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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