyday struggle, to be able to eke out a living or survive.

Yet those who were left in the AL continued to have ?high hopes and expectations of 
transition to civil rule give way to frustration, cynicism, despair and discontent 
threatening to boil over. We are gradually and steadily returning to the trenches once 
again.? Whether or not significant numbers returned to the trenches to keep the AL alive 
is unclear. It seems like they were not able to hold the necessary numbers together.

In his last interview in 2012, Sam was clear and sober in making this point, a point
that many in countries that have developed or historical libertarian socialist, 
syndicalist and anarchist traditions oft times never seem to get or understand:

? I want to say a few words to our anarchist friends and groups that in the past 
associated with us, supported us, in one way or another, especially from Europe and North 
America. I say to them that anarchism is not dead in Africa. But it is important for them 
to appreciate that anarchism as a movement, as a political movement, as an ideological 
platform, is still going to take some time to crystallize here.?

The take away being, that anarchism, as many of us in the West know it, will take its own 
path. Perhaps not even a straight one. But we should not sit in judgment, but offer the 
type of solidarity required to help keep comrades connected, even broadly, to the global 
movements.

There are no perfect souls, only those who try their best.

Sam tried his best at helping to build, develop, nurture and organize an effective 
libertarian socialist and syndicalist movement in the heart of Africa. With no real 
resources, under the iron heel of a military dictatorship he did his best. And the WSA is 
glad that we were able to do our small part aid their efforts.

Sam, comrade, as the slogan of the AL was ?Holding aloft the banner of the struggle?, in 
our memory, you will always be holding that banner aloft. Farewell comrade, farewell.