Slumbering Africans wake up!

It will be dishonest to hide ones personal feelings that hover around confusion, frustration, anger, sorrow, shame, hope, faith, and love of Africa. Despite this pot-pourri of emotions, this writer still believes that it is possible to unravel objectively and scientifically the superficial illusions and the deep realities that set Africans apart and made them seem awkwardly different from other races of the world. Would it be asking too much if this writer appeals to every African and all her friends to undertake this task of analysis aimed at identifying the strength and the weakness of these differences (if there are any); and what strategies can be adopted to enhance the positive aspects of these differences for socio-economic and political changes of Africa. The same appeal is being made to those who have devoted years of hard work to the cause of Africa not to pack it up as a wasted effort since no result seems to be coming out of these selfless endeavours. There is an urgent need to awaken and stimulate Africans about learning some crucial lessons from the ancient and contemporary philosophical thoughts, historical materials and scientific and technological works that have made the most significant difference to the history of mankind.
As part of the effort to unravel the mystery surrounding Africa, can we ask whether Africans were deliberately denied opportunities to appraise and to apply this universal body of knowledge at any time in their history? If not, why has this body of knowledge failed to enhance the evolutionary and intellectual development, growth and progress of the people of the continent? Can the situation of access denial to universal knowledge be re-addressed, if it is true? Consequent to the above, this writer believes, the most crucial tasks facing Africans and her friends at the beginning of a new millennium is to establish from the perspectives of African ‘elites’ or the leading political players if it is indeed true or not true that Africa has problems at this juncture in the world history. If they are in the affirmative, then the next stage will be to unravel along with these ‘elites’ the nature and genesis of the problems facing Africa; and to seek, in partnership with them, practical answers devoid of nonsensical sentiments or hollow patriotic pride or shallow egotism.
In order to save valuable time, let us just mention that a comparative review and analysis of already existing volumes of reports and information on world economic, political, social and psychological indicators languishing in library shelves all over the world will reveal the extent of these problems, that is, if these ‘leaders’ care to look. There is a saying in the book of Tao Te Ching as well as in the Christian Bible, which says, unless a person realises that he/she is ill it is impossible to receive healing. Unless African leaders accept there are serious problems in Africa, it will be impossible to help the continent out of its predicament.
 
Let us go back again to the question, does Africa have any problem? Can the so-called leaders of Africa agree on this question? Can the present leaders be trusted to articulate these problems objectively and do they have the humility to search for genuine solutions? Do they have the moral will to endure the sacrifices and the temporary pain this solution will entail? Are African elites willing to put a stop, at least for now, to their propensity to shop around the world for all kinds of conspicuously expensive silly toys and other sophisticated consumption goods? These misleaders need to be told that these types of consumption have contributed nothing so far to the emancipation of the people but have merely boosted the over-bloated egos of these unenlightened elites as mere stupid globetrotting copycats among their less fortunate and ill-informed admirers.