Kampala — What went wrong with Africa? Some people blame Africa's woes on history, some on geography whereas some thinkers contend that Africa was destined to be that way.
I am tempted to agree with the history school of thought. Colonialism, slave trade and neo-colonialism are to blame. But, South Africa, an African country that got independence as recently as 1994 is miles ahead of countries like Uganda that got their independence in 1962.
What about Korea? History tells us that Korea was annexed by Japan in 1910. Japan tried to erode everything Korean, ranging from culture, language and education.
Korean young men were shipped to Japan to offer slave labour in mines and industries, young women were sold off to Japan as sex slaves. Koreans were barred from university education.
Korea's redemption came when America dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Then war broke out when North Korea invaded South Korea.
With such a traumatising history, no African country would be poorer than either South Korea or north Korea, if history were to blame for our economic polio.
What then is Africa's problem? Is it a crisis of leadership? Chinua Achebe identified this about his home country Nigeria when he wrote: "The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership."
Simply because a leader is torn between criticising a vice which he is himself addicted to, they will act like a toothless dog which only barks at a threat. A typical African leader will do everything possible to remain in power. Power hunger is the reason for rebel activities that are tearing the continent into pieces.
Today, despite the claim that African nations are sovereign, they are still vulnerable. The first world countries use their economic position to thrust their abominable habits on African nations.
Africa is, therefore, caught at a crossroads in a vicious cycle of woes, things like poverty, poor leadership, dependence, neocolonialism and hunger. These woes have led to greater problems like corruption, selfishness and injustice. Africa's woes, therefore, work in a web of networks.
To get out of the web of problems Africa needs a clear strategy manned by clear headed leaders.
The writer is a student of leadership, UCU
Comments 1 to 2 of 2 Post a comment
TITLED : The Robbers Of Our People
* 16 European Nations . Met And Plotted On How They Would Rob Africa Of Its Riches.
* They met during two(2) Periods of time in two(2) places
* The General Act Of Berlin Conference (Nov, 1884 to February, 1885)
* Brussels Belgium to finalize SECRET agreements ( Nov, 1889 to July 1890)
* The Book King Leopolds Ghost (1998) by Adam Hochschild documents some of This information.
The following Nations (Households) - Planned how they would divide among themselves our AFRICAN Riches.
1) Austria-Hungary - Francis Joseph I Charles - August 18, 1830 -
2) Belgium - King Leopold II April 9, 1835
3) Denmark - Frederik VIII -June 3, 1843
4) France - Marie François Sadi Carnot August 11, 1837 -
5) Germany - Wilhelm II - January 27, 1859
6) Great Britain - Queen Victoria (Hanover) May 24, 1819 British Ruler 2nd
7) Holland William III February 19, 1817
8) Italy - Umberto I - March 14, 1844 -
9) Norway - Oscar II [Oscar Frederik] January 21, 1829 (Also Sweden)
10) Portugal - Carlos I September 28, 1863
11) Russia - Alexander III Alexandrovich March 10, 1845
12) Spain - Alfonso XIII May 17, 1886
13) Sweden - Oscar II January 21, 1829 (Also Norway)
14) Turkey - Abdülhamid II, - September 2 or September 22 - 1842 -
15) United States - Benjamin Harrison August 20, 1833 -
16) Persia (Iran) - Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar July 16, 1831
For centuries Black Africans have been exploited and exploited in the name of Islam. Then with the coming of the Portueses (so-called Christians) to Ghana around the 1440s , the so-called Christians started their exploitation.
We Black Africans are puzzling. We have a bounty of riches around us, yet we persist in allowing outsiders to steal them; while we fight each other over trivial matters.
Just in case you're wondering, here's some Black Africans who have done wondrous things to change the way we live in the world.
For example : Garrett-Augustus Morgan invented the Traffic Signal to CURB (no pun intended) TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS !!!
* Buridge & Marshman - TYPEWRITER
* George Carruthers - X-RAY MACHINE
* George Washington Carver - PEANUT BUTTER - PAINTS PAINT STAINS ETC
* W.A. Dietz - SHOE
* Charles R. Drew - BLOOD PLASMA STORAGE SYSTEM
* Michael Harney - LANTERN
* Augustus Jackson - ICE CREAM
* H.A. Jackson - KITCHEN TABLE
* Isaac R. Johnson - BICYCLE FRAME
* John A. Johnson - WRENCH
* Frederick M. Jones - DEFROSTER - REFRIGERATION CONTROLS AIR CONDITIONER
* Jones & Long - BOTTLE CAPS
* Lewis Latimer & Nichols - ELECTIC LAMP
* John L. Love - PENCIL SHARPENER
* Tony J. Marshall - FIRE EXTINGUISHER
* Alexander Miles - ELEVATOR
* W.A. Martin - LOCK
* Garrett A. Morgan - GAS MASK - Traffic Signal
* Lydia Newman - HAIR BRUSH - Nov 15, 1898
* W.B. Purvis - FOUNTAIN PEN
* L.P. Ray - DUST PAN
* W.H. Richardson - BABY BUGGY
* G.T. Sampson - CLOTHES DRYER
* .W. Smith - LAWN SPRINKLER
* J. Standard - REFRIGERATOR
* T.W. Stewart - MOP
* Maxine Snowden - RAIN HAT - 1983
* Paul E. Williams - HELICOPTER
* Granville T. Woods - Roller Coaster
* Granville T. Woods - Telegraph Transmission Devices - Dec 2, 1884 Patents # - 308, 816 (7)
Thanks to The Black Inventors Museum P.O. Box 76128 Los Angeles , Calif. (90076) Phone (310) 859-4602)
Director : Ghanaian Mr. Hamza Salifa
Contributor of Information : SEESTAH Imahkus Nzinga Okofo [http://www.oneafricaghana.com/first_and_foremost.htm ]
[Check Out :
WHO BROUGHT THE SLAVES TO AMERICA ? [ http://isohunt.com/torrent_details/42787621/Who+brought+the+slaves+to+ameri ca?tab=summary] for full length video
FRITZ SPRINGMEIER A Bold Christian Truthseeker The Top 13 Illuminati Bloodlines [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k73Q2_f4vKU ]
WAKE UP !!! STAY UP !!!
[ libradio.net ]
[http://www.infowars.com/infowars.asx]
[gcnlive.com]
Life Is A Game. Have Fun . Luke 18:17 - Isaiah 11:6
" .. Africa's Woes Are Hinged on Bad Leadership .."
When one gets ready to pontificate on Africa - and trash her leaders - it helps if we have a perspective on what we are thinking.
For instance, the world has gone through a year when most economies (including those of plundered wealthy African countries which ARE conveniently and wilfully held by the west in a state of perpetual depression) were tottering on the bring of collapse into a depression.
Were those woes due to 'bad" political/business leadership? Sure. Was it all Africa's fault? No. In which case, let us not be misled by the imperial plunderers' ruse that singles out leadership in Africa to 'justify' their uncoscionable plunder of Africa's fabulous resources - unless the operating phrase here is conditioned self-loathing' or, more appropriately, "racism".