Africa Must Stop Begging

Written by Pius Okaneme

Africa has become a continent of beggars. Africans have been suffering from social and economic devastation since the arrival of the white man on their soil and there seems to be no end in sight. At the turn of every catastrophe, they run to the white overlords to carry them through.

They have failed to realize that the colonialists did not work for their interest but selfish goals. This baby of unfortunate circumstance has refused to be weaned of its predicament. One starts to think of an individual that encounters life’s struggle. Every successful man at a critical stage of hardship pushes inside of himself to find the resourcefulness that will help him to overcome.

Why can’t Africa do the same? It is understandable that the global economy is more complex than the analogy above. The reality of the African life is that it has not been able to extricate itself from the entanglement of the social and economic weave knotted by the colonial masters to enslave it.

The people should know that it is never in the interest of the developed world to treat Africa as equal. They have successfully learned that they can exploit Africa at their whim. They are confident of their sophistication to tap the raw resources of Africa to boost their standard of living at their home countries.

They see no imperative to suffer themselves by giving Africa a seat at the conference table to discuss issues of mutual benefits at the same level to all parties.

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The apparent agenda of the outside world is to take advantage of the natural resources that Africa offers. They see Africa as a weak continent. Maybe they are justified. Africa is yet to give them a strong reason that she matters, especially when she has not shown the tenacity to fight her own battles being it social, economic or otherwise as a superior opponent.

Coronavirus is ravaging the global community, fortunately, Africa is getting a slow share of the impact. In Nigeria, the controversy is about accepting coronavirus vaccine from China.

Instead of the people concerning themselves about the efficacy of the vaccine, they are fighting against it being used to poison the population. Meanwhile, China is flooding the whole country with their goods.

What stops them from putting the poison in one of them? Again, where is the expectation of the indigenous scientists to test the medical components of the vaccine before it is administered to the general public?

Africa must show respect for herself. If she has to suffer, let her put herself through the drill of using indigenous resourcefulness to regain her sustainability. Her people must reassert their identity that was lost through colonization. No one is advocating for isolationism but through mutual collaboration with the outside world in the field of politics, economics, science and technology to gain self-reliance that will distinguish her as an equal participant in global affairs.

Pius Okaneme, a Poet and Writer hails from Umuoji, Anambra State, Nigeria.