Africa is the world’s bitch, its dubious leaders the pimps.
But all bad things will end – one day
Watching a BBC program a few weeks ago, an African businessman in Djibouti, that small country on the northeastern tip of Africa (known as known as “the Horn…”), in talking business prospects for the country and continental economic development in general, said “Africa is the richest continent on the planet with the poorest people on the planet…”
An interesting, insightful and thought-provoking statement that resonated with me and I’m sure other people who might’ve seen that particular program. It is a truism.
Just because generally speaking we’re bombarded with negative Africa stories; fortunately, given my interest in what’s happening on the continent (not the country), I seek other sources of information that highlight the other side of a changing continent. It shows different countries with thriving economic sectors, with people bustling, carving out their niche in various sectors of the economy. As such, there’s visible propitious evidence of tangible, incremental development on the continent, where [some political] leaders are focusing on practical realities and needs of their particular countries.
Ethiopia, Botswana, Namibia, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Djibouti (mentioned earlier) and others… For example, Rwanda, that country which recently memorialized the 25th anniversary of a veritable 20th century genocide (800,000 or more slaughtered in 1994) when tribal enmity devolved into warfare. We all saw those horrible graphic images of death floating down the Kagera River, reminders of what post-colonial Africa could repeat.
The wounds have been healed (at least on the surface) and Rwanda is doing very well economically. One article attesting to that reality, states, “The genocide has cast a long shadow over regeneration and talk of ethnicity remains illegal…”
Many credit current president Paul Kagame for the stability that has taken root in the country and for its economic recovery, and that his policies have encouraged “rapid growth (of 7.2% according to the African Development Bank…” in 2018) and technological advancement.”
Rwanda is emblematic of Africa’s gradual emergence… from its recent past (but still part of its present) and embarking on a new trajectory – technology, much to the chagrin of those nefarious/insidious internal and external forces that would rather see the African continent remain in its (post)colonial stupor: political, social and tribal and civil strife, terrorism, hunger…
It’s a long list of pressing issues (and obstacles) that continue to impede general continental movement into a new era, including its own leaders – the ones on the take (and there’s a political harem) – at the behest of western nations’ political and economic entities/organizations, ubiquitous NGOs (that have seemingly become rooted on the topography, all of which are complicit in doing everything possible to ensure that the continent that (grows) produces all that the developed/ developing world needs to keep their economies churning and vibrant will remain in crises mode. Africa, and by extension the Diaspora [Black people] must be condemned to harlotry in perpetuity.
Yet ironically, Rwanda’s rosy socio-political and economic picture notwithstanding, many criticize Kagame for being “[…] too authoritarian and does not tolerate dissent.” Others also see him as a major player in the 1994 genocide. Nevertheless, the country’s political and economic stability are evidence of what other African leaders must emulate if their respective countries are to embark on a trajectory of positive change… in their particular nation’s sorry state of affairs.
It’s true: “Africa is the richest continent on the planet with the poorest people on the planet…”
But all bad things and practices will inevitably end. History and time have a way of changing and righting wrongs…
The rest next time
