Whenever the question of why Africa/Nigeria is behind the rest of the world, the usual answers we get is; "because our leaders are selfish and corrupt". But this doesn't sound like the ultimate answer because it failed to explain why selfishness and corruption is preventing only Africa from developing and excluding other continents. Some say its colonization, but that doesn't still sound reasonable because africa hasn't been colonized from day one. Therefore the reason I started this thread is to get contributions that can best explain why Africa is so much underdeveloped when compared to other continents.

Personally my own theory to explain the african situation boils down to what I will call the default culture. Each race has a default culture of their own; meaning the original culture they were created with. We ask ourselves why africans don't behave like europeans, but why don't we ask ourselves why africans don't behave like arabs, indians or asians? Each race came with a different established culture which is responsible for dictating how the the entire race fares in any aspect of life. These cultures are not genetic but acquired through learning and passed through generations. Therefore the difference in development between the white and black societies has nothing to do with superior intelligence. The reason why the white society is what it is today is due to the default culture they were created with which involves the zeal for exploration, innovation and adventure. The African default culture is different and lacks these three features. The African culture values tradition so much that they dont give room for changes, improvement and innovation. They wouldn't mind doing the same thing for 2000 years. Though africans are trying to copy the west, but the copying wouldn't work because the default culture is seriously clashing with the invading culture. All the races are equally intelligent. If they say africans have low IQ then it was conducted in a way that is not in favor of Africans considering the mass illiteracy everywhere. Africans can put a man in space, it is their default culture that stops them and not their brains.

This is my theory to explain the African situation. You may come up with yours or criticize mine.

This is a multifaceted question that gives me sleepless nights; I'm really sure that if we had a certain answer to this particular question we would all be millionaires by now. I cannot state to a certainty that all African nations share the same problems we have in Nigeria; however, there are some similarities to these problems. Here are my own theories:

1. The culture as you rightly stated above is one of the problems. The particular aspect of culture that I believe to a certain extent is a continuous bane to our development is the unquestionable respect we have for elders. While this is an admirable trait among we Africans, there is no doubt that it has resulted in the continuous plundering of the national treasury by the self-acclaimed elder statesmen. These men have never been challenged or held accountable by the youth of this country partly due to this particular trait.

2. I honestly cannot give a logical explanation for this, but I just can't shake the feeling that there is something inherently amiss with the black man. We as Africans pride ourselves on having a strong sense of community as opposed to the Europeans' individuality, yet we have no sense of commonality. Hence the simmering, and sometimes overt ethnocentrism that permeates our country. We have shown time and time again that we have the propensity to harm ourselves and brothers due to selfishness right for the time of the Atlantic slave trade to this current time(look at the current politicians all over sub-Saharan Africa).

3. The effects of colonialism still reverberates in Nigeria, and all around Africa. As much as I believe that we are our own greatest enemies and cause of most of our problems, the 'invisible' hands of the colonial masters cannot be dismissed lightly. We all know the saying that: "He who pays the piper, call the tune"; in the case of Africa, this is very true. We already know that our continent possesses vast resources and all, but we also know that we are in a very weak position against the West and if I might add, China. This weak position has put us in a situation whereby we cannot easily dismiss or go against their(powers that be) vested or potential interests in the continent, otherwise the results of doing so could be more devastating than they already are.

These are some of the reasons I believe that Africa is in a backward state.

Economic exploitation
Political unrest
Violence towards women
Poor national infrastructures
Lack of quality, accessible education for all
Lack of quality, accessible health care for all
Stunted technological advancement
Extreme instances of poverty and disease

Certainly different countries are experiencing different rates of growth and improvement in some areas over others, but these are the things I've noticed

I would never use the term "backward," because the "West" damn sure ain't forward...I would say that the continent is in a state of economic, political, and social warfare where most of the violence is experience by the poor.

Nothing could properly explain the backward states of Africa.

Amaka G29: Economic exploitation
Political unrest
Violence towards women
Poor national infrastructures
Lack of quality, accessible education for all
Lack of quality, accessible health care for all
Stunted technological advancement
Extreme instances of poverty and disease

Certainly different countries are experiencing different rates of growth and improvement in some areas over others, but these are the things I've noticed

I would never use the term "backward," because the "West" damn sure ain't forward...I would say that the continent is in a state of economic, political, and social warfare where most of the violence is experience by the poor.

They must all have a single root which is culture.

Ileke-IdI:
Nothing could properly explain the backward states of Africa.

There is something. You are simply shy and uncomfortable to find it cos its about the race you belong.

you all forget god.
conveniently.

I think on these matters we can learn from our past history. the slave traders were selling the future of our continent to obtain shiny pieces of metal, technology and alcohol from europeans. Are our leaders doing the same in their dealings with the west and China?
are we embracing the west at the expense of our birthright?

and whoever mentioned reverence for elderly as a backward thing. how then do you explain Asia's success. they are more respectful of elders than we are!
besides, most of the dictators in Africa assumed their positions in their 20s and 30s claiming they were youths bringing change. of course they became power drunk and have grown old in those positions of power.
I'm sorry but I don't think respect for elderly explains any backwardness. In fact, we need the respect to keep our society in order. The average age in most places in Africa is 19yrs!!!! Europe and western world on the other hand, the average age is 45!!! (country-data.com) they have the advantage of maturity and a plethora of elderly folks that can be taken for granted. we don't have elders in abundance like westerners do.

simple facts like these are some of the basis for our cultural reasoning and practices. and part of what destroyed us was that we incorporated many western practices when they did not fit into the framework of our societal structure.

the cultural destruction is still taking place as we speak.

c.fours:
I think on these matters we can learn from our past history. the slave traders were selling the future of our continent to obtain shiny pieces of metal, technology and alcohol from europeans. Are our leaders doing the same in their dealings with the west and China?
are we embracing the west at the expense of selling our birthright?

and whoever mentioned reverence for elderly as a backward thing. how then do you explain Asia's success. they are more respectful of elders than we are!
besides, most of the dictators in Africa assumed their positions in their 20s and 30s claiming they were youths bringing change. of course they became power drunk and have grown old in those positions of power.
I'm sorry but I don't think respect for elderly explains any backwardness. In fact, we need the respect to keep our society in order. The average age in most places in Africa is 19yrs!!!! Europe and western world on the other hand, the average age is 45!!! (country-data.com) they have the advantage of maturity and a plethora of elderly folks that can be taken for granted. [/b]we don't have elders in abundance like westerners do.

simple facts like these are some of the basis for our cultural reasoning and practices. and part of what destroyed us was that we incorporated many western practices when they did not fit into the framework of our societal structure.

[b]the cultural destruction is still taking place as we speak.

The root cause of Africa problem could be traced to the type of institutions left behind by the colonial masters. In case of Nigeria, the British empire laid a foundation of weak institutions before independence. The African problem is also similar to that of Latin America where it is believed that Latin American countries are lagging behind N.A ( USA ) because of poor or bad institution left behind by the Spanish crown.

^^Africans were and still are responsible.
Stop blaming outsiders.

One key reason (don't know about theory) is the lumping of incongruous groups/ethnicities together (with nothing in common but the colour of their skin) just for administrative convenience; following on from this is the African elite/ruling class the departing colonial masters handed over to, wanting to continue the status-quo for selfish/tribal reasons. Nationalists like Nkrumah, Zik and Kenyatta were more idealists than pragmatists and believed they could build and mould their new 'Nations' into a workable entity regardless of obvious imperfections and a faulty foundation. Though some Nations like Ghana seem to be getting away with it, others like Nigeria aren't so lucky. What needs to happen (as in the case of Rwanda) is for everyone to get their heads out of the sand and discuss their unique problems and finally reach an all-inclusive solution acceptable to all.

MsDarkSkin: ^^Africans were and still are responsible.
Stop blaming outsiders.

Please go back to the romance section where your mates are playing.I don't engage your type in political discourse.

PROUD-IGBO:
One key reason (don't know about theory) is the lumping of incongruous groups/ethnicities together (with nothing in common but the colour of their skin) just for administrative convenience; following on from this is the African elite/ruling class the departing colonial masters handed over to, wanting to continue the status-quo for selfish/tribal reasons. Nationalists like Nkrumah, Zik and Kenyatta were more idealists than pragmatists and believed they could build and mould their new 'Nations' into a workable entity regardless of obvious imperfections and a faulty foundation. Though some Nations like Ghana seem to be getting away with it, others like Nigeria aren't so lucky. What needs to happen (as in the case of Rwanda) is for everyone to get their heads out of the sand and discuss their unique problems and finally reach an all-inclusive solution acceptable to all.

You are right. . . The puzzle has always been how to rectify the problems in the institutions which African countries like Nigeria inherited from the British empire.

The African is the Africans worst problem.

There is [b]nothing [/b]intrinsically wrong with us, aside from the fact that we have failed miserably to deal with the twin trauma's of colonisation and the slave trade. Therefore, the average African exhibits a distinct lack of self belief, is clannish/bigoted, weak willed, quick to point fingers, loudmouthed, over-dressed etc. These factor all combine in a way that appears to give the African a lower IQ than the Global average.

We do not have a lower IQ; rather, we have a continent in emotional turmoil and a population plagued by a continent wide low self-esteem.

The reasons Africa has been unable to overcome the trauma's of the slave trade and colonisation is simple to figure out. The most powerful families who make up the upper echelons of the political classes across the continent were direct beneficiaries of the twin evils. They either took part in the slave trade or sold out to the colonial powers.
With these people continously recycled in the continents politics, there is little hope for rebirth. Traitors and the wicked cannot lead a rebirth, nor can they heal the trauma they are a part of. Congo that saw the worst violence (with 10 - 12 million massacred) will continue to be at war and to regress into the abyss.
As long as those families remain in power, they will block rebirth. And any they allow to rise to their stratospheric level will be beasts of their breed who will not rock the boat.

One example that stands out like a beacon to most of Africa is Ghana. That is one country that has successfully come to terms with its past as a slave center. It has apologised to Africans in the diaspora and offered free land and resettlement schemes; it has also undegone all sorts of traditional cleansing. All of these things impinge on the national psyche and have propelled Ghana forward on the democratic and developmental scales.
It is easy to bet that Ghana will become the first developed W. African state.

In comparison, Nigeria has places reknowned for slavery like Badagry, Brass, Arochukwu etc, but we do not give a damn. We have the same old ruling families running our lives, but its business as usual. Is it any surprise that the average Nigerian has no value for the happiness of their neighbour? No nation with such an appalling society can ever develop.

Beaf: The African is the Africans worst problem.

There is [b]nothing [/b]intrinsically wrong with us, aside from the fact that we have failed miserably to deal with the twin trauma's of colonisation and the slave trade. Therefore, the average African exhibits a distinct lack of self belief, is clannish/bigoted, weak willed, quick to point fingers, loudmouthed, over-dressed etc. These factor all combine in a way that appears to give the African a lower IQ than the Global average.

We do not have a lower IQ; rather, we have a continent in emotional turmoil and a population plagued by a continent wide low self-esteem.

The reasons Africa has been unable to overcome the trauma's of the slave trade and colonisation is simple to figure out. The most powerful families who make up the upper echelons of the political classes across the continent were direct beneficiaries of the twin evils. They either took part in the slave trade or sold out to the colonial powers.
With these people continously recycled in the continents politics, there is little hope for rebirth. Traitors and the wicked cannot lead a rebirth, nor can they heal the trauma they are a part of. Congo that saw the worst violence (with 10 - 12 million massacred) will continue to be at war and to regress into the abyss.
As long as those families remain in power, they will block rebirth. And any they allow to rise to their stratospheric level will be beasts of their breed who will not rock the boat.

One example that stands out like a beacon to most of Africa is Ghana. That is one country that has successfully come to terms with its past as a slave center. It has apologised to Africans in the diaspora and offered free land and resettlement schemes; it has also undegone all sorts of traditional cleansing. All of these things impinge on the national psyche and have propelled Ghana forward on the democracy and developmental scales.
It is easy to bet that Ghana will become the first developed W. African state.

In comparison, Nigeria has places reknowned for slavery like Badagry, Brass, Arochukwu etc, but we do not give a damn. We have the same old ruling families running our lives, but its business as usual. Is it any surprise that the average Nigerian has no value for the happiness of their neighbour? No nation with such an appalling society can ever develop.

Beaf a la Egon mi razist is alive!!!!!!!

Metalgoong:

Please go back to the romance section where your mates are playing.I don't engage your type in political discourse.

^^This is the type of "mugury" I am talking about. I blame your IQ level.
You have nothing intelligent to say so you resort to childishness.
No wonder things are the way they are...

Continue to blame the British for something that began long before they reached African shores.
Shows how little you know about History much less African history.

I'll sure as hell return to "my section" as soon as you read "History for REAL dummies"
and thereafter jump off a cliff. Ode oshi.

MsDarkSkin:

^^This is the type of "mugury" I am talking about. I blame your IQ level.
You have nothing intelligent to say so you resort to childishness.
No wonder things are the way they are...

Continue to blame the British for something that began long before they reached African shores.
Shows how little you know about History much less African history.

I'll sure as hell return to "my section" as soon as you read "History for REAL dummies"
and thereafter jump off a cliff. Ode oshi.

You're definitely not Jamaican - more like JAFRICAN!!

Everything wrong with Nigeria was planted by the British, and they still pull the strings - that's the "REAL HISTORY FOR DUMMIES", Jafrican.

MsDarkSkin:

^^This is the type of "mugury" I am talking about. I blame your IQ level.
You have nothing intelligent to say so you resort to childishness.
No wonder things are they way they are...

Continue to blame the British for something that began long before they reached African shores.
Shows how little you know about History much less African history.

I'll sure as hell return to "my section" as soon as you read "History for REAL dummies"
and thereafter jump off a cliff. Ode oshi.

Sorry girl, I don't engage your type in any intellectual discourse. It might be painful, but that's the reality. Next!!

shymmex:

You're definitely not Jamaican - more like JAFRICAN!!

Everything wrong with Nigeria was planted by the British, and they still pull the strings - that's the "REAL HISTORY FOR DUMMIES", Jafrican.

LOL for the LAST TIME!!
I am Jamaican and Black American...I have no African parentage or direct roots!!

And correction: Arabs and The Portuguese were the first to make that voyage to African continent.
It was Africans who willingly accepted and negotiated with these people, but not before committing atrocities
to their own kind before inviting outsiders to "join in".

What many people fail to realize is, it's different people but the same mentalities. The only thing that has changed
is modernization but the same failures and mistakes are being made across the continent in this day. Now that it is known how can Africans move forward without playing the "blame game"?

Metalgoong:

Sorry girl, I don't engage your type in any intellectual discourse. It might be painful, but that's the reality. Next!!

I am not your child.
Mind who you are calling "girl".

If you want to call a grown woman "girl", I suggest you save that for the one that pissed you out.
Disrespectful oloshi.

Blackteeth: Whenever the question of why Africa/Nigeria is behind the rest of the world, the usual answers we get is; "because our leaders are selfish and corrupt". But this doesn't sound like the ultimate answer because it failed to explain why selfishness and corruption is preventing only Africa from developing and excluding other continents. Some say its colonization, but that doesn't still sound reasonable because africa hasn't been colonized from day one. Therefore the reason I started this thread is to get contributions that can best explain why Africa is so much underdeveloped when compared to other continents.

Personally my own theory to explain the african situation boils down to what I will call the default culture. Each race has a default culture of their own; meaning the original culture they were created with. We ask ourselves why africans don't behave like europeans, but why don't we ask ourselves why africans don't behave like arabs, indians or asians? Each race came with a different established culture which is responsible for dictating how the the entire race fares in any aspect of life. These cultures are not genetic but acquired through learning and passed through generations. Therefore the difference in development between the white and black societies has nothing to do with superior intelligence. The reason why the white society is what it is today is due to the default culture they were created with which involves the zeal for exploration, innovation and adventure. The African default culture is different and lacks these three features. The African culture values tradition so much that they dont give room for changes, improvement and innovation. They wouldn't mind doing the same thing for 2000 years. Though africans are trying to copy the west, but the copying wouldn't work because the default culture is seriously clashing with the invading culture. All the races are equally intelligent. If they say africans have low IQ then it was conducted in a way that is not in favor of Africans considering the mass illiteracy everywhere. Africans can put a man in space, it is their default culture that stops them and not their brains.

This is my theory to explain the African situation. You may come up with yours or criticize mine.

There is nothing like a "default culture." The only place where the Black person is a failure, is Africa; several countries in the Caribbean are either developed or on their way there; Africans in Europe and the US are demographically better educated and their 2nd generations earn more on average than local white populations.
We simply have not come to terms with the destructiveness of the slave trade and colonisation; the traitors amongst us that fuelled these evils for their own agrandisment still rule over us as lords and kingmakers. What we need are truth commissions to devulge culpability and bring shame on those who took part in the oppression. Without thorough introspection, we will not see a healing of the continent wide trauma that bedevils us; rather the African population will continue to wallow in a murky soup of low self-esteem, we will continue wring our fingers in helplessness at the truths we imagine can be swept under the carpet.

These are a few things made by Nigerians of the past. Surely, these things were not made by people with a weak "default culture," indeed, at the time the white man first set foot in Benin, they were stunned that it was possible to cast copper, and not just cast copper, but cast it to such thinness (up till today, casting copper is nearly impossible http://www.keytometals.com/Article64.htm).
Obviously, the answer lies in what we wish to sweep under the carpet.


Igbo-Ukwu bronze


Benin bronze

[img]http://blogs.ls.wisc.edu/lsnews/resource/Drewal.JPG[/img]
Ife bronze

I agree with you OP, but why our culture seems stagnant and not progressive is because as a people, (sub-Saharan Africans) never developed a form of writing and as such knowledge was handed down by word of mouth and with this situation the oldest citizens automatically became the custodian of knowledge. But there is a general problem associated with old people worldwide which is, they are generally nostalgic and are less prone to seeing or making changes. This in my opinion led to the near static nature of our societies, cultures and traditions. The west has a vibrant culture that continues to redefine and reassert itself over others especially over that of our African system. Even today, young, educated and exposed Africans subject themselves to certain cultural rituals, beliefs and ways not as a pragmatic option but just like our fore-bearers, in the quest for nostalgia and identity quest.

MsDarkSkin:

LOL for the LAST TIME!!
I am Jamaican and Black American...I have no African parentage or direct roots!!

And correction: Arabs and The Portuguese were the first to make that voyage to African continent.
It was Africans who willingly accepted and negotiated with these people, but not before committing atrocities
to their own kind before inviting outsiders to "join in".

What many people fail to realize is, it's different people but the same mentalities. The only thing that has changed
is modernization but the same failures and mistakes are being made across the continent in this day. Now that it is known how can Africans move forward without playing the "blame game"?

You're 'Jamaican' and 'African American' - yet you speak Yoruba and pidgin better than I do, huh??

And I'm not talking about slavery - that's for the people with slave origin to deal with, my point was about colonization - and how Brussels still controls Africa... It's not about the blame game, it's about what's happening... If they don't exert some form of control, how come they care about us so much?? And they're always quick to bad mouth any African leader who doesn't embrace their neo-con policies..

The problem with Africa is a two headed dragon - stooges a la extremely corrupt leaders, and neo-cons in Brussels and Washington.. It goes both ways, and you can't rid Africa off its problems without cutting off the two heads on the dragon...

This isn't about the blame game - it's about the reality.. Open your third eye, Mrs. Jafrica Jamaica

Culture and language.
Like the tower of Babel where men were cursed to speak various languages and hence could not complete the tower. So is the African.

Makes me laugh in the face of Pan-Africanism.

shymmex:

You're 'Jamaican' and 'African American' - yet you speak Yoruba and pidgin better than I do, huh??

And I'm not talking about slavery - that's for the people with slave origin to deal with, my point was about colonization - and how Brussels still controls Africa... It's not about the blame game, it's about what's happening... If they don't exert some form of control, how come they care about us so much?? And they're always quick to bad mouth any African leader who doesn't embrace their neo-con policies..

The problem with Africa is a two headed dragon - stooges a la extremely corrupt leaders, and neo-cons in Brussels and Washington.. It goes both ways, and you can't rid Africa off its problems without cutting off the two heads on the dragon...

This isn't about the blame game - it's about the reality.. Open your third eye, Mrs. Jafrica Jamaica

They control only societies that have sold out and offered themselves up to be controlled.
Again, it boils down to an endemic, continent wide plague of low self-esteem.

The African is a willing slave to the traps he set in the past.

shymmex:

You're 'Jamaican' and 'African American' - yet you speak Yoruba and pidgin better than I do, huh??

And I'm not talking about slavery - that's for the people with slave origin to deal with, my point was about colonization - and how Brussels still controls Africa... It's not about the blame game, it's about what's happening... If they don't exert some form of control, how come they care about us so much?? And they're always quick to bad mouth any African leader who doesn't embrace their neo-con policies..

The problem with Africa is a two headed dragon - stooges a la extremely corrupt leaders, and neo-cons in Brussels and Washington.. It goes both ways, and you can't rid Africa off its problems without cutting off the two heads on the dragon...

This isn't about the blame game - it's about the reality.. Open your third eye, Mrs. Jafrica Jamaica

Nah. The reality is by the time the British got involved in the trade, Africa was already carved and divided among Europeans unbeknownst to the Kings/Chiefs who THOUGHT they called the shots. This is because their forefathers had forsaken them.

The division among tribes and the lack of understanding that "united they stand, divided they fall" would have been the best chance against the "invaders" is what plagues Africa to this day. For example there was historical documentation that showed one Cameroonian Chief sold 20 of his strongest men and women for a blasted mirror. A MIRROR!! How is that different from the "blood diamond" massacres of Sierra Leone of the 20th-21st century?

"[b]D[/b]ivide and conquer" has the potential to kill any sort of African progress faster than any plague could. Africans made this far too easy and still do. In fact it's accepted! This is why some Africans scuff at the idea of "Pan Africanism" because not even they have faith that the continent can and only will rise if African people/leaders could wise up and come to some sort of consensus. It's not impossible to get passed this. In fact with the powers that be looking eastward, Africa is in a good position to start learning from her mistakes. But some folks don't and won't hear me.

Some folks will read this, continue to blame "whitey" and then go on a 'Igbo vs. Yoruba vs. Hausa' tirade on another thread by the end of the night. SMH.

Black people all over the world are too comfortable with failure...that is our problem. And we will shoot down (literally) anyone who tries to get us from our low positions.

Beaf:

They control only societies that have sold out and offered themselves up to be controlled.
Again, it boils down to an endemicm continent wide plague of low self-esteem.

The African is a willing slave to the traps he set in the past.

That is ALL I am saying. Thank you.

c.fours:
I think on these matters we can learn from our past history. the slave traders were selling the future of our continent to obtain shiny pieces of metal, technology and alcohol from europeans. Are our leaders doing the same in their dealings with the west and China?
are we embracing the west at the expense of selling our birthright?

and whoever mentioned reverence for elderly as a backward thing. how then do you explain Asia's success. they are more respectful of elders than we are!
besides, most of the dictators in Africa assumed their positions in their 20s and 30s claiming they were youths bringing change. of course they became power drunk and have grown old in those positions of power.
I'm sorry but I don't think respect for elderly explains any backwardness. In fact, we need the respect to keep our society in order. The average age in most places in Africa is 19yrs!!!! Europe and western world on the other hand, the average age is 45!!! (country-data.com) they have the advantage of maturity and a plethora of elderly folks that can be taken for granted. we don't have elders in abundance like westerners do.

simple facts like these are some of the basis for our cultural reasoning and practices. and part of what destroyed us was that we incorporated many western practices when they did not fit into the framework of our societal structure.

the cultural destruction is still taking place as we speak.

Slave trade happened on all continents. In Europe, Asia, you name it. Europeans sold their own into slavery as well. So I don't think that theory in anyway explains the backwardness in Africa today.

BlackBaron: Culture and language.
Like the tower of Babel were men were cursed to speak various languages and hence could not complete the tower. So is the African.

Makes me laugh when people talk about Pan-Africanism.

I also disagree with the idea that the reason for the backwardness we see today in Africa is due to the many languages in Africa.

Beaf:
They control only societies that have sold out and offered themselves up to be controlled.
Again, it boils down to an endemic, continent wide plague of low self-esteem.

The African is a willing slave to the traps he set in the past.

Did you see what happened to Gadaffi, and how Mugabe went from a darling in the West - to a villain?

IBB who single-handedly destroy Nigeria was also a darling in the West...

Africans are responsible for their problems - but Brussels and Washington pull the strings... The world politricks is a chess game, the more you look - the less you see.. Everything isn't just black or white!

MsDarkSkin:
[s]
Nah. The reality is by the time the British got involved in the trade, Africa was already carved and divided among Europeans unbeknownst to the Kings/Chiefs who THOUGHT they called the shots. This is because their forefathers had forsaken them.

The division among tribes and the lack of understanding that "united they stand, divided they fall" would have been the best chance against the "invaders" is what plagues Africa to this day. For example there was historical documentation that showed one Cameroonian Chief sold 20 of his strongest men and women for a blasted mirror. A MIRROR!! How is that different from the "blood diamond" massacres of Sierra Leone of the 20th-21st century?

"[b]D[/b]ivide and conquer" has the potential to kill any sort of African progress faster than any plague could. Africans made this far too easy and still do. In fact it's accepted! This is why some Africans scuff at the idea of "Pan Africanism" because not even they have faith that the continent can and only will rise if African people/leaders could wise up and come to some sort of consensus. It's not impossible to get passed this. In fact with the powers that be looking eastward, Africa is in a good position to start learning from her mistakes. But some folks don't and won't hear me.

Some folks will read this, continue to blame "whitey" and then go on a 'Igbo vs. Yoruba vs. Hausa' tirade on another thread by the end of the night. SMH.

Black people all over the world are too comfortable with failure...that is our problem. And we will shoot down (literally) anyone who tries to get us from our low positions.

[/s]

The slave trade is non of my business - and I don't care about it... I'm talking about the control, Brussels, and Washington exerts over the policies in Africa... Yes, our leaders are utterly corrupt - but they're stooges...

Africa as far as I'm concerned is still under indirect colonization... The coup in Mali, and Guinea Bissau should be enough to prove people like you wrong... When the Malian coup took place - everything after the coup was under the supervision of France... Decisions were taken in Paris!

The same for Guinea Bissau - Portugal acted as the surrogate dad..

^
But the soldiers that carried out the Mali and Guinea Bissau coups were not French. Rather, they are willing sellouts who are as African as you and I.
No country can be controlled by foreigners without willing indigenous collaborators who eyes shine only for a blood stained nickel. Foreigners only take advantage of the divisions and lack of love in the "family."