Nigeria, Jan. 6 -- 57 years ago almost to the month, celebrated Kenya political scientist, Ali Mazrui, observed that "for some reason a disproportionate number of the historic acts of violence in Africa since independence have tended to happen in the months of January and February." He had good reason for this.

In January 1961, the Belgians and the Americans arranged to hand over to Moise Tshombe in Katanga, Patrice Lumumba, the inconvenient post-colonial Prime Minister of the country now known as the Democratic of the Congo. The following month, the world learnt of the brutal fate that befell Lumumba. The Congo and, indeed, Africa, have both paid a heavy price for those events.

Togo's first president, Sylvanus Olympio, was killed in Ja...