SIR,—Mr. Nyandoro states that Southern Rhodesia should have 'a constitution
by which the rule of the majority can be established in our land.' Would I be a spoil-sport in asking, 'a majority of what?' A major- ity of people dedicated to a particular political philo- sophy or principle, a majority who agree in broad terms how the country should be run whilst respect- ing the rights of minorities? I think not.
It is common amongst 'liberals' to think of Africans in terms of a political majority united only by the accident of colour. Surely this is the most arrant racialism, and makes as much sense as if I were to demand that Britain should be governed exclu- sively by blue-eyed people for their sole benefit be- cause they are in a 'majority.'
Certainly Africans should take a full part in the government of the bi-racial countries, but not until political awareness transcends race and until power is regarded as something to be shared and not seized ex- clusively, c/o Barclays Bank, lbadan, Nigeria
* D. BATES
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