Hello. I saw this over the net and decided to share it here. Africa's Top 10 Problems...

1. The Poverty Porn
Humanitarian organization like UNICEF, Doctors without Borders, and alike have done more damage to Africa than the marginal positive impact they supposedly have had.
In order to raise money for their operations, they have engaged into a “poverty porn” depicting Africa with the most degrading, and humiliating images. African people dignity is not something they cared about. The huge billboard and magazines photos showing Africa at its worst now fill the mind of billions of people around the world, and unfortunately those people can’t help but think about Africa only trough those images. (In the same time, those medias won’t show the photo of a dead American or English soldier, because it’s shocking and doesn’t respect human dignity)
Underwear-for-africa
The worst consequence of this “free publicity” is the way it has deeply impacted Africans self-perception and self-image.
For example, It’s common in France for African immigrants who are having problems with their teenagers to threat them “If you’ll continue to behave that way, you’ll be sent back to Africa”, meaning “We will send you to the hell you have seen on TV or in the Newspaper”.
The “Poverty porn” of the NGOs, the humanitarian organizations, and Western medias is the problem number one because it sabotages Africans self-image, weakens their sell-confidence and resolve, andcontributed hugely to the hate and racism Africans face all over the world.
Swedish minister in ‘racist cake’
2. International Aid
If foreign aid would develop any place, Africa will be the most developed continent in the world.
International AID is now doing more harm to Africathan good. It became the main tool used by foreign governments and organizations to corrupt the African elite, and get them to behave so irrationally toward their own populations and the basic interest of their countries.
Aside corruption and the criminality, International Aid is the root of the 5 Stars colonization disease that cripple the African elite which dislike the responsibility and the self sacrifice that comes with being in control of a nation destiny. As far as they enjoyed the status offered by their positions, they never liked theresponsibilities demanded by the jobs, therefore they use international aid programs as substitute to their responsibilities.
If Africa needs any aid, the most urgent one is to get rid of the 40 billions corruption industry (called International Aid) that shackles its youth and elite, cultivates and maintains the beggar mentality.
How would you develop any country when the dream of the majority of its youth and elite is not entrepreneurship, innovation, education and self-sufficiency, but the dream to have a job with a humanitarian organization or to get their project financed by some International aid Agency or proxy.
3. International Medias
A friend of mine recently told me that the“Global Lying System”(referring to the western medias covering African news) is one of the biggest threat to peace and development in Africa.African tribes are created in London, Brussels and Paris by journalists.
BBC-Lies-hour
The colonial heritage of those journalists (unless they are instructed to do so) makes them to see Africa only as a collection of tribes and focus their coverage on what they call as tribal issues. They create new realities like “People from the North” compared to “people from the South” or “people from the West”. They invent new divisions with creative imagination, like the Belgians falsely created the “Tutsi” and “Hutu” tribes in Rwanda which ultimately lead to the genocide in 1994.
The western medias seems to follow an agenda of further dividing African nations and populations with their constant framing of Africa through fight between tribes, religions, geography, etc. This must stop before African could unite to fight their way out.
The influence of western medias in Africa is very negative, and could be considered as part of Africa problems.
The second most negative effect of the western medias in Africa is that they tend to focus their attention on what the Europeans or the White people are doing in Africa or for Africa, and how they are saving Africa, therefore continuing to create the false impression that Africa is a hopeless place with lazy people that could be saved only by the white man.
Madonna in Malawi
What you often see is a white man helping African or an outsider making change in Africa. That’s bad, and perpetuate the feeling that Africans are incapable to solve their problem by themselves, and reinforce in the mind of the young people and generation “the white man as a savior” mentality. Very Bad!...

4. The Colonial Borders
The current African countries borders are nonsenses. A study done in the years 70s showed that African nations had less trade between themselves than before colonization ( How Europe Underdeveloped Africa). The situation has not change much since then.
There is no immediate solution, but initiative like the African passport or Visa would greatly improve the movement of people and increase the potential of intellectual and commercial exchanges.
5. Ignorance of the Books of Machiavelli, Hegel & Darwinism
The western elite that currently rules the world has 3 majors intellectuals influences: Machiavelli (How to rule over people with cynicism and deception), Hegel (using the Hegelian dialectic of history they consider the western civilization as the end of history) and Darwin (the Survival belongs to the fittest, therefore the white race should stay at the top and rule over other races).
Anyone who wants to understand the intellectual principles that are shaping our current world, should deeply understand the above 3 authors and their influence on the western elite.
Maya Angeloualways advise the African-American elite to read The princeof Machiavelli, because, she said, without a proper understanding of this book, you won’t understand the western elite. The Prince is their bedside book. it contains the main principle all imperialist applies:“If you want to control the people, separate the people and you can rule them. Divide them and you can conquer them.”
Posted @ QUOTEZ.CO
The ignorance by the African elite of the principles by which the western Elite think and act is a major cause of their permanent naivete and incompetency.
6. The Rich Subaltern Mentality
There are two kinds of people in Africa, those who can’t make a living regardless of how much they put in, and those with lavish lifestyle and privileges regardless of how little they contribute.
The first group is made of those who has not contact with “white” people, and the second is made of people who has contact with “white” people.
If you live in Africa or know some African people, make a list of 10 people you know or have heard about who have a “good life” and social privileges. You’ll quickly find out that 90% those who have a good life are people who work for the “white” or with the “white”. They serve foreign-owned or controlled companies, organizations or foreign NGOs in Africa. They have big houses, nice cars, home servants, and enjoy high social status and privileges.
I call those the “Rich subalterns” or the “Selected subalterns”. (“White” in Africa is used for “European”, “Chinese”, “Lebanese”, “American”, etc. In the context of this article it could be easily replaced by “foreigners”.)
What is the problem?
The problem is that you can’t develop a country or continent where the majority of people who have the potential to become leaders are raised to be “good subalterns” to be successful.
Rich-subalterns
Young people aspire to emulate the most successful models in their society, and now the only visible and tangible model available is the rich subaltern model.
There will be no problem with the rich subaltern modelif this group of population was not made mainly with “non-productive” people working in middle management position. Middle managers in office don’t create companies, they don’t create value, they don’t create jobs, they don’t invent, innovate or act in leadership position with the power to change things.
7. Lack of Domestic Leadership Education
Africa is not poor, Africa has a leadership problem. For any society to prosper it should have a endogenous system of identifying, training and coaching its future leaders. Some countries do it through their military services, some do it through elite schools, and some others do it through informal coaching and assistance organizations or secret societies.
The main issue about Africa leadership is not the quality of its individuals, but the quality of the group of individuals. Individually there are lot of brilliant people, but collectively they fail to work together harmoniously on long term vision, and commit with integrity and loyalty to their country or long term vision.
The reason behind this failure is that most the so called leaders are trained outside their country and context, by people who has no knowledge of the context in which their leadership skills would apply. Additionally, the heterogeneity of the systems in which they have trained make it difficult to make them work well together.
Ennemi-within
Domestic leadership education systems and programs that raises in the same place and contextfor a long period of timea whole generation of new leaders is the way to go.

8. Lack of Science & Engineering Education
A study done few years ago at the Stanford University (I’m struggling to find my source) demonstrated howcolonial powers tend to drastically reduce the study of science and engineering in the countries they have occupied.They would favor literature and subaltern studies that would make the graduates just good enough to assist them in running the colonies or the occupied countries.
BinaryCode
Results, Africa has a lot of “talkers”, people with oratory prowess. Now,We don’t need more of those lawyers, sociologists, philosophers, but more scientists and engineers.
9. Lack of International Intelligence network
Africa knowledge of the world is very limited. I’d agree that most of my fellow Africans have very little idea of the world they are living in, specially the forces and trends that are shaping it.
This lack of intelligence is bad, because it leaves the continent unaware of events and shifts that could affect it.
10. The Crab Mentality
If you put several crabs into a bucket, and if one of them begins to crawl out, one or more of the other crabs will put it back down and prevent its escape. It’s called Crab Mentality.
This is a good metaphor for us as Africans to Unite and create strong networks that support each other, while avoiding the Judas goats.

Source: siliconafrica.com


P. S.: The purpose of this article is not to spur needless arguments or any form of hatred but to inspire the African for a better continent. And,... don't mind whatever errors and inconveniences you come across. It was copied and pasted, remember.

This paragraph got at me the most:
"How would you develop any country when the dream of the majority of its youth and elite is not entrepreneurship, innovation, education and self-sufficiency, but the dream to have a job with a humanitarian organization or to get their project financed by some International aid Agency or proxy."

No one's saying anything?

real truth from the op. But most of us have been blindfolded with lies

I feel so ashamed! Only few people made comment over this write up, but if its about igbos and yoruba or PDP and APC everybody will be gushing out slaver from their mouth.
We allow these divisions to impede our success and progress. Its a shame!!!

@ poster, I fell in love with you from the moment I set my eyes on your post. If only half of Nairaland would take just one advice from your post, a subtle change will be noticed in Nigeria in a matter of weeks. They have been kept busy by tribalism, pictures of other peoples wealth. He who has an eye let him read what the OP is saying.

Very good write up. I have seen this Poverty Porn in the Metro of Barcelona written in Spanish about Ebola in Nigeria and honestly i was disgusted.

And this was a time Nigeria had kicked out Ebola. The ad for aid agencies is honestly a big problem and creates a wrong Image for Africa.

At least i can speak for my village ufuma in Anambra and its people look nothing like those ads.

A lot of the depiction of Africa is not seen in Africa, you just have to travel to see how these ads rubbish us. Its the biggest problem i think, cos it changes perception.

I remember a classmate from Poland asking me why i didnt finish my food at a dinner, that its a waste, that people in Africa have no food and i am like dude, i am from Anambra and anything i plant in my backyard grows, onugbu, orange, cassava, yam, palm tree,guava, anything grows, how can you say i have no food in my village. But it wasnt his fault, this image about africa a poor continent had already been taught to him through various means.

Really sad

Wonderful perspectives I tell you. I will copy this, print and bind. Keep in my shelf and encourage my kids to read.

I had the oppurtunity to discuss with a child who told me "My aunty said white people are better than black people because"..yeah wait for it.."When they come out of prison the government gives them houses and cars".
I am sorry what did you say?! Who in the world teaches a child that whites are better than blacks? And with a very dumb and false example at that? I told her mum to withdraw her ASAP from that school.

One aspect of the write up is on ethnic divide. This has been there and was not instituted by the white man. Inter and intra ethnic clashes and skirmishes have been there before the europeans. The point is that they take advantage of this ethnic divide to promote even further division for their own gains and greedy commercial interests.

I remember my masters degree in France and how they wanted me to learn French because "it will increase your chances of getting a job". Sorry I already hate English as it is and the fact that we have to learn anoter mans language to be considered civilized. Sorry what I want to be is an entreprenuer. I will learn French if I think I need it. But do not throw me the "white collar" excuse. By the way I did pick up French-at my own pace.

We need a mindset revolution.

What s Africas problem? Narrow that. What is Nigerias problem? Am in a BRT Bus, and the chairs not cleaned. Chairs broken and tied with clothes. The stop request buttons do not work and in most of the buses the back doors do not open anymore. Ask my self are we so gnorant that we cannot fix a simple electrical device like an alert bell?

I think number one point should even be that we are our own problem. 7, 8,9 and 10 should come first before other points! We are our own worst enemy.

Mennnnn that number 10 post about the crab mentality defines Africa as a whole and not just Nigeria, Chai! na so crab heartless and wicked lol

Am really inspired by this write-up, will look up more on machiavelli and other related materials.

We all need to be informed


Thanks OP

Talk2bryant:
Am really inspired by this write-up, will look up more on machiavelli and other related materials.
We all need to be informed
Thanks OP

You're welcome...and yeah, we REALLY have to be!!

dabriggs:

I think number one point should even be that we are our own problem. 7, 8,9 and 10 should come first before other points! We are our own worst enemy.

I felt that way too: no matter what way, we're looking at it from.

Africa needs to rise up and break the shackles of mental colonialism if they want to grow, we need to rewrite our history, remind our kids about the greatness of Africa.
The white man called the time when African Kingdoms reigned supreme and europeans were still barbarians Dark AGES while when the europeans were learning things which Africans already knew the tagged it RENAISSANCE.
We need to write our own history to tell our own story

Talk2bryant:
Am really inspired by this write-up, will look up more on machiavelli and other related materials.
We all need to be informed
Thanks OP

You're welcome...and yeah, we REALLY have to be!!

dabriggs:

We need a mindset revolution.

Talkin' about the 'mindset revolution.'
I once read on a foreign site that Africa has a lot of 'ORATORS' or, talkers. This reminds me of a time when a man came from the U. S. to give a seminar in my department recently. The theme of the seminar was that we the listeners--i.e. Nigerians-- take opportunities of the natural resources around us. Despite the difference in academic and scientific knowledge between the man and me, believe me, I could almost begin to yawn. ALL he said are not more than what a seasoned Nigerian O' level graduate can give. "I had heard much more than that."
What we need are 'DO-ERS'!!! And commenting on Nairaland doesn't do that by the way: If we get this around even 5% of the populace, then do we begin to leave our current status.

Ehimenboy:

You're welcome...and yeah, we REALLY have to be!!

have already downloaded the book, saw something there that caught my attention, where he talked about how those empires took over themselves
Rule 1 - ruin the city
Rule 2 - occupy the city
Rule 3 - let the people live by their own law

This is the same thing the crusaders did when they invaded jerusalem those years of war with the muslims, guess the muslims did the same I suppose.

Thanks for the eye opener once again