Mchango wa mawazo: Umasikini wa Mu-Afrika.

[Resi]

Ever wondered why Africa, Africans are poor?

TAPIWA GOMO:


Several theories are used in an attempt to answer this complex
question. It is a question so difficult to answer in one piece as it
has so many dimensions and is so complicated to address without
blaming it on someone or something.

Many Africans and their leaders evade this question by finding
scapegoats. Our social, political and economic narrative over the
years was dominated by such platitudes as “acts of imperialists bent
on derailing the gains of independence and land reform” for anything
that went wrong.

According to one pastor I met last week, Africa is poor because it
needs to know God. He thinks Africa is still a “dark continent” and
strongly believes if everyone submits to God, the quality of life
would improve. So Africans are blamed for not knowing God.

This is backed by a common African belief that people fail to
succeed because a jealous neighbour or relatives are casting bad
luck on them.

And the only way out is a spiritual cleansing. But then, most of the
developed nations are known for their remoteness from God.

Is Africa really poor?

No. Africa without its people is one of the richest continents in
the world with very fertile land, enormous rainfall, mineral
resources, oil, good weather and a hard-working population.

The world can’t do without Africa hence the Sino-Western stampede
for resources. Explorers, expropriators and foreign investors have
been coming to invade, occupy, convert, plunder and trade in Africa.

But still its people are among the poorest in the world as they
don’t have running water, no electricity, healthcare, good
sanitation, shelter, good roads, good education and many other basic
needs. In fact, the vast majority of Africans are near the bottom of
the United Nations Human Development Index, living a very appalling
standard of life.

It is still impossible to explain the paradox of these immense rich
resources against the appalling poverty without placing the blame on
something or someone.

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia lays the blame squarely
on African leaders. She believes “Africa is not poor . . . but
poorly managed,” blaming corruption by African leaders for the
plight of almost a billion people on the continent.





Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, the troubled Libyan leader, is reported to
have transferred over £3 billion with a London-based private wealth
manager recently. This is by far higher than Zimbabwe’s national
budget.

Greg Mills, the author of Why is Africa Poor? concurs with
Johnson-Sirleaf by arguing that African poverty is not because the
world has denied Africa and its people the market, financial means
and opportunities to compete. It has not been because of aid per se
or colonialism.

“Nor is African poverty solely a consequence of poor infrastructure
or trade access, or because the necessary development and technical
expertise is unavailable internationally.”

He asks why then has Africa lagged behind other developing areas
when its people work hard and the continent is blessed with abundant
natural resources?

He attempts to elaborate in his book that the main reason why
Africa’s people are poor is because their leaders have made this
choice.

Some development psycho-analysts suggest that poverty is a culture
and attitude that has been inculcated in Africans over centuries of
oppression since the arrival of slavery and colonialism.

They believe that slavery impoverished and suppressed the minds of
many Africans and that colonialism set up trading and behaviour
patterns which were aimed at benefiting the coloniser, not the
colonised.

Colonialism was all about take, not build. This attitude transferred
itself into a lot of mindsets, attitude and a culture of laggardism
such that some people, without being told what to do and where to
go, would not have an idea of their own.

So poverty is blamed on attitude.

But to talk of why almost a billion Africans are poor may be quite a
mammoth task. Perhaps, let’s zero it down to individuals.

Why are you poor when you are surrounded by fertile land, good
rains, rich natural environment plus an average education and a
possibility of accessing a loan, something that Westerners can’t
access easily?

Is it because your neighbour is casting bad omens on you or you are
just too lazy and scared to take the risk?

Or is it because your mindset is a product of the colonial system
that never prepared you to lead but to follow?

Are you one of those who wait for a struggling African government to
make opportunities available or you are one of those who break the
rules in order to venture into new grounds?

Or perhaps Africa is poor because its people are just poor-minded?


Source: NewsDayZimbabwe

 

[nyantella]

Ever wondered why Africa, Africans are poor?

TAPIWA GOMO:


Several theories are used in an attempt to answer this complex
question. It is a question so difficult to answer in one piece as it
has so many dimensions and is so complicated to address without
blaming it on someone or something.

Many Africans and their leaders evade this question by finding
scapegoats. Our social, political and economic narrative over the
years was dominated by such platitudes as “acts of imperialists bent
on derailing the gains of independence and land reform” for anything
that went wrong.

According to one pastor I met last week, Africa is poor because it
needs to know God. He thinks Africa is still a “dark continent” and
strongly believes if everyone submits to God, the quality of life
would improve. So Africans are blamed for not knowing God.

This is backed by a common African belief that people fail to
succeed because a jealous neighbour or relatives are casting bad
luck on them.

And the only way out is a spiritual cleansing. But then, most of the
developed nations are known for their remoteness from God.

Is Africa really poor?

No. Africa without its people is one of the richest continents in
the world with very fertile land, enormous rainfall, mineral
resources, oil, good weather and a hard-working population.

The world can’t do without Africa hence the Sino-Western stampede
for resources. Explorers, expropriators and foreign investors have
been coming to invade, occupy, convert, plunder and trade in Africa.

But still its people are among the poorest in the world as they
don’t have running water, no electricity, healthcare, good
sanitation, shelter, good roads, good education and many other basic
needs. In fact, the vast majority of Africans are near the bottom of
the United Nations Human Development Index, living a very appalling
standard of life.

It is still impossible to explain the paradox of these immense rich
resources against the appalling poverty without placing the blame on
something or someone.

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia lays the blame squarely
on African leaders. She believes “Africa is not poor . . . but
poorly managed,” blaming corruption by African leaders for the
plight of almost a billion people on the continent.





Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, the troubled Libyan leader, is reported to
have transferred over £3 billion with a London-based private wealth
manager recently. This is by far higher than Zimbabwe’s national
budget.

Greg Mills, the author of Why is Africa Poor? concurs with
Johnson-Sirleaf by arguing that African poverty is not because the
world has denied Africa and its people the market, financial means
and opportunities to compete. It has not been because of aid per se
or colonialism.

“Nor is African poverty solely a consequence of poor infrastructure
or trade access, or because the necessary development and technical
expertise is unavailable internationally.”

He asks why then has Africa lagged behind other developing areas
when its people work hard and the continent is blessed with abundant
natural resources?

He attempts to elaborate in his book that the main reason why
Africa’s people are poor is because their leaders have made this
choice.

Some development psycho-analysts suggest that poverty is a culture
and attitude that has been inculcated in Africans over centuries of
oppression since the arrival of slavery and colonialism.

They believe that slavery impoverished and suppressed the minds of
many Africans and that colonialism set up trading and behaviour
patterns which were aimed at benefiting the coloniser, not the
colonised.

Colonialism was all about take, not build. This attitude transferred
itself into a lot of mindsets, attitude and a culture of laggardism
such that some people, without being told what to do and where to
go, would not have an idea of their own.

So poverty is blamed on attitude.

But to talk of why almost a billion Africans are poor may be quite a
mammoth task. Perhaps, let’s zero it down to individuals.

Why are you poor when you are surrounded by fertile land, good
rains, rich natural environment plus an average education and a
possibility of accessing a loan, something that Westerners can’t
access easily?

Is it because your neighbour is casting bad omens on you or you are
just too lazy and scared to take the risk?

Or is it because your mindset is a product of the colonial system
that never prepared you to lead but to follow?

Are you one of those who wait for a struggling African government to
make opportunities available or you are one of those who break the
rules in order to venture into new grounds?

Or perhaps Africa is poor because its people are just poor-minded?


Source: NewsDayZimbabwe

Resi Thanks for a very nice article. yes all what is in there is the hard truth which we Africans and our leaders need to address with sober heads. There is a joke which goes like this:

Three African leaders met and the following was the answers on the question "How do you distribute the money you get by selling your country's natural resources among your citezens?"

1st Leader: I divide them half half, a half for me and the other half goes to my people

2nd Leader: Responds, so your are so generous, Me I draw a big circle on the ground, I throw the notes on the air, those which fall in the circle are Mine!! those which fall out of the cirle goes to my peole!!

3rd Leader: Joins and says, you two guys are very very generous to your people!!, guess what I do with such money!, I throw them up to the air, all that falls are mine, the rest which remains in the air, goess to my people!!

so you can judge the sort of leaders we have in africa. Good day!