Page 25 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 16
P. 25
Economy
ployable young African Nigerians
and young African South Africans.
Therefore, instead of bragging and
mourning about the size of the gap
between those who benefit from the
economy and those who are ex-
ploited by it, we need to explore an
alternative economic model suitable
to the indigenous people of Africa.
However, it is important for South
Africa, instead of mourning, but to
begin to pay attention to Nigeria’s
economic ascendancy. There is more
to Nigeria than other unpalatable
things they are doing. They are well
known for having innovative and
entrepreneurial populations, a peo-
ple not averse to traveling outside
their country to explore and exploit
opportunities.
So, to be on top of the African the 60 percent of our population
continental economy, really is not currently outside or marginal to the
an issue, the issue must be that market. This shall achieve what any
umnotho ngumnotho ngabantu, i.e. market economy needs – a vastly
an economy must be fully inclusive increased domestic market.
and serve the citizens of the country
equally and fully. South African political parties are
The most urgent task facing us is now wrapping up their electioneer-
to spread development and indus- ing and campaigns, without saying
trialization to rural communities in anything about the plight of the
which the majority of our citizens rural-based African populations of
live, thus lessening the stress on our country, or a kind of a policy
urban areas, and increasing the shift towards rural economic devel-
welfare of everyone urban and rural. opment – so as to integrate the 2nd
We must establish, as Vilakazi (2011) economy into the 1st economy.
and Ayiteyyi (2005) argue, a `wall-
to-wall’ industrial foundation for the
total nation. Introducing the agricul-
tural revolution into every African
village community, and eliminating
malnutrition and nutrition-based
diseases, shall be measures that will
kick-start the development of the
national economy. Rural industries
should emerge in all provinces. By
so doing, we shall end the lop-sided
nature of our current economy.
Within the African idiom, we must
vastly increase our domestic market
by incorporating within the market
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