When Africa was getting decolonised six decades ago, the quest for economic justice was as urgent and inseparable from the demand for political freedom and democracy. The sharpest indicator of economic injustice after attainment of independence was the persistent unfair terms of trade in international markets.
For years, students of economics were told how a tonne of cotton sold abroad only fetched enough money to buy a few shirts from the countries that took the cotton. Anyway, six decades later, questions are still being asked if Africans are enjoying better economic justice and political freedom since they took over management of their own affairs.
