Those who live at a point in time often fail to understand that whatever they possess is in a stage of transition or outright elimination. A resort to any ideology does not avail an eternal solution to optimal living. It is for instance grossly deceitful to judge a nation’s standard of living from the prism of per capita income or national income. Beneath the aforementioned yardsticks lies monumental imbalances and scrupulous historic.
I have always loved Richards Dowden’s description of Africa, his penchant for wanting Africa to leap into development and much more importantly, his gospel satisfactorily ascribed our underdevelopment to long-term parasitic international relationships. From a micro perspective, an employer isn’t necessarily more brilliant than his or her employees rather he retains his employment status as a result of his or her manipulative prowess. Developed nations have found in Africa and parts of Asia willing cow ready to pour out as much milk as needed for its master’s use without end.
Regardless, it is important to consider the subject of underdevelopment from the opinion of Walter Rodney; everyone is developing at his own pace. However, our pace of development differs in so many ways. Except for the yardsticks of comparisons, the subject of development or underdevelopment would have remained vague. Therefore, we think often of ourselves as less-developed base on comparison.
It is plausible to therefore consider the many challenges we are faced with not only from within but also from without. Leaping away from underdevelopment towards development is no mere wish. To do so is to awaken the enemy. These enemies are in no way toothless. For if they were toothless, the entire universe would have become developed. The existing paradox of national wealth sits on brutal schemes. Unfortunately, such schemes for instance coarse and suggest to less-developed nations that it is safe to take loans from international bodies. Even if such loan were eventually given, a large percentage of the whole is expended on recurrent bills.
Prof. Ihiemodu, a development economist, concluded that development is never handed over to any nation freely. Every nation that has attained such feat had to fight a mental battle. Again, just like many other nations of Africa and Asia, we are still unable to replicate the Singapore success story because of the will to fight through the provision of quality education, employment generation as well as via growing skilled population.
Right now, this tree of development is something every nation wants to take seriously. Nigeria is in no way different. Look at our society and we’re so proud and at the same time, we are very sad because we know that our pace of success tale is a slow one and yet unsteady.
The question on the lips of all is this; When will a new narrative ever begin for the continent most especially Nigeria. It was Prof. Lumumba who said that Africans will only wake up the day Nigerians choose to so. A great people we are and a good people as well. One day, the daughters Belial will find no dwelling amongst us and then the giant in us shall rise far above the reach of internal and external manipulators.
– Olayinka Kayode Kingsley
olayinkakayodekingsley@gmail.com
