Africa, Africa, Africa

Africa is the richest continent in terms of minerals, yet we are the poorest continent in terms of finance. I search the vague recesses of my mind trying to find an answer as to why Africa is in this predicament. Besides the poverty and lack of development, autocracy is one thing that many countries on this continent have in common. This political system comes in the form of totalitarian and dictatorship. After gaining independence aspiring leaders had noble intentions but after a while corruption and pure greed began to fuel a never ending hunger for power. Now they cling onto power hoping that the winds of change don’t blow.

This continent has given birth to great leaders like Patrice Lumumba, Julius Nyerere, Muammar Gaddafi, Thabo Mbeki and Robert Mugabe. They all had political philosophies and ideologies that would drastically improve the dire condition we find ourselves in. But not having a solid implementation plan that turns those ideas into reality lead to their downfall. In South Africa, Thabo Mbeki was a visionary leader whose philosophy of African Renaissance was all about making this continent stand up on its own without the assistance of western countries. All this was going to be done by uniting every country with the hopes that it will rebuild its economy, preserve its culture and overcome any challenge it faces. Muammar Gaddafi envisioned a United States of Africa but given the circumstances that idea remained exactly that, an idea. Julius Nyerere announced the Arusha declaration which was a policy that promoted African socialism and collectivization. Pan Africanism is an ideology that all theses leaders upheld, but what will ultimately constitute the implementation of Pan Africanism will be a sense of unity among fellow Africans.

With all the civil wars and coup d'état that have swept across this continent, the word unity seems to be fading from our vocabulary. It’s all about the language you speak, the tribe you come from and the God you praise. This is something that can be traced back to the 1884 Berlin conference when colonizers determined Africa’s fate. Ever colonized state separated people according to there ethnicity and religion, creating that perception that we might be the same colored skin but we still not the same. Although all African countries have gained independence, former colonizers still have some influence in many of these so called “independent” countries. I find it strange that we are quick to balm our colonial fathers for Africa’s misfortune, yet at first sight of political or economic trouble we are the first people to run to them for a helping hand.

As a person who is passionate about the prosperity of Africa, I believe that we will only begin to transform once there is no sight of dirt roads and dilapidated buildings in any capital city and once the sight of flies swamping a naked child, with a visible rib cage and a protruding stomach, is no longer seen. This can only be done if we take charge of our well-being without any western interference and if a new style of leadership emerges, abolishing any form of dictatorship. Now I envision a utopia where there is no such thing as poverty, corruption, dictatorship or war. I hope that one-day Africa will become this utopia I dream of.