My love for Africa is a new found one. I explored her, went through her mountains, hills, rivers and valleys… She is so beautiful and I wonder what continent would ever stand this new found beauty I see. As I explored still, I saw war! A war of 2 strong men over beautiful Africa.
“Africa is crucial to the development and rise of China and they wouldn’t lose it for anything to the United States, so the United States must fight hard” – Zain Aisha (CNN News Center – 02/07/2013)
A war is brewing. The President of the United States -President Barrack Obama -led a troop to invade Africa at a cost put between $60 million and $100 million and visited all the places that matter to exploit for United States interest.
President Obama is not here for Africa, he is here for what America can gain from Africa – Omojuwa
Where he couldn’t visit, he made sure they got the biscuits he brought. For 7 crucial nations of American interests, a $7bn pledge to Power Africawas made, which over time will have a very significant ‘Return of Investment’(ROI) in terms of Government favors and license to skim these nations of her ignored wealth.
Remember, America is no Fool!
In my perspective, the developed world is failing to keep up with her complexities and advancements, I don’t mean in structures and politics but in economics, growth and sustenance, they need more to keep up. The developed world have built a strong mind control of their national brands to make Africans believe that they are so full and spilling and that they are here to help wholeheartedly.
But who will blame them? We were all born like that, just that some have chosen to be smarter than some. World politics is like the human world with some smarter and some just hugging ignorance and fully dependent on the strength of the smart.
“Africa is rich, but its people are poor”, “Have no illusions as to why China is so active in Africa – we would do the same to promote our own interests. There is a serious leadership deficit in Africa – Oby Ezekwesili
So what can we citizens do? We don’t look like stopping China. We don’t look like stopping the EU. We don’t look like stopping the United States, but we can act in Africa’s interest by reading Africa, breathing Africa, teaching Africa, thinking Africa and acting Africa.We can saturate the atmosphere with our well informed perspectives, interests, love and our want-to-be input in the emerging Africa, by this way we become stakeholders of the emerging Africa!
Trust me, our voices together can be louder than you think it is. If you doubt me, ask Edward Snowden (The NSA whistleblower), because the NSA might just be on your write-ups, your contactdetails and the influence of yourwrite-ups in shaping public opinions. If you still doubt me, ask the Nigerian Presidential spokesmen, ask the Turkish prime minister, ask ousted President Mubarak of Egypt, ask our Nigerian Governors, ask and ask and ask… they hear us so well.
But what we need to show is competence; we need to be informed, analytical and constructive. We must always press our leaders to trade in our best interests. We must consistently press our leaders to weigh every offer for help if it’s to our long term interest. We don’t need short term fixes but long-term mutual partnerships. We need to press for policies that will make us stand strong; we need to press for transparent systems of governance no matter the costs. We must press for internal trade amongst ourselves; we must break barriers of trade that stops us. We must press for this!
We must be alive to our responsibilities as Nigeria is a home and Africa is the compound. No matter the struggle for peace in your home, you need a peaceful compound. Your neighbor’s homes are as important as your home in times of war. We must stay united to guide this compound. We must stay strong, we must look strong. When we do, biscuits wouldn’t get us dancing. That’s when you are respected and given a respected bargain.
We live in a world of no freebies. We need to wake up to our responsibility as citizens. We need to press and stand up for beautiful Africa, we own her, we musn’t break her heart.
The President of the Africa Development Bank said in his speech in Tokyo on the 5th of June 2013, He said and I quote…
Africa – with her one billion people, her young and growing population, and her expanding middle class – can only be a force for good. There are obstacles to overcome along the way, some of which – like infrastructure – provide an opportunity for investment. The world at this time needs new, diversified sources of growth. A resurgent Africa offers that opportunity for all,
I want to ask… Opportunity for all at what cost? Investment at what expense? Is it just growth in terms of figures? Or development in terms of the average African life?
We must resolve to clearly make them know we aren’t up for grabs but up for meaningful trade and these would be only communicated by our engagements and not just by words.
Every reader in Africa and beyond should resolve and say…
Africa! I will fight as much as I can. I wouldn’t watch them unfairly exchange your wealth for our self-inflicted lack. I will do something,I will engage, I will take a stake, I will build leverage… I love you so much Africa and wouldn’t break your heart for any morsel of meal.
I LOVE YOU BEAUTIFULAFRICA!
Haastrup Steven is the Executive Director of Startup Nigeria; He is a freelance writer, Impact public speaker and a lover of God. He is a fan of technology and its influence over our lives and the society.
Follow me today on twitter @StevenHaastrup
Email: haastrupsteven@gmail.com
