The Needed Paradigm Shift in African Development Scenario
June 18, 2008
By Habte Dafa
It is a public secret to know that Africa is one of the oldest continent with abundant natural resources. Without going in depth, History and Scientific researches verifies that the oldest human remains to be found in the valleys of Oromia in Africa. Therefore, one can not deny absolutely that Africa is indeed, the origin of human beings. As far as Africa's natural resources is concerned, we grew up with the educational curriculum that was modeled after Europeans (Anglo-Franc) pedagogical systems, even if the origins of schooling states otherwise. In my era of Educational acquisition, what is written on the book was taken as a biblical messages brought down by Moses from Mt, Sinai. So it is not too far fetched truth to claim that what ever truth, bias, cheer quackery, or even distortion written on the book with the European style and methods are learned by African of my generation as the whole and proven truth, and no room for dispute is allowed. At the same time Africa was/is described as a poor continent with very scares natural recourses to alter this predicaments of impoverishment, backwardness, and depending on handout from abroad. This is when the "Dependency Syndrome" was planted carefully.
The scenario of the scarcity of the African Natural Resources is changing it's face as Africans are becoming rich suddenly by discovering the Natural gas, oil, ores of gold fields .... and so on. These Natural Resources did not come to existence overnight. There is a fundamental change on how to explore and acquire the country's wealth. In short, there is shift in African wealth acquisition and benefit distribution. African Economists can exhaust this topic more than my self (a person with a minimum economic based qualifications) But from the Human Resources scenario, I will be approaching the existing fundamental issues of social, economical and ethical problems choking all the nations of Africa directly or indirectly to be caused by some of the current African Leaders and their supporting wing: most of the "aging out educated class".
Most of the current "Educated class of African Nations were afforded chances to go to other part of the world to learn, visit, or live, and broaden their knowledge base horizons. If they succeeded in returning back to Africa to work among their people, some of them would indulge themselves back into the status of "The distinguished Educated Class" and will become the mouth pieces of some exploiting regimes and continue to clap their hands teaching, writing, philosophizing, and advocating justifications for the aging out crocodiles in power. They (some of these so-called educated class) say what those in power want to hear rather than holding them accountable for their erroneous decisions. They promote their own agendas for power at the expenses their own brothers and sisters, or the living standards of their Nations. Most likely, no gained/learned innovations is put to practice for the benefits of their people's mode of livings standards.
One of my dear brother from Southern Sudan said to me .."why are you so disrespectful and arrogant to call these fathers of the African nations "old Crocodiles?" I replied to him that I am not being that all but, I will never hesitate to categorize them according to their deeds. These the so-called African Leaders except Nelson Mandela and very few of them, sucked each of their Nation's wealth banking it in Europe, while appointing their family members and their tribal associates to the highest posts in their respective counties while the majority of their country citizens treated with all inhuman cruelties. Overall no body dares to question them, but if they happen to be criticized, they will easily jump to blaming all their evil deeds on Colonialism/capitalism. One can not predict for how long they are going to beat the drums of blaming colonialism or capitalism for their own incompetencies.
Furthermore, some of these so-called fathers of the African nations, after becoming the head of their states, shut down all the transiencies of their governments, and all the democratic means, and declared themselves to be the King for life and refuses to transfer their powers to legitimately elected choices of their Nations. There are ample practical examples now a days. To mention a few: Ethiopia's election in 2005, Kenya and Zimbabwe's election as we speak now a days!!!!!!!!!! Even after they pass away, their kingship is inherited by their offspring as some of them manged to cut the throats of those who fought with them on the same line at one time against the colonialism or/and dictators.
It is an indisputable fact that we do have a legitimate grievances against the Colonialism and Capitalism. We all have known these facts for centuries. Enough is enough, we have blamed them over and over till the cow came home. The cow had been home for a long time now. Therefore, I believe it is time to hold our leaders who stop at no where from shading their crocodile tears for their nations while sharpening their teeth to devour their citizen's beings alive. We are not helping them to understand the extent of the crimes they are committing on their nations by rubber stamping and justifying their incompetencies which breads absolute corruption. These corruptions are what keep the developing African Nations not only behind, but also hinder them greatly from actualizing their god given Human and natural resources potentials.
Therefore, it is a vital necessity for the African younger generation to seek a paradigm shift and approach the whole scenario of African Development from an angle which puts "in the best interest of African people" first, as opposed to repeating the same selfishness and have it all attitude. Maybe just maybe, we may need to go back and revive the original African Democratic governances systems of Gada of Oromo nation, and other fundamental African indigenous heritages.
It is a public secret to know that Africa is one of the oldest continent with abundant natural resources. Without going in depth, History and Scientific researches verifies that the oldest human remains to be found in the valleys of Oromia in Africa. Therefore, one can not deny absolutely that Africa is indeed, the origin of human beings. As far as Africa's natural resources is concerned, we grew up with the educational curriculum that was modeled after Europeans (Anglo-Franc) pedagogical systems, even if the origins of schooling states otherwise. In my era of Educational acquisition, what is written on the book was taken as a biblical messages brought down by Moses from Mt, Sinai. So it is not too far fetched truth to claim that what ever truth, bias, cheer quackery, or even distortion written on the book with the European style and methods are learned by African of my generation as the whole and proven truth, and no room for dispute is allowed. At the same time Africa was/is described as a poor continent with very scares natural recourses to alter this predicaments of impoverishment, backwardness, and depending on handout from abroad. This is when the "Dependency Syndrome" was planted carefully.
The scenario of the scarcity of the African Natural Resources is changing it's face as Africans are becoming rich suddenly by discovering the Natural gas, oil, ores of gold fields .... and so on. These Natural Resources did not come to existence overnight. There is a fundamental change on how to explore and acquire the country's wealth. In short, there is shift in African wealth acquisition and benefit distribution. African Economists can exhaust this topic more than my self (a person with a minimum economic based qualifications) But from the Human Resources scenario, I will be approaching the existing fundamental issues of social, economical and ethical problems choking all the nations of Africa directly or indirectly to be caused by some of the current African Leaders and their supporting wing: most of the "aging out educated class".
Most of the current "Educated class of African Nations were afforded chances to go to other part of the world to learn, visit, or live, and broaden their knowledge base horizons. If they succeeded in returning back to Africa to work among their people, some of them would indulge themselves back into the status of "The distinguished Educated Class" and will become the mouth pieces of some exploiting regimes and continue to clap their hands teaching, writing, philosophizing, and advocating justifications for the aging out crocodiles in power. They (some of these so-called educated class) say what those in power want to hear rather than holding them accountable for their erroneous decisions. They promote their own agendas for power at the expenses their own brothers and sisters, or the living standards of their Nations. Most likely, no gained/learned innovations is put to practice for the benefits of their people's mode of livings standards.
One of my dear brother from Southern Sudan said to me .."why are you so disrespectful and arrogant to call these fathers of the African nations "old Crocodiles?" I replied to him that I am not being that all but, I will never hesitate to categorize them according to their deeds. These the so-called African Leaders except Nelson Mandela and very few of them, sucked each of their Nation's wealth banking it in Europe, while appointing their family members and their tribal associates to the highest posts in their respective counties while the majority of their country citizens treated with all inhuman cruelties. Overall no body dares to question them, but if they happen to be criticized, they will easily jump to blaming all their evil deeds on Colonialism/capitalism. One can not predict for how long they are going to beat the drums of blaming colonialism or capitalism for their own incompetencies.
Furthermore, some of these so-called fathers of the African nations, after becoming the head of their states, shut down all the transiencies of their governments, and all the democratic means, and declared themselves to be the King for life and refuses to transfer their powers to legitimately elected choices of their Nations. There are ample practical examples now a days. To mention a few: Ethiopia's election in 2005, Kenya and Zimbabwe's election as we speak now a days!!!!!!!!!! Even after they pass away, their kingship is inherited by their offspring as some of them manged to cut the throats of those who fought with them on the same line at one time against the colonialism or/and dictators.
It is an indisputable fact that we do have a legitimate grievances against the Colonialism and Capitalism. We all have known these facts for centuries. Enough is enough, we have blamed them over and over till the cow came home. The cow had been home for a long time now. Therefore, I believe it is time to hold our leaders who stop at no where from shading their crocodile tears for their nations while sharpening their teeth to devour their citizen's beings alive. We are not helping them to understand the extent of the crimes they are committing on their nations by rubber stamping and justifying their incompetencies which breads absolute corruption. These corruptions are what keep the developing African Nations not only behind, but also hinder them greatly from actualizing their god given Human and natural resources potentials.
Therefore, it is a vital necessity for the African younger generation to seek a paradigm shift and approach the whole scenario of African Development from an angle which puts "in the best interest of African people" first, as opposed to repeating the same selfishness and have it all attitude. Maybe just maybe, we may need to go back and revive the original African Democratic governances systems of Gada of Oromo nation, and other fundamental African indigenous heritages.
Print
Email
