Breaking Free from Economic Slavery: The Future of Africa

“The independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked up to the total liberation of Africa”.—Dr. Kwame Nkrumah

Slavery and colonialism were only tools that were employed by the imperial west as a means to an end—economic exploitation. That is the main reason why once they were convinced that Africa’s political independence would not cut off their economic domination over the continent, they were too happy to cede. And, again, that is why even though all Africa is today liberated politically (or is it?), it is still economically very dependent on the west!

Deepening the economic woes of Africa further is the tendency of African countries themselves to maintain stronger ties with their former colonial masters to the neglect of their own neighbors. As a result, whilst the west is calculatedly bent on continuing to dominate Africa’s economy, individual African countries, under the misleading tutelage of same, continue to pursue knee-jerk economic policies and agendas in recluse, with no use than make them more subservient to the west.

For the future of Africa’s economy, then, there is the need for the younger generation to make a new paradigm shift. This shift is not motivated by the quest for political power which has manipulated as a means to distract people from the real issues, but by the quest for true economic emancipation through collaborative and synchronized efforts.

The basis is that, borrowing from the popular quote of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, The economic emancipation of one African country is meaningless unless it is linked up to the total economic liberation of Africa.

“Politrickcians” and their “Politricks”

Typically, the ordinary African was not power-hungry. He was satisfied so far as the royal house continued to provide the rightful king or chief, as dictated by centuries-old tradition. Hence, he never dreamt of becoming a king himself. Rather, he was happy to do hard work to provide for his family, nuclear and extended, while paying due tribute to the king and submitting to him and his council of elders. Thus under monarchy, the rightful heir was usually not in dispute. And it was very far-fetched for elders to trade insults in denigration of each other in public, let alone anyone abrasively showing disrespect to the king or any elder for that matter. All that has changed with democracy.

Even in the citadel of democracy itself, the USA, under the guise of freedom of speech, ordinary citizens can abuse the president and members of government anyhow and anywhere, even right in their faces to the extent of hurling shoes at a sitting president deemed to be the most powerful in the world! Very, very sad and depraved! Apart from that, politicians of opposing parties trade insults with each other and engage in all sorts of under-handed overt and covert practices to do-in their opponents. And today, that is what Africa is faced with.

African society is fast-deteriorating due to the misuse of freedom of speech. Respect for elders has diminished drastically to the lowest ebb ever. And the youth have become pawns in the hands of power-hungry, greedy politicians to manipulate to their own ends while they shield their own children and other immediate family members. Yet, these same politicians hypocritically stand on platforms to decry loss of morality and increasing youth engagement in social vices!

For the younger generation to really focus on what matters more, the best thing is to leave the “politrickcians” in their “politricks”. In other words, they should stop depending on the politician for their necessities and rather focus on building their own future for economic emancipation.

So why do African leaders still believe that the west and their allied institutions have their best interests at heart and would lead them to the Promised Land? How can Pharaoh suddenly become Moses?

Nigeria’s Example

Speaking to some of my Nigerian friends, one thing stands out: In Nigeria, you either take care of yourself or wallow in poverty and hopelessness. How is this demonstrated? If government fails to provide enough electricity, use generators; if government fails to provide water, sink own boreholes; if government is not paving the roads, do it and charge motorists for it—self-reliance, rather than dependency on government. What has been the result?

While comparatively the per capita income of Nigerians still leaves much to be desired, their economy, through a re-basing exercise overtook South Africa’s to become the largest in Africa! But who takes the credit for that feat? Well, as in other African countries, support for start-ups and industry is almost non-existent. Hence, ordinary Nigerians have concentrated their efforts on agriculture and the provision of services (40% and 30% contributors to GDP respectively). And no wonder that in the financial, telecommunications and entertainment sectors of Africa, they are a huge force to reckon with! I doff my hat to the hard-working and ingenious ordinary Nigerians! They deserve all the credit!

This African spirit of survival that ordinary Nigerians display is the economic future of Africa. And the younger generation of Africa should not allow that spirit to be dowsed by over–reliance on government, for that would only deepen the economic subservience of the African. Here is why.

Spineless Governments

Very likely, you are familiar with the Biblical account of the delivery of Israel from slavery in Egypt. When Pharaoh and his court officials realized that they had lost their slaves and there was no one to do their dirty jobs for them what did they do? They pursued the Israelites in order to bring them back into servitude!

Learning a lesson from that historical record, why should any African political leader delude themselves that the west would guide them to economic emancipation? Is it not absurd? The west have their game plan very well in place. If Africa should become economically independent what would happen to their industries and societies? For instance, in order to augment their workforce for the purpose of sustaining their economies, they are now, through clever schemes, seducing young and smart Africans in a subtle form of neo-slavery to bring their expertise and talents to build western economies. Could such schemes work if most of Africa became economically independent and prosperous? What about the natural resources such as gold, oil, diamond etc that Africa has in abundance and which they greedily pursue; would they still have economic control over them? So why do African leaders still believe that the west and their allied institutions have their best interests at heart and would lead them to the Promised Land? How can Pharaoh suddenly become Moses?

Today, the likes of Kwame Nkrumah, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Patrice Lumumba, to name but just a few—if these could come out of their graves to see the kind of economic policies being imposed on African leadership which they swallow hook, line and sinker because they reason that they have no other choice, would be woefully disappointed, to say the least! It is no secret that African governments have become puppets of the west! And if the younger generation thinks they can continue to believe in these leaders for economic freedom, then the future is doomed for eternity!

The Way Forward

Clearly, Africa’s future does not lie in the sold-out elite political leadership. For these can never do anything of their own accord that would salvage Africa economically since they have masters who dictate contrary policies to them. On the other hand, the ordinary African is free to experiment with any idea and work towards its realisation.

Hence, it is time for the young generation today to educate themselves beyond the western education they have received, form partnerships, and share ideas while becoming blind to national borders and collaborate to do credible business. There is power in numbers. And if this can be achieved, these would legitimately take charge of the economy of Africa and use their smartness and astuteness to emancipate themselves from economic slavery.

Didn’t Kwame Nkrumah say that “The black man is capable of managing his own affairs”? As a youth, do you believe in that, even though the current crop of Africa’s political elite have demonstrated otherwise? I do believe in it! And so if the political elite are saddled so much that they cannot shake themselves off the shackles of economic slavery, it takes the combined effort of you and I to liberate ourselves economically as the average Nigerian is doing. For, as someone put it, it is not your fault that you were born poor. But it will be your fault if you die poor.

When we collaborate to move forward, no one can stop us! Instead they will join us to work together as peers rather than slaves and slave masters! And maybe, when the politicos realize how woefully and shamefully they have failed, their eyes may be opened to how to emancipate themselves.

The author Jules Nartey-Tokoli is Founder and Group CEO at Groupe Soleil Vision, comprising Soleil Consults (US), LLC, NubianBiz.Com, ShopNubian.Com and Soleil Publications. He has lived and worked in both Ghana and the United States, having extensive experience in Strategy, Management, Entrepreneurship, Premium Audit Advisory and Web consulting. He has also published several articles on Strategy, Management, Corporate Governance, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Economics, e-Commerce, Information Technology (IT), Customer Service/Care, Sales, Marketing, Communication, Branding, Education, among others. 

Jules Nartey-Tokoli

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