Africa's biggest lie...

Being a citizen of Africa, I believe I have earned my right to talk about matters affecting Africa. As a continent we have a wonderful privilege of owning a rich bounty of natural resources yet languishing in poverty. The continent holds around 30% of the world's known mineral reserves, yet it remains one of the poorest continents on the globe, with almost fifty per cent of the population living on less than $1.25 per day. A World Bank report in 2018 revealed that an estimated 413 million people in Africa currently live in extreme poverty — more than half of the world's total.

It’s now over 50 years since majority of African countries were declared independent by former colonial masters yet as a people, we are still largely dependent on our “masters” in almost every sphere of life. Everything we do; how we live, how we vote (I doubt if there’s anything called ‘African Union Observers sent to observe the US or Chinese elections!’), how we lead, how we invest, and how we study is to the greatest extent determined by the men and women in the West and East. As a continent, we still import much more than what we export both in value and in quantity. Who bewitched our Continent?

Now more than ever, we must begin to think differently as Africans. The Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) is here and I call it a God ordained opportunity for Africans, to learn to take care of our own challenges. I do not believe as Africans we were born to depend on the West and East for our development, and neither do I believe that we (Africans) were sent into the universe as incomplete beings. I believe we have greatness in Africa that we can make use of to become unstoppable as a continent.

COVID-19 has exposed us as a continent, but at the same time we can use this time to identify the several opportunities that have come with COVID-19. Whereas we have been affected as a continent, you’ll agree with me that the extent to which we have been affected is incomparable to that of our “Masters”. Over the past few months, production in the West and East has been at its minimum. How have we used this as an opportunity to increase our production here in Africa? Maybe this would be the time for Kenya to show that it can give to Uganda whatever Uganda was getting from China, or South Africa showing Nigeria that it could give in equal measures whatever Nigeria was getting from the USA. Think about that for a moment. COVID-19, what a great opportunity to unite and begin to work on our issues as Africans rather than looking at the West and East for answers!

What would life be like in Africa if we decided to do things differently going forward? What lessons can we pick from the Pandemic which has brought the imperial powers to their knees? What can we begin to do differently as a continent? What can we do today as a continent to have the results we want for our tomorrow? It’s necessary that we unite as a continent and begin to make conscious committed decisions capable of giving us true independence. We can point out to many things that will make it inconvenient for us but ultimately it’s on us to secure genuine independence in all spheres of life.

Why do we continue to give free land to the Chinese and other foreigners to develop for us our own continent? Which sane man handles over the responsibility of taking care of his wife and children to another man? Does that mean we have not been able to educate enough engineers and scientists on the continent over the last 50 years? I highly doubt. I believe there’s just a tendency here in Africa to minimize our own and praise foreign. If our scientists are not good enough to lead scientific discoveries in Africa, why do imperial powers still come for our physicians and other scientists? According to a paper (not named here) I read published in 2008, “Approximately 65,000 African-born physicians and 70,000 African-born professional nurses were working overseas in a developed country in the year 2000.” If our African scientists are not good enough to lead great scientific discoveries on the continent, why such a statistic?

I’m not trying to underestimate the role played by foreign powers in our development by any stretch, rather what I’m saying is let’s rise up and take charge of our own destinies as Africans. Now more than ever, we can grab the opportunity presented by COVID-19 to turn things around in Africa. Why continue to export raw materials to the West and East? Can’t we produce air-crafts in Africa? Can’t we produce cars in Africa? Can’t we produce fighting weapons in Africa? Can’t we design our unique education curriculum? Can’t we develop our own democracies? I bet we can.

Robert Kulubya is Uganda’s premier Motivational Speaker, Corporate Trainer in the facets of leadership, team building and personal growth. As a catalyst for change and a strategist for success, Robert has devoted his life to building people and transforming lives everywhere through creating and offering an array of diverse programs that awaken the greatness in everyone. Subscribe below to become a member of the Robert Kulubya Family.