Page 83 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 14

Leadership

what have we really learnt? That we thing and keep their families ‘safe’. Or if we just coast along trying to
are intellectually capable? That we Our brain power and commod- profit from the corruption in their
can cheat their system and make ities, as a continent, are fueling system that is oozing to the surface?
some money, start a business and billion- and trillion-dollar industries Feeding off their putrid messes…?
exploit our own brothers and sisters across the world, but our continent And even if the west has chosen
by paying them peanuts in order to remains like a wilderness, neglected to cheat its way through business,
say we’re rich? I hope that’s not it. I by its own and pillaged by outsiders. trade, finance, education, govern-
hope, rather, that what we have real- We continue, through our govern- ment, health, nutrition and whatever
ized that in addition to them always ment policies, to ensure the survival else and to lie to its people and the
finding ways to make Afrikans look of the system that is designed to world. Even if the people of the
like the bad guys, that it’s time for us oppress us, by granting them easy west have chosen to imbibe the lies
to stop enabling them. We continue, access to our goods and our people and to fool themselves that they
through these essay mills, to ensure who work in their multinationals come from great nations and that
the survival of the system that is and international NGOs, selling the lies they have believed somehow
designed to oppress us through the and trading our secrets and cultural make them a people greater than
use of our brain power. Yet again, heritages for ‘a bowl of soup’. We Afrikans. Even if they choose to
the backs of the Afrikans are used continue trading the dignity of our bathe and wallow in the chaos of
– albeit unknowingly – to ensure communities, such as the Maasai, to the culture that they have created…
the success of the west and the east, be dancers and cultural representa- we who have peeked into their
with no real benefit for the Afrikan. tions that we use like bait to attract secret rooms, through vehicles such
We help graduate doctors, engi- tourists, so that we can end up with as these essay mills, other business-
neers, accountants, psychologists, the scraps from a table that we feed. es, non-governmental organiza-
sociologists etc. who go work for How does that make sense? tions, elections in Afrika, seeing our
the system that keeps us down, who governments manipulated. We who
go and endanger people – including Look at it this way, it is evident have been exposed to the mindset
ourselves – by brandishing qualifica- just from this story about the essay through conferences and workshops
tions they have no right to, that we writers that Afrikan intellect is and travel to their home countries…
gave them access to. superior in quality to what we have vehicles that have exposed us to
often been led to believe. It is also their reality… we who have looked
Yes, we have taken their money and evident that we possess the ability to behind the veil and seen the truth
earned something we may not have work hard and to navigate com- should not fool ourselves that such
had before, but at the same time, we plex environments and challenges. a structure can continue to stand,
are giving strength to their lies of What is stopping us from using or that following their chosen path
greatness and putting communities what we have learnt about ourselves gives life. The needless and mind-
in danger. We should stop that. For and the west for the benefit of the less pursuit of colossal amounts of
our own dignity’s sake. We know, continent of Afrika? The west has wealth that end up being hoarded
through all this, that their system is a grown on the basis of deceiving, by a selfish few in their societies,
fake, a fraud, a deception and not a stealing, killing and destroying. It’s with droplets sometimes falling on
standard that we should emulate. So, in their history books. Instead of the heads of those found suitable
let’s stop emulating it and support- Afrika continuing with them along to some form of gain… the secret
ing it. It’s bad enough losing sons this devilish path of devastation, we demonic agendas that the people
and daughters who go to study in must quickly choose our own path, who possess the power and author-
the west and end up remaining there having understood – from firsthand ity to direct their societies push on
and giving all the strength of their experience and quiet observation them and on us. What kind of thing
youth to that system, but to do it – that all that they have to offer us is that to copy?
from the continent as well and allow and the world is corruption and
them to get away with lying so that death. That is clearly not a model Let’s not be foolish. Neither let
we can make money is no different to use if we’re seeking a prosperous us lie to ourselves nor try to cheat
from the slave trade facilitators of and sustainable future. For it is evi- ourselves or the generations to
Afrika, or the home guards that dent in their societies that things are come out of a legacy that could be
Kenya had during colonialism who falling apart rapidly, therefore, what so much greater than the west’s and
oppressed the locals to please the do you think will happen to Afrika east’s versions of events.
white man, so they could earn some- if we copy everything that they do?

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