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The
Marauders and The Rest of Us -
Barr. Akumo Afam
A contemporary philosopher, Karl Jasper says of Africa
‘'…
.just being brought into the mainstream of history;
thanks to European colonialism! All signs of higher
culture are lacking and Africa is inhabited by primitive
peoples who may choose between extinction or what…probably
to become instrument of exploitation and source of
raw materials’'
In
a related underrated estimation and stereotyped impression,
Frederick Hegel says of Africa as
a ‘land untouched by civilisation but merely
receiving the echoes of the march of world history’’.
One in the face of this stereotype or better still
prejudiced western impression of Africa questions
the veracity and the raison d’etre for such sarcastic and highly defamatory
statements that have robbed Africa and indeed Africans of their many rightful
places in the International plane. Regrettable enough it is such derogatory statements
that have robbed Africans of foreign investors in a world that has not only
been
digitalized but indeed globalised, thus the continuous
languishment of her children
in grinding poverty or what Economist rather would call poverty cycle.
The
question, which more or else has remained a perennial
question, is the fundamental problem of Africa
and the way out. Prof Chinua Achebe in response
to this question
attributed it to bad leadership, some placed it on the prevailing harsh
economic climate occasioned by insensitive leadership and policies that have
no human face, for other crutiques, it is a passing phase, a problem associated
with developing countries which with time will
be outgrown. Some others have a religious
if not philosophical answer which bothers on the assertion that Africa is cursed
because of the ancestral abominations and bloodshed committed in the ancient
past, which include slavery and slave trade, killing of twins and ostracizing
of persons with terminal illnesses which consummates in their abandonment in
the evil forests, labeling and consequent treatment of their members as outcasts,
Osu, human rituals and sacrifices at the death of their monarchs etc. It is
the belief of persons in this school of thought
that only divine intervention can
set Africa loose of this curse. A critical look at the situation on ground will convince
one that the greatest problem of the African continent
bothers more on paucity if not scarcity of sensitive
and indeed conscionable leaders. The other day, a governor to bury his mother
spent almost half of a state’s budget for the carnival. The other minister
and even first lady of a state spent close to that figure to celebrate their
birthday. A governor of a state was once captured in London for Money laundering.
Many others even in the face of embarrassing poverty, starvation and unemployment
in their country still embezzle, loot and starch millions of dollars in Europe
and The United States of America with the aid of their western cohorts. Was it
not until the death of General Sani Abacha that Nigerians came to know of the
horrendous and bizarre looting that men at the top engaged in? Only God knows
the total figure stolen not just by Abacha, his aides and officials but also
the past Military Warlords that have ruled this pitiful continent of contradictions.
Perhaps We have to await their death to hear the full gist of their lootings.
No wonder it is said that the heart of man is desperately wicked. Why should
a man who has less than 100years life span loot so much even when his people
and relations are dying in squalor and penury! The other day a state Governor,
supposedly selected or rather elected and sworn in to uphold the law was arrested
and detained in Britain for alleged money laundering, barely some few months
his brother in crime or rather in governance from the middle belt of Nigeria
was arrested and detained for money laundering in the same Britain. One begins
to ask why this massive looting of the nation’s and indeed continent’s
scarce resources when millions of youths live unemployed and millions of families
go to bed each day with no hope of neither their breakfast nor lunch the next
day. Africa is faced with payment of debts owed the same
banks that safe keep billions of dollars looted
by her leaders. As a result of this, the banks
are calling
shots on policies of the continent and other development projects not caring
how they affect the poor masses that unfortunately form the majority. Workers
cannot enjoy their full salary as and at when due, children can no longer enjoy
basic education because their parents cannot afford the financial requirements,
universities have been turned into glorified biological garden where rodents
and insects struggle for dominance, basic health care is now a luxury at the
enjoyment of the average families as the mortality rate of both pregnant women
and children grow in gigantic strides. People die of illnesses as minor as
malaria because of self-medication, which people
have resorted to in a bid to survive.
Many others, who cannot find job, have taken to violent crimes, kidnapping,
ritual killing, mass production and sale, of adulterated
and substandard products and
drugs. These are bought, consumed by the poor majority who also bore the brunt
of their traumatic after-effects. No sensitive leader in the face of these
anomalies can sleep peacefully much less think
of extravagant and flamboyant lifestyle.
This is not only obtainable in Africa, but commonplace too. A lot of ink has flowed trying to assess the level
of poverty and corruption in this continent; it
is time now for action, this is the time to act.
The people
must rise to consciousness and take their destiny in their hands. The battle
is now or never. No more life of insincerity and double standard knowing too
well that the end results are borne by the poor masses. Efforts should be engineered
towards self-reliance and indeed agriculture should be revitalized. No man
should submit himself as a political thug again
and worse still accepting of bribes
during elections should be discarded as those that gain victory by corruption
tends to rule by corruption and neglect. We must note that there is no easy
way to success, we must pay the price and the
time to do that is now. Africa is one
of the most beautiful continents in this world with over 100 mineral resources
awaiting full exploitation buried deep inside her womb. The journey definitely
will be painful but the end result will bear fruits that are not only positive
but beneficial.
Let us join hands to help ourselves or else we will
be swallowed up in this economic conflagration
and imbecility occasioned by the greedy elements
in
our midst.
No more excuses, no more ethnic cum religious tensions, no more complaints
and definitely no more procrastination. We were once the citadel of civilization;
we can still be that If only we can all join hands together like one united
family
and fight the one common enemy – complacency and imbecility in the face
of destructive governance.
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