The Poverty of Africa

The Poverty of Africa

Africa is poor because is more a continent of blamers than a continent of doers.

Africa is not poor because there is a dearth of resources; as the continent remains one of the richest if not the richest continent in the world. There is crude oil in Nigeria, abundance of gold in Ghana and Zimbabwe. Diamond flows like river in South Africa. Abundance of farmlands across the continent for agricultural purposes. The continent is also one of the most populated continent in the world.

Africa is not poor because of lack of good leaders. Over the years and across the globe, many Africans are providing essential leadership in various fields. Many Africans are now members of parliaments in many European countries. Obama for instance has its roots in Africa.

Africa is not poor because of the colour of their skins. This is because development is no respecter of person, race or tribe. South Africa has been able to provide over 40 thousand megawatts of energy while Nigeria with two hundred million population cannot boast of 4000 megawatts. Brazil is one of the BRICS despite having a number black people as its citizens.

Africa is not poor because of weak institutions. This is because institutions are manmade. Many African countries like Nigeria have some of the best laws in the world, yet the country has been declared the world poverty headquarters by the World Bank in recent time.

Africa is not poor because of lack of good policies. Many development policies have been introduced in Africa countries, while some produced astonishing results in other climes, they have resulted in abysmal failures in many African countries. Some academics attribute their failures to poor implementation which consequently results in low development of the continent, but we say No. Many of these policies failed because Africa has assumed responsibility for its development.

Africa is not poor because of colonialism. The usual narrative is to blame the continent woeful state on colonialism. However, we say, Africa wasn't the only continent that was colonized. The United States and Canada were also colonized by the Britton; yet the countries are leaders as far human development indicators are concerned.

Africa is not poor because Africans do not want development. Like every human, the people of Africa want to live better with all the basis necessities of life available at their disposal; but they've failed to assume responsibility for their own development.

Africa is not poor because of lack of brilliant ideas that can turn the continent around within a short pace of time. On the contrary, the continent has been provided with a lot of ideas on how to change the Fortune of the continent for good. Indeed, across the selves of government offices are reports and gazzettes on various issues bedvilling the continent across sectors. The National Economic Summit in Nigeria is a formidable think thank generating ideas every year on how to move the country forward.

Africa is not poor because of its poor  geographical location. Dubai is a dessert yet the country has broken almost all records of development indicators. Japan likewise does not have any natural resources yet the country is one of the foremost countries.

While these factors are important to human and societal development; the truth is the backwardness of the Africa continent is primarily the failure of Africans to assume responsibility for their own development.

Rather they blame others for their woes and lack of development narrative. Like I posited in my thesis - The African Blame Game Theory (https://sanmiadekola.blogspot.com/2019/03/nigeria-political-cycles-of-error.html) Africa is poor because the people of Africa are found of blaming others for their lack of development.

The African Blame Game Theory Explained

Here is how we came across it: in the colonial days, our forefathers blamed the colonial master for their woes, troubles and failures as citizens. They argued that their cultures and values were being eroded (though logical to some extent as any logical excuse may appear); this view is what the few colonial African elites inherited and blew it to a large proportion through propaganda and sophistry. At Independence, this message was carried over and sold to the early Independence Nigerians in folktales, religious houses,  through words of mouths by friends and acquaintances; while some read them in history books, internet and social media platforms.

Meanwhile, these stories are not selling again, so we started blaming ourselves: those who have ascended to position of leadership, who themselves were product of the African blame game theory. This partially accounts for the reason why elected presidents, governors, chairmen, councilors, head of agencies...will blame their predecessors for three or more years out of one term of four years in offices. This also partly responsible for the blaming of the West for failure of our social and economic policies especially when they originated from them.

Honestly speaking, we can't make a headway, if we don't stop this victim mentality. Without attempt to justify colonialism and bad leadership; the truth is our wrong conditioning to always blame others for our failures and woes is doing us more harm than good, and it's the time to let go of it.

This mind conditioning has resulted in what I would like to call the vicious cycles of bad followers cum bad leaders such that the bad leaders add to produce more bad followers and vice versa. Thus in effect, bad followers breath bad leaders and vice versa thereby confirming my third hypothesis: our leaders are bad because we are bad, we are bad because our leaders are bad, and the cycle of abysmal governance and maladministration continue.

Recommendation

Our position therefore is that Africans and Africa may remain backwards until there is a change of orientation. The average African man must assume responsibility for his or her well being as well as the development of the Africa continent as a whole.

To achieve this, the various human institutions starting with the family must sensitize the people to stop blaming others for their woes. Let every child be taught on how to be responsible to himself and the society at large. Thus, rather blaming others for their failures and poverty; they must learn to think outside the box to make their lives better. More importantly, they must also learn to be responsible citizens.

A French man does not believe in impossibility. An American believes in his country greatness with limitless possibilities. The British never say never, what does an African believes about his country. In Nigeria like many African countries, success and by inference development is a product of luck. Perhaps, this is responsible for the multiplication of religious houses in the continent more than factories.

Sanmi Adekola
Founder, Driveria
www.driveria.com.ng