Over the weekend, I heard these words spoken by Dr Pat Francis, a revered humanitarian based in Canada, “Poverty is systemic and it starts with the government. Where Africa is concerned, it started with slavery right up to colonialism.” If you will allow me, I would like to add, today, that systemic poverty is in the form of aid and a group of incompetent, impotent and infertile governments. There is aid which one cannot refuse because you know you need the help. I am not against aid in times of natural disasters but the continuous dependence of a sovereign nation on aid from her ‘supposedly big brother,’ who then dictates what she can and cannot do, is a bondage. Listening to Richard Maponya, tell Robyn Curnow his story reminded me of the fundamental reason why we must say ‘No’ to a perpetual state of poverty in Africa. Africa is not poor but we have poor leaders who are downright backward and cannot negotiate good deals for the people. Instead, they sell the nation off for the crumbs given to the by the world Bank and IMF, when the the truth is, the case should be the reverse. We have enough resources to feed the world. The Richest continent in the world is also the poorest. Ain’t that something!
Africa, it is time to make a political statement with your wealth, wake up!
Africa must do things differently, in other words, do the unexpected.
