I can see that many Africans are probably erroneously thinking that Russia or BRICS is going to be the panacea to the century long Western neo-colonialism.
Others have been even quick to refer to this change of relationship between Africa and the West as the "New Multi-Polar World Order". There is now excitement in the air about the expected BRICS summit in South Africa where many African countries are expected to announce their applications and interest to join the block.
The African countries are doing this for two possible reasons:
One is to smack their former Western allies in the face as a way of demonstrating their now assumed status of being able to make choices for themselves and not dictated by the colonizers.
Secondly, they are hoping that by joining the block, they will be able to tap into the hyped financial muscle of China whom they will be expecting to replace the Washington based Brentwood agencies that have shown disrespect for Africa.
There is even growing support among African leaders for the mooted drastic idea of dumping the predominant US Dollar for a BRICS currency alternative.
Of course all this excitement and resentment by the Africans of the West is soothing music to both the Russians and Chinese. The Africans are busy lifting the heavy weights for the two countries that have been protagonists of the West for years.
The question however is, who is going to be the ultimate loser in this geopolitical jostling?
To the starters, it must be noted that in all its years of existence either under the former settings of the USSR or currently as a Russian Federation State, Russia has never known or espoused the development of its allies as part of its foreign policy.
The emphasis that has underpinned Russia's dealings with other states has been military assistance. Russia has exemplified herself in providing military security to the governing systems of its allies.
We have seen their role of ensuring the continued power entrenchment of its allies play out in countries like Cuba, North Korea and Myanmar.
In Africa, we saw it being displayed in Ethiopia during the rule of Hailee Mengistu.
The Russians indeed provided security and tenure of the propped governments but little signs of economic and social progress were exhibited.
Thus over years, although those country's rulers were emboldened and well entrenched in their rule, the majority of the population of those countries continued to wallow in miserable living conditions with little development ever recorded. Of course this is exactly what also pertains in most of the countries in which the Western former colonizers were entrenched.
One cannot under estimate or downplay the pathetic economic and social situations that are found in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Mauritania, Senegal or Gabon where the French have had their grip.
As for Russia itself and to a great extent, the development that has been recorded in the territory since the break up of the USSR has been spearheaded mostly by FDI and investment capital that has come from the West.
So with this background, it will be interesting to see how the dream by the African continent to overcome the Western neo-colonialism by swinging 180 degrees away from the West will yield in terms of development, self rule sovereignty and economic social transformation that much of Africa is desperately yearning for.