NATION IN VIEW: BURUNDI
The Power to Grow
Within every seed is a tree and within every tree is the power to bear fruits abundantly and to regenerate more fruits and seeds for many generations to come. As it is true with every tree, so it is true with every African. Within each African, both home and abroad, is the power to grow and produce beyond what the world expects of Africans.
No one alive is without the ability to rise beyond every limitation that they face. Same way, no nation in the world, especially in Africa is without the intellectual abilities, and natural and human resources needed to raise their heads above the waters of limitation and degradation.
As Africans, we are not short of Western and European ideologies that constantly create narratives about ‘backward and poverty-stricken’ African nations. We hear it every day, so it’s a stale story whose demise is long overdue. Even some of our own intellectually lazy and morally deficient African leaders join the derogatory remarks and talk against their own people. It’s like they keep giving meaning to the African proverb that says “when the hyena wants to eat its own babies, it will accuse them of smelling like food”. And this trend we have seen in the way they prey on the resources of their people while going to foreign nations to beg for money.
But this faulty thinking of some of our leaders and the foreign narratives that fuels this foolishness is not what this article is about. This article is about the power within each one to rise above the various limitations that have created a lame-duck idea about our beautiful African people.
I believe it’s enough with the negativity that African nations have been painted with. But like always, we cannot expect the people who created the narrative for their own selfish interests to come and undo it. They will never do that. Instead, the onus falls on every African to shift the narrative from that of poverty to that of wealth; from the narrative of laziness to that of strength, from shame to majesty, and from backwardness to innovative thinking that puts the interests of the African people first.
Subliminal manipulation
Have you ever found yourself in a space where you suddenly realized that there is something you strongly believe to be true but you can’t point to one single event that created that belief or why you never for once thought of questioning the belief? Let me share a short story to elaborate on what I am driving at.
I was having a dining table conversation with my wife’s cousin about how things are going in Africa. I think we began the conversation with the question of why is it so expensive for Africans to travel within Africa than it is for them to travel to other countries outside Africa. We also talked about why is there a need for a flight from an African country to go out of the continent first before entering the destination on the other side of the continent. It was just some random conversation about the weirdness going on within Africa.
At some point, I asked her if she had traveled to any African countries. She mentioned a few African countries she has visited. Then I asked if she had visited Nigeria and her response became a new topic for our conversation.
She said traveling to Nigeria is so difficult and besides getting a visa is hard. I looked at her and asked how did she know if she had never been there. She said she just thought it was hard. I went further to ask her if she had ever called the Nigerian High Commission in Nairobi to ask about traveling to Nigeria or even make an inquiry about Nigerian visas for Kenyans. She said no. My last question to her was, how did you know going to Nigeria is difficult and visa hard to get?
It was then it dawned on her that she had no single reason for her belief. You could see the huge surprise on her face and we both started laughing. I remember her saying to herself “Oh my! Where did I get this notion about traveling to Nigeria from?”
Her question right there is what every African needs to ask right now. What do I mean?
The power to grow lies within the ability to question every single narrative and ideology that we have believed even without any indication of how the belief started. We must question how we come to believe that Africa is poor while at the same time the Chinese, the Americans, the Russians, and a host of others are raking money out of Africa in droves, while our African youths are killing themselves trying to run to those countries.
Burundi
But how does all that I have said relate to Burundi?
Do you know Burundi in the world media is ranked as one of the poorest nations of the world? And I am very sure there are Africans who believed this nonsense without ever asking the question of whether Burundi is really poor.
Let me share a few facts about Burundi with you.
Facts about Burundi
Burundi, a small landlocked country in East Africa, is located next to Lake Tanganyika and shares borders with Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is characterized by its green hills and lush vegetation, home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Burundi’s economy is primarily based on agriculture, with the cultivation of coffee, tea, corn and beans as the main crops.
The country is home to numerous endemic species, contributing to the global ecological balance. These natural resources carry immense potential for sustainable development and ecotourism, presenting exciting opportunities for the country.
Mineral Wealth
Burundi is rich in mineral resources such as nickel, uranium, rare earth elements, and gold. The country has vast reserves of these minerals that are yet to be fully exploited.
Agricultural Potential
With its fertile lands, Burundi offers extensive opportunities for agriculture. The rich soil provides the perfect conditions for growing a variety of crops, including coffee, tea, maize, bananas, and beans. However, despite its agricultural potential, Burundi faces various challenges in taking full advantage of these opportunities. Limited access to modern farming techniques, inadequate infrastructure, and unstable political conditions hinder the sector’s progress.
Renewable Energy Sources
Burundi boasts considerable potential in renewable energy sources. The country’s hydropower potential remains largely untapped. Exploration of other sustainable energy sources is also underway.
Technically speaking and with its rich natural resources, Burundi has the opportunity to significantly enhance its energy security and create wealth for her people.
It beats my wildest imagination that a country like Burundi with all the goodness found on its land is considered poor and that her people are living below the poverty line. This needs to change. But this change can only begin with making the right choices and deciding that enough is enough of living below potential.
Prayer for Burundi
Nothing should stop a people that are blessed from manifesting their blessing. I pray for you Burundi that whatever has become a limitation to your growth be removed and that you rise to your full potential.
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