How Africa Underdevelops Africa

[theworldismine13]

http://studentsforliberty.org/blog/2013/08/15/how-africa-underdevelops-africa/

At the just-concluded Students For Liberty West African Regional Conference, a participant asked SFL President Alexander McCobin how the “white man” intends to make “reparations” for his bad deeds and contribution to the under-development of Africa during the colonial era. I was so angry at this question, to say the least, that I walked out of the conference hall. After some minutes outside pondering why this young man is so shamelessly naïve, I felt nothing but pity for him. I had a feeling that he must have been made to believe over time, that the problems we have in Africa are a result of the white men setting foot in Africa. And like I mentioned in the last article I wrote on my experience at the conference, one of the problems with the Nigerian (and indeed, African) youths is that we have so much faith in our elders whom we perceive to be so wise that we forget to a large extent old age comes with a loss of touch with reality. This is not to say that old African men are foolish, but that some have taken advantage of the privilege bestowed upon them by our cultures to distort history and to psychologically lead youths astray.

While I cannot deny the fact that a lot of atrocities occurred during the colonial period in Africa and other parts of the world –and will always happen where the territorial integrity of a nation is breached –I also think we should look inwards to the causes and possible solutions to our problems.

Politics in Africa has been nothing more than a comedy of some sorts, where there are tribes and even families that believe they are superior and should be the only ones to make the laws or be president. They take pride in controlling the affairs of their fellow countrymen, without regard to the basic human rights of their people. These people go into politics with no clear-cut agenda or ideology, but the vague promise of better infrastructure like new roads that lead to nowhere. Instead, the properties of citizens are taken away from them without compensation or alternative to housing, and no one speaks out for them to avoid being hunted by law enforcement agencies on the orders of the government. Corruption is rife in the abundance of human and natural resources and certain individuals are always marginalized and never allowed the freedom to participate in the development of their country. Hence, development is always skewed in favour of a certain ethnic, religious or tribal group. We have presidents, old men, who have remained in pow er for so long and have made policies through their parliaments to remain in power indefinitely.

Mr. Yoweri Museveni, born in 1944, has been President of Uganda since 1986; Jose Eduardo dos Santos, born in 1942, has been President of Angola since 1979; Robert Mugabe, born 1924, has been in power as President of Zimbabwe since 1980, while economic inflation rocks his nation every now and then. The list goes on, and yet our very own ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo (born 1937) in Nigeria, made an attempt for a third term in office between 2006 and 2007 (after being in office for close to 8 years), an action that was fought against by the National Assembly.

The President of Equatorial Guinea has been in power for the past 34 years while 76 percent of the citizens of the West African country live below the poverty line. His property in Paris, worth 15 million British Pounds, along with eleven cars worth 5 million British Pounds were confiscated by the French government. These properties were believed to have been acquired using money given to his country as aid. The cars were auctioned off by the French government at a value of 2.1 million Pounds. What if the former amount was channeled into building classrooms or equipping a health center?

Former Nigerian dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha earned the country the status of a pariah state in the international community and robbed the country so blind that successive governments are still trying to recover the stolen loot. This has been successful so far as western governments have been cooperative in helping recover and return Nigeria’s stolen resources.

James Ibori, the former governor of Delta State in the south of Nigeria is serving his jail term in the United Kingdom for money laundering and has had his assets in the U.K confiscated. The man is still being celebrated among his people in his state, and a clergyman was quoted saying youths should emulate him.

The presidential seat in Kenya is almost always vied for along ethnic lines, such that the current president, Uhuru Kenyatta, is wanted at the International Criminal Court for helping to incite post-election violence that resulted in at least 1000 fatalities in 2007. The same thing played out during this year’s election in that country, though on a smaller scale.

Charles Taylor is currently paying for his war crimes thanks to “the white man” who thought it wise not to let him go free. What has the African Union been able to do except ask for aid upon aid from the Western nations only to fly to Europe, America, Saudi Arabia and other states to acquire properties and oil blocs while their citizens suffer in penury?

How can we move forward if we have people who are averse to change in power? How can we account for men who, out of a quest for power, a desire to oppress people of other tribes while enriching those of their tribes and allies and a strong tendency to amass wealth to the detriment of their citizens, suppress the voice of reason and reign supreme? Are we still blaming “the white man” for our problems in Africa? All I see right now is the white man helping us out of our problems, giving us the platform for our voice to be heard, bringing our criminal leaders to justice for us, and returning stolen loot to our government coffers.

Mr. Adedayo Thomas, who spoke on “Free Markets and Africa’s Historical Past” at the SFL WARC talked about personal development without recourse to negative events of the past. He encouraged the youths to forget the past and carve a niche for themselves, regardless of what their fathers did in the past, regardless of their background, and without the inhibitions cast upon us by religion or culture. He was telling us to move on. And I couldn’t agree more; hence I bring the same message to you through this article. It is time to solve our problems for ourselves and our unborn generations. After all, we have created and continue to create these problems for our continent.

I went back into the hall to listen to McCobin’s response to that annoying question, and he made it clear that freedom is not just a Western ideology, but what we all yearn for. For liberty knows no race, religion or tribe.

 

[Marvel]

Most African countries are Kleptocracies. One thing we must keep in mind is that African countries as we know it today were created by Europeans. Until those false boundaries are broken and people return back into their natural boundaries that they had before colonialism, the continent will continue to have problems.

 

[emoney]

Most African countries are Kleptocracies. One thing we must keep in mind is that African countries as we know it today were created by Europeans. Until those false boundaries are broken and people return back into their natural boundaries that they had before colonialism, the continent will continue to have problems.

This will create even more problems.

Precolonial Africa was not clearly defined like that.

What maps are we going to base these redrawing of borders on?

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

Most African countries are Kleptocracies. One thing we must keep in mind is that African countries as we know it today were created by Europeans. Until those false boundaries are broken and people return back into their natural boundaries that they had before colonialism, the continent will continue to have problems.

Its like we agree on this but disagree as to how. I think Africa should have regional nation-states imo, dissolve the lines and make the countries bigger and make areas controlled by certain tribes "states" within said nation and break it down further to county levels to protect the rights and culture of tribes. Just my theory tho, it doesn't come with its problems. Tribals groups might share certain land, or there might be historical animosity between groups perhaps, and language barriers would create problems too. Still I think once those issues are solved it'd make Africa a better place. But what we know for sure is that the colonial lines don't work.

 

[Oh1one]

Great read. Most African leaders are the "architects of poverty"

 

[TheProfessor]

This will create even more problems.

Precolonial Africa was not clearly defined like that.

What maps are we going to base these redrawing of borders on?

How would it create more problems? Sure initially but long term? Absolutely not.

 

[Marvel]

Its like we agree on this but disagree as to how. I think Africa should have regional nation-states imo, dissolve the lines and make the countries bigger and make areas controlled by certain tribes "states" within said nation and break it down further to county levels to protect the rights and culture of tribes. Just my theory tho, it doesn't come with its problems. Tribals groups might share certain land, or there might be historical animosity between groups perhaps, and language barriers would create problems too. Still I think once those issues are solved it'd make Africa a better place. But what we know for sure is that the colonial lines don't work.

I get where you are coming from, but I think that nation building without the colonial lines should occur first, then we can do a pan-African union with African and Caribbean countries. That is why the EU is working. Do you know how many new countries have been formed in Europe in the last 20+ years?

Former Soviet Republics

1. Armenia
2. Azerbaijan
3. Belarus
4. Estonia
5. Georgia
6. Kazakhstan
7. Kyrgyzstan
8. Latvia
9. Lithuania
10. Moldova
11. Russia
12. Tajikistan
13. Turkmenistan
14. Ukraine
15. Uzbekistan

Former Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia dissolved in the early 1990s into five independent countries.

1. Bosnia and Herzegovina, February 29, 1992
2. Croatia, June 25, 1991
3. Macedonia (officially The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) declared independence on September 8, 1991 but wasn't recognized by the United Nations until 1993 and the United States and Russia in February of 1994
4. Serbia and Montenegro, (also known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia), April 17, 1992 (see below for separate Serbia and Montenegro entries)
5. Slovenia, June 25, 1991

Other New Countries

Thirteen other countries became independent through a variety of causes.

• October 3, 1990 - East Germany and West Germany merged to form a unified Germany after the fall of the Iron Curtain.
• January 1, 1993 - The Czech Republic and Slovakia became independent nations when Czechoslovakia dissolved
• June 3, 2006 - Montenegro was part of Serbia and Montenegro (also known as Yugoslavia) but gained independence after a referendum.
• June 5, 2006 - Serbia became its own entity after Montenegro split.
• February 17, 2008 - Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia.

Why do you think that Europe is so cool with creating countries among people from similar tribes and cultures? Its because they understand nation building and what it means to stability across the continent. It is also harder to exploit your own people, so it creates a better check and balance system between the people and the government.

Why are Africans so slow to understand this? Why do we continue to stay within these colonial boundaries?

Only three African countries were created or became independent in this time frame

1. Eritrea in 1993
2. Namibia from South Africa in 1990
3. South Sudan in 2011 and that country was only created to exploit the oil in the region and terminate the Chinese contracts with Sudan giving new opportunities to the West to secure contracts.

So small Europe is creating countries even with a few million people because its easier to govern and its create stability. Instead, Africans want to keep countries together as they are and are only creating more instability and poverty.

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

I get where you are coming from, but I think that nation building without the colonial lines should occur first, then we can do a pan-African union with African and Caribbean countries. That is why the EU is working. Do you know how many new countries have been formed in Europe in the last 20+ years?

Former Soviet Republics

1. Armenia
2. Azerbaijan
3. Belarus
4. Estonia
5. Georgia
6. Kazakhstan
7. Kyrgyzstan
8. Latvia
9. Lithuania
10. Moldova
11. Russia
12. Tajikistan
13. Turkmenistan
14. Ukraine
15. Uzbekistan

Former Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia dissolved in the early 1990s into five independent countries.

1. Bosnia and Herzegovina, February 29, 1992
2. Croatia, June 25, 1991
3. Macedonia (officially The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) declared independence on September 8, 1991 but wasn't recognized by the United Nations until 1993 and the United States and Russia in February of 1994
4. Serbia and Montenegro, (also known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia), April 17, 1992 (see below for separate Serbia and Montenegro entries)
5. Slovenia, June 25, 1991

Other New Countries

Thirteen other countries became independent through a variety of causes.

• October 3, 1990 - East Germany and West Germany merged to form a unified Germany after the fall of the Iron Curtain.
• January 1, 1993 - The Czech Republic and Slovakia became independent nations when Czechoslovakia dissolved
• June 3, 2006 - Montenegro was part of Serbia and Montenegro (also known as Yugoslavia) but gained independence after a referendum.
• June 5, 2006 - Serbia became its own entity after Montenegro split.
• February 17, 2008 - Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia.

Why do you think that Europe is so cool with creating countries among people from similar tribes and cultures? Its because they understand nation building and what it means to stability across the continent. It is also harder to exploit your own people, so it creates a better check and balance system between the people and the government.

Why are Africans so slow to understand this? Why do we continue to stay within these colonial boundaries?

Only three African countries were created or became independent in this time frame

1. Eritrea in 1993
2. Namibia from South Africa in 1990
3. South Sudan in 2011 and that country was only created to exploit the oil in the region and terminate the Chinese contracts with Sudan giving new opportunities to the West to secure contracts.

So small Europe is creating countries even with a few million people because its easier to govern and its create stability. Instead, Africans want to keep countries together as they are and are only creating more instability and poverty.

I feel you, but Europe and Central Asia(which you included) is still smaller than the African continent combined. Doing it the way your suggesting would have us with way too many countries and I doubt it'd stop conflicts since certain areas have become less homogenous tribally like say in capitol cities and their outlying areas, or places where there's been a boom due to resource extraction, port towns, etc. Perhaps I'm only looking at this from a Horn of Africa vantage point cuz imo we couldn't have enough unity, the whole region together would be a powerhouse in the world and I think the same could happen in other parts of Africa. But then again, I'm not as familiar with central, south, and west Africa as I am with the eastside.

 

[Marvel]

This will create even more problems

Precolonial Africa was not clearly defined like that.

What maps are we going to base these redrawing of borders on?

Everybody knows there tribal and pre-colonial boundries. Bini people in Nigeria are group of tribes that lived in the same kingdom and had defined boundaries. Igbo, Efik, Ibibio, and Annang people has Nri and Aro and share similiar culture and used the same writing system, Nsibidi..we have Biafra. If Ghana and South Africa wants to stay as they are because it works from them. That is fine. All I know is that it is not working for most of Africa by staying in these false boundaries and countries created by white people during the Scramble for Africa. We need to stop being scared of creating things for ourselves that is a slave and inferior black man mentality that we are only going to make things worst...don't believe that lie. That is what the white man wants you to believe ...that we are incapable of creating something great.

 

[Marvel]

I feel you, but Europe and Central Asia(which you included) is still smaller than the African continent combined. Doing it the way your suggesting would have us with way too many countries and I doubt it'd stop conflicts since certain areas have become less homogenous tribally like say in capitol cities and their outlying areas, or places where there's been a boom due to resource extraction, port towns, etc. Perhaps I'm only looking at this from a Horn of Africa vantage point cuz imo we couldn't have enough unity, the whole region together would be a powerhouse in the world and I think the same could happen in other parts of Africa. But then again, I'm not as familiar with central, south, and west Africa as I am with the eastside.

That is why each nation needs to make the decision on their own and determine what works for them. Those countries and their people made those decisions themselves and had their own referendums. Scotland is getting ready to vote to separate from the United Kingdom, again the people will decide. Its just trips me out that we as black people see that its working out for another group and we don't want the same for ourselves. Religious and tribal conflicts are real where my parents are from and I am tired of it. If Ethiopia or Eritrea is cool, they way they are then that is cool. Go about your business and build from there. I can tell you that Nigeria is not fine the way it is and it need to be broken up for any kind of stability to occur.

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

That is why each nation needs to make the decision on their own and determine what works for them. Those countries and their people made those decisions themselves and had their own referendums. Scotland is getting ready to vote to separate from the United Kingdom, again the people will decide. Its just trips me out that we as black people see that its working out for another group and we don't want the same for ourselves. Religious and tribal conflicts are real where my parents are from and I am tired of it. If Ethiopia or Eritrea is cool, they way they are then that is cool. Go about your business and build from there. I can tell you that Nigeria is not fine the way it is and it need to be broken up for any kind of stability to occur.

lol, I'm thinkin beyond Ethiopia and Eritrea. Those two, plus Somalia, Djibouti, and both Sudans. You have everything, oil, gold, agriculture(when things are stabile in the region there isn't nearly as much famine), tourist spots and potential resorts, ports in the busiest shipping area in the world, fishing, everything. Naturally what I'm suggesting is extreme pipe dream type shyt, but imo African countries should be linking with neighbors to combine resources and sharing each others wealth collectively to bring up the people through cooperation. Its like you suggested a model after the European Union and to me, I think Africa needs to be developed and united in more innovative ways. But I agree, this should be the choice of the individual country. It's crazy, I look at a continent like white people look at a low income historically black neighborhood in need of a "facelift". When the diaspora got its money up we all gon have to rap a taste on all this.

 

[Marvel]

Great read. Most African leaders are the "architects of poverty"

Most African leaders are simply pawns in the grand scheme of things. The true architects are white political elites globally and now China has joined that group. These articles are simply used to throw us off the real problems and the real game that is being played. The World Bank is controlled and ran by whites. Remember "World" . They manipulate a lot of whats going in Africa by taking in money stolen by African leaders and making money off the interest. think about Swiss Banks. Where does the money go when guys like Sani Abacha die? They provide countries billion dollar loans which goes to these African leaders and their friends and they have high interest rates as well. What do you think is being used as collateral? The African countries resources.

Dan Gertler became a billionaire overnight because of an African pawn
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-...llions-as-mine-deals-leave-congo-poorest.html

I keep telling people that colonies are simply corporate entities for the rest of the world to exploit. DR of Congo was a former Belgium colony and only existed as a money maker for King Leopold who became extremely rich. He built up a lot of Belgium cities with the money he made off of DR Congo. New leadership will never change the divisions in the country which leads to war, instability, and more exploitation of resources. Its a divide and conquer tactic...why are we slow to see the game? Have we ever asked our selves why France, Netherlands, and Germany are not one country. What about Portugal and Spain? Should they form a country called Iberia?

Its because its creates instability and we Europeans know it. Do you know that many of the wars in Europe started because of a nation or kingdom tried to absorb their own countries with another neighboring country.

What many people see

What I see

The issues are deeper than they appear. Joseph Kabila, the President of DR Congo was born in the eastern region of Congo in a Swahili-speaking village of the Kibembe people near the Rwanda border. (Remember Swahili is spoken by a lot of people, its doesn't mean that all the people are the same. Similar to speaking English in the UK, but Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and England are all different people). He is friends with Dan Gertler. It makes it easy for him to have no problems for he and his friends to exploit the resources from other regions and the people within those regions.

Here is a map of the resources in DR Congo. They should be among the richest countries in the World but it is not.

 

[theworldismine13]

I get where you are coming from, but I think that nation building without the colonial lines should occur first, then we can do a pan-African union with African and Caribbean countries. That is why the EU is working. Do you know how many new countries have been formed in Europe in the last 20+ years?

Former Soviet Republics

1. Armenia
2. Azerbaijan
3. Belarus
4. Estonia
5. Georgia
6. Kazakhstan
7. Kyrgyzstan
8. Latvia
9. Lithuania
10. Moldova
11. Russia
12. Tajikistan
13. Turkmenistan
14. Ukraine
15. Uzbekistan

Former Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia dissolved in the early 1990s into five independent countries.

1. Bosnia and Herzegovina, February 29, 1992
2. Croatia, June 25, 1991
3. Macedonia (officially The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) declared independence on September 8, 1991 but wasn't recognized by the United Nations until 1993 and the United States and Russia in February of 1994
4. Serbia and Montenegro, (also known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia), April 17, 1992 (see below for separate Serbia and Montenegro entries)
5. Slovenia, June 25, 1991

Other New Countries

Thirteen other countries became independent through a variety of causes.

• October 3, 1990 - East Germany and West Germany merged to form a unified Germany after the fall of the Iron Curtain.
• January 1, 1993 - The Czech Republic and Slovakia became independent nations when Czechoslovakia dissolved
• June 3, 2006 - Montenegro was part of Serbia and Montenegro (also known as Yugoslavia) but gained independence after a referendum.
• June 5, 2006 - Serbia became its own entity after Montenegro split.
• February 17, 2008 - Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia.

Why do you think that Europe is so cool with creating countries among people from similar tribes and cultures? Its because they understand nation building and what it means to stability across the continent. It is also harder to exploit your own people, so it creates a better check and balance system between the people and the government.

Why are Africans so slow to understand this? Why do we continue to stay within these colonial boundaries?

Only three African countries were created or became independent in this time frame

1. Eritrea in 1993
2. Namibia from South Africa in 1990
3. South Sudan in 2011 and that country was only created to exploit the oil in the region and terminate the Chinese contracts with Sudan giving new opportunities to the West to secure contracts.

So small Europe is creating countries even with a few million people because its easier to govern and its create stability. Instead, Africans want to keep countries together as they are and are only creating more instability and poverty.

That's Iis an awful analysis, first of all to say that Europe is working is very few people believe that, the EU is a total mess and the EU is not responsible for any prosperity you see in Europe

secondly for most of history European countries have been killing each, it's only post WWII with the Russians and the Americans dominating that there was any type of peace in Europe, before that Europe has been in a constant state of war since roman times

Thirdly almost all these new nations are result of the break down of the ussr and they existed in one form or another before the soviet union so it wasn't that big of a deal when they became independent

so your analysis is all wrong, I agree that Africa needs to bring down its barriers so that people can trade amongst each other, but the principle of that is economic freedom and free trade

I think its good if african countries re arrange the colonial lines but i think its fine if they dont, that isnt the key, the key is free trade, however that is accomplished is good

 

[theworldismine13]

Most African leaders are simply pawns in the grand scheme of things. The true architects are white political elites globally and now China has joined that group. These articles are simply used to throw us off the real problems and the real game that is being played. The World Bank is controlled and ran by whites. Remember "World" . They manipulate a lot of whats going in Africa by taking in money stolen by African leaders and making money off the interest. think about Swiss Banks. Where does the money go when guys like Sani Abacha die? They provide countries billion dollar loans which goes to these African leaders and there friends and they are high interest as well. What do you think is being used as collateral? The African countries resources.

the purpose of this article isnt to throw anything off, this article is addressing a real problem of bad african leadership, by taking the victim route you are just trying to avoid the real problem

 

[Marvel]

That's I'd an awful analysis, first of all to say that Europe is working is very few people believe that, the EU is a total mess and the EU is not responsible for any prosperity you see in Europe

secondly for most of history Europeean countries have been killing each otherwise it's nothing, it's only post WWII with the Russians and the Americans dominating that there was any type of preace in Europe, befor that Europe has been in a constant state of war since roman times

Thirdly almost all these new nations are result of the break down of the ussr and they existed in one form or another before the soviet union so it wasn't that big of a deal when they became independent

so your analysis is all wrong, I agree that Africa needs to bring down its barriers so that people can trade amongst each other, but the principle of that is economic freedom and free trade

I think its good if african countries re arrange the colonial lines but i think its fine if they dont, that isnt the key, the key is free trade, however that is accomplished is good

Why didn't they just stay as big as they were and just simply form a democratic country without communism?

I am simply showing you the importance of having independent nations, for the people and by the people...not by colonialist, for colonialist. Because believe me when I say those tentacles from Europe are still there and they use division to get what they want.

If the EU and Europe is a mess, than what is Africa?

HELL

You have to crawl before you can walk and walk before you can run. I have been to Africa a dozen times and have family that live in Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa. I think I have a better understanding of what is going on than you do breh.