Why Is Africa So Attractive, Yet So Poor?

 Why is Africa so attractive, yet so poor? - Prof. PLO Lumumba. 

This question, I believe lingers on the mind of millions of  well meaning Africans all over the world. I do not only think about this question, I do worry about it. I do worry because Africa lacks internal fitness in my opinion; it means that Africa is easily vulnerable to external negative influence. But most worrying is Africa's susceptibility to external exploitation which is made possible by the involvement of rogue and corrupt state and non-state African collaborators. Slavery was sustained by internal collaborators so much as they continue to collaborate with imperialist exploitation of the continent.

Africa is down on it's knees because the average African politician is an avaricious and corrupt loose cannon ball - aimless, selfish and very cheap to be purchased by any imperialist actor. 

Brother Wole And The Emilokan Dance

Image:pexel.com

Pardon me, it's Professor Wole Soyinka. Who else? The activist whose blood boiled in 1965 in Ibadan where he invaded a broadcasting station to stop the announcement of the winner of what he considered to be a fraudulent elections. He was 35 years old then. The same man, now an elder statesman in 2023, turned a defender of a more dangerous and sophisticated variety of the undesirable political actors and their malfeasance which Nigeria has been battling to get rid of for nearly sixty years after independence. 

Political corruption was (and still is) so pervasive and glaring that in 1965 brother Wole invaded a radio station and forced the broadcaster at gun point to announce what he thought was the right results. He did not wait for the judges to decide; he took the law into his hands.

The Future is Now

                                                        Image: Courtesy pexel.com

First published in 8 oct 2010

The future is forever because every day comes with its own future; be it tomorrow, next week or next year for that matter. Everyone talk about it, dream it or live it in some way or the other but few believe that the future is actually here and now. Few have the understanding that today is the future and that our tomorrow is made today yesterday is history. Except in our memory, yesterday don't exist. To enjoy today we must move on from yesterday and all the experiences we've had - good or bad.

Why should we forget about the so great and lovely life we had yesterday or the pains people or circumstances inflicted on us? Why are we not having the great life we had yesterday or forget the terrible way we were treated yesterday? Thinking of the good times past creates sadness while thinking about the past wrongs creates worries and pain. Living in the present is taking one day at a time and trying to make the best of it hoping to do better. 

Voices of Hopelessness

                                                        Image: Courtesy pexels.com

For the average youth and the silent majority of older Nigerians who dream of a future for Nigeria which will work for all Nigerians their voices got willingly muffled. They were silenced by the few who knew no civilised way to win in what was supposed to be a democratic electoral process. For them the future is uncertain. Their already inhuman existence is made worse by feelings of hopelessness and despair caused by the BIVAStarized open rigging of the just concluded 2023 general election.

The government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are not pretending not to be part of the show of shame. It appears that Prof. Mahmood Yakubu sold millions of Nigerians into slavery for thirty pieces of silver. This man is not a Nigerian in essence.  At this stage of Nigeria's bumpy journey to a democratic system guided by respect for the rule of law and established elections administration process, it is right to expect the INEC chairman to be seen to have overseen a process which can be adjudged to be fair, credible and free. He failed woefully.