An African Problem

Ladies and gentlemen, I salute you all. Hope you and your loved ones are navigating this journey of life like a ship that never sinks. In this episode of sharing my thoughts, I present to you what some might call "An African problem". Here, I'm hypothesizing the mindset of the average African to be an African problem.
To begin, what is an African problem? If you've followed my previous episodes of blog posts, it is apparent that you'd be inclined to mention corruption. That answer is not wrong but is just an outcome of an inherent human variable (greed). That said, I am presenting an entirely new perspective regarding an answer to such a question. An African problem is a general trend in the poor functioning of its societies as a result of the inability to return to a pre-colonial way of thinking.

Talking about society, and drawing from the rather dwindling growth of various African societies, it is fair to say there is indeed an African problem. In terms of the economy, we are dangling every year on growth of maybe 5-8% and then realizing a drop the following year. If we look into politics on the continent, we need not wander far from the just ended elections in Uganda or look back to your answer of corruption as an African problem. I was not particularly surprised by the results of those elections because the trend is clear when addressing elections in Africa. I was particularly skeptical after seeing the overwhelming support Bobi Wine got from those in the West because if history serves us right, the West is like the thief who comes in the night (to rob, rape and kill). On the other hand, I believe that Ugandans voted Museveni out given the tactics African dictators use and the media coverage of an election dominated by youths who have grown tired of the old strong man. And more so because Museveni himself once said " the problem in Africa is that of leaders overstaying in power". I guess he was young and blind when he said that. 

Coming back to my hypothesis, African culture dictates the African mindset. We have a culture as old as one can remember. Abundantly diverse in people, music, cuisine, etc. However, the era of colonialism sort to eradicate a growing and thriving African mind by instituting what was not African. How can you subdue someone who has control of his mindset? this was the question with an agenda that sort to eradicate the spirit of Ubuntu (I am because you are) from an integral African society. In essence, our reference became a Western society. If you didn't dress, talk, eat and think what they wanted you to think, you were not civilized. A case can be made with media today too, we see media influencing public opinion. Do you doubt me? look to the rebirth of radical far-right politics.

This mentality is thriving in African societies and has the average African mind trapped. Look to the reasons for the last year's END SARS protest in Nigeria and you see a brute police unit trying to institute colonial-era rules. Look at the educational curriculums, the culture, law practices, and how layers dress, look to religion, and above all, look to democracy. Our Western-imposed democracy has produced us nothing but pain. We had thriving kingdoms with systems that worked. Our path to growth and success was clear and well underway till our mindsets changed. Today, we are singing democracy but our populace is not educated enough to understand what this is all about. It is easy for a political empty vessel to get votes by issuing drinks and food to voters. It is now getting worst with the advent of social media ads targetting people to influence opinions. And indeed laughable that the West has fallen prey to this too.

 

Image cc: https://images.app.goo.gl/tf99gDhj6JtrtseG6

An African problem is that of the mindset. We talk of education but we forget that a child cannot study with an empty belly. This is why the rich Congo is polluted with wars of all sorts and children working in mines, this is why child soldiers are easy to recruit into Boko Haram and Al Shabab, etc. How do you expect them to be in classrooms learning colonial education with empty bellies? 

I did go to school and learned the colonial education but at some point, it all dawned on me that we are not moving ahead as we should be. Nevertheless, those classrooms are preferable to carrying guns, and perhaps many will see at some point the mindset issue. Till then, we need to individually and collectively play our parts in the realization of what is yet to come no matter how small.

This is +ve man JB thinking in words