I like Emmanuel Macron. I really do. But I am not too sure if I like his country, France.
Let me quickly qualify my opinion of Macron, and of France.
My opinion might come across as contradictory about the man and his country.
But, it is not.
As a matter of fact, I like a couple things French. I like my French fries. Especially the one from the American restaurant giant, Mickey D’s.
In my life, I have had the pleasure of enjoying all kinds of French fries (the English call it chips) in all kinds of restaurants in different countries around the world.
But nothing beats Mickey D’s fries. I love them, especially when they are fresh and are hot off the grill. With a little sprinkle of salt.
For the purpose of this article, I would not use the full name of the global food chain behind this ‘culinary magic’, unless they are ready to pay for an advertising plug.
I also like my French wine and cuisine. Their menu and merlot never cease to titillate my ravenous appetite and my inquisitive palate.
My son, a graduate of the famous French culinary school, Le Cordon Bleu Paris (established in 1895), swears by the French and their culinary prowess.
“Dad”, he often teases me, “we (Americans) don’t have anything on the French when it comes to food and drinks. They are too classy”.
To my many likes about the French, I equally like their distinctive fashion sense (add the Italians to the top of my list) more than I do of my American couture.
On a personal level, I have quite a few chummy friends who are French, both Black and White.
However, some of them can be annoying, and arrogantly French.
Nevertheless, I can’t get enough of the sexy French language that always gives me that oxytocin rush.
Conversely, my dislikes about the French and France is about the way they have treated Africa and Africans, over time.
Macron’s recent roadshow in beautiful Nairobi, Kenya, (May 11-12) is an exemplar of French passive aggressive policy and approach when it comes to matters concerning the African continent.
Code named: ‘Africa Forward Summit 2026’, it is a joint initiative by Macron and Kenyan President, William S. Ruto conceived as a high level strategic gathering which is aimed at the launching of a new phase of cooperation between Africa and France, “more ambitious, innovative and action-oriented”.
Key issues discussed at the summit which had as its participants Heads of State, top diplomatic officials, members of Africa’s business community and international organizations, included sustainable finance and global financial reform, energy transition and green industrialization, digital transformation and artificial intelligence.
In a clear effort to distance himself from France’s sordid colonial past, President Macron announced that France was ready to fork over $27 billion USD to the Africans by way of investments.
These investments would create 250,000 jobs both in France and Africa.
“We are not simply here to come and invest on the African continent and alongside you – we need great African business leaders to come and invest in France”, he told an audience that included Africa’s richest man, Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote, his runner up, Abdul Samad Rabiu, also a Nigerian, and South African billionaire and current President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe.
A report on Aljazeera poignantly said that the summit comes as ‘France’s influence in Africa has faded”.
However, some of us believe that Emmanuel Macron’s overtures towards Africa, as a whole is the result of his personal experiences in the continent beginning from his internship at the French embassy in Lagos many years ago.
He fell in love with the pulsating energy of Lagos – the food, the warmth, the culture and the music.
A regular at the ‘Shrine’, the home spot of the late Afrobeat icon, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Macron caught the Lagos fever.
On a state visit to Nigeria a few years ago, he took time off his official duties to pay homage to Fela at his equally iconic nightclub where he was rapturously received by the rowdy crowd led by the scion of the family, Femi and his irascible sibling, Seun.
I say all this to underscore my innate belief in the fidelity of Macron’s true love for Africa. It’s not a put on.
However, Macron and the organizers of the Africa Forward Summit 2026 did not specifically invite leaders of the Sahel States – Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger – “because of the behavior of the military leaders”.
But, civil society representatives from the AES zone were invited and were in attendance.
In his characteristic chummy manner, at the pre-summit press conference, President Macron bragged about how “the biggest leaders of Western Africa will be here”.
By that, he meant of at least the presence of one of the ECOWAS leaders, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria will be at the summit.
It is pretty interesting to note that Tinubu arrived Nairobi directly from France where local journalists and politicians claim he has a second home.
It is an open secret that Macron and Tinubu get along quite well.
Recent evidence of their cozy and strategic relationship was manifestly demonstrated in the Republic of Benin where Nigeria’s military helped to put down a coup ostensibly on behalf of France.
Other more insidious comments about the Macron/Tinubu friendship suggest far worse tales of suspicious financial dealings brokered by Lebanese-Nigerian billionaire businessman, Gilbert Chagoury who is also a French citizen.
As friendly as Emmanuel Macron’s disposition towards Africa might seem, the French president is a shrewd politician who is unwilling to work with African leaders at the expense of France.
Let’s get that clear.
Before leaving Paris for Nairobi for the summit, he told journalists that “colonialism can no longer be blamed for all of Africa’s challenges
“We must not exonerate from all responsibility the seven decades that followed independence”.
The only question now left to be asked is why the aggressive courting of Anglophone African countries, especially Nigeria and now Kenya?
I believe that President Macron who by the way, speaks impeccable English, understands the geopolitics of the continent and how influential Anglophone countries in the region are.
Having seemingly lost the battle for the soul of the highly rich Sahel, it is only politically and economically expedient for France to insert itself into the ongoing economic ‘war’ between China and the United States in the region.
And never forget the Russians who are now known to be in bed with the young leaders of the Sahel.
With an increasingly growing population of African immigrants living in France, Macron is deploying an admixture of both his natural charm and political savvy to maintain France’s status in the play for the enormous wealth of the continent.
“I love the people of Africa”, he has been quoted as saying on many occasions.
I don’t know about all that. All I know is that France is ready to do literally anything to stay relevant in Africa.
Twenty seven billion dollars is definitely a lot of money to drop at one time for any cause.
However, Mr. Macron should not delude himself into thinking that we are all overly impressed and carried away by his gesture and “magnanimity”.
Let me remind President Macron that his country owes Africa more than $27 billion USD.
We need to see how France under him, frees the rest of the Francophone African countries from the economic stranglehold of the past that has tied them, with chains, to the umbilical cord of Paris.
That financial arrangement is redundant, punitive, anachronistic, exploitative and immoral.
We, as the new Africans, cannot and will not, accept that situation anymore.
We love you, Emmanuel. We love your charm, Mr. Macron.
But Mr. Macron, we need more far-reaching realignment in the Franco-African relationship.
The Tinubu’s and the Ruto’s do not speak for us any longer.
A vast majority of us know it. Our youths who are in the majority, know it.
And our demand is clear and unambiguous: Get France’s filthy hands out of our cookie jar.
Until then, keep deluding yourself.
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