The African Rebirth Projectby Uchenna IlokaTHE ORACLES ARTWORLD
THE AFRICAN REBIRTH PROJECT 2006 (SECOND DRAFT)
...a comprehensive overview
By UCHENNA A. ILOKA
THE AFRICAN REBIRTH PROJECT 2006 - TARP 2006 "Every noble dream is at first impossible."... Thomas Carlye What Africa is today is a far cry from all that she could really be. I sincerely believe that the potentials of the African continent are not an unfortunate mistake. The African Story ... An Irony called Africa. "My Brother, weep not for the crippled that begs alms, but rather weep for the able-bodied man, with strong feet but refuses to walk for his more sufferings begins from the Day of Judgment." There are something's in life that could make you cry, Africa is one of them. "When I visited Africa" said a reporter "it felt like there were really a people that God had turned his back on." Around Africa, you only need to leave the comfort of your abode and a few blocks away, you would find a man who has not had a decent meal in a week, a homeless woman abandoned with her innocent children; a young girl to whom prostitution is the only means of lively-hood, a little boy with a fly infested tray on his head, hawking for his daily bread; or babies unaided who would not live to see this world because they were born with AIDS, then you would know that the African story is no fairy tale. As a world leader described her- "Africa is an embarrassment to the civilized world". Of the entire seven continents, her future in the view of social experts is the bleakest. Her nomenclature has now changed from "Africa the Black continent" (A reference to her skin colour) to "Africa the Dark continent" (a reflection of hopelessness). As captured from the quote above, tragedy of the Africa story lies not in any paralysis but in the painful fact that she has got feet but would not walk. In addition to being known for its beautiful environments, exotic wildlife, and diverse cultures, Africa has the dubious distinction of having some of the poorest nations, largest populations, and harshest living conditions in the world. Despite its immense natural resources, the yearly incomes of Africans are some of the lowest in the world. Nearly half of its people live on less than a dollar a day. Conflicts, harsh environments, and corrupt governments have devastated economies, forcing countries to borrow for goods and fuel. Ironically, better health care in recent decades has caused further problems in Africa. The population of the continent is approximately 800 million, and these increasing numbers have endangered the environment and strained already weakened governments. - www.africanculturalcenter.org Africa is the arguably the most endowed continent on earth, she is the proven possessor of the world's greatest natural resources; from the gold mines of South Africa to the diamond belts of West Africa, to hers rich oil lands and arable soils, No two continents put together can match her inestimable wealth. Her location is the most favorable on the globe; hence she has a blessed climate and is relatively free from the natural disasters that ravage other parts of the earth. She has rich culture like no other she is rich in tribal diversity. Moreover the intellectual soundness of her people in not in doubt as many Africans have brought unique dimensions and dynamisms into world technological advancement, the Arts, scientific research, leadership and economy all over the world. And there goes the African story full of promise, yet embroiled in suffering, rich yet poor; blessed yet accursed; full of light yet called dark; adorned with flair but living in despair. In almost all African countries there is deprivation and despondency in the air, even the elite, who have amassed wealth, luxury or comfort for themselves live in the fear of the terror daily unleashed by frustrated people who are in the majority. Hence there are civil wars and continuous bloodshed. Over two-third of he countries of Africa are engulfed in a state of unending misery and instability. Africa has the dubious distinction of having some of the poorest nations, largest populations, and harshest living conditions in the world Africa and her 800 million people may not be able to come to terms with her own story. Her future may seem so scary if THE AFRICAN DREAM does not soon interrupt it. "Every society needs a visionary but Africa perhaps needs a soothsayer who can warn her to "Beware the Ides of March"
Spotlighting on Nigeria It there is a mirror for Africa, it is Nigeria. It estimated that out of every six African is a Nigerian. With an estimated population of 150 million people and over 250 ethnic nationalities, Nigeria is the heartbeat of the black race. It there is a Nation that would redeem the image of Africa in worldview, it is Nigeria. Her acclaimed status as Giant of Africa is well justified in the sense that she is the Giant statement of all that Africa is. Africa has a problem, Nigeria is the Giant of Problems; African seems never unable to live up to her immense potentials, Nigeria is an apropos case study in how not to live up to great expectation. The facts again speak volumes. Nigeria is the sixth largest producer of crude oil but ranks amongst the world's poorest nations. In fact, the recent UNHR reports shows Nigeria nation projected to be amongst the five most populated countries in the world, occupies an unenviable 158th position out of the 177 countries ranked for prosperity. Nigeria has the third weakest infrastructure in the world. She has the third lowest life expectancy; she is the third most corrupt and third most insecure place in the world map. For a country that raked in over $320 billion from oil sales alone since 1970 (NEEDS), have such an alarming retrogression is a sickening irony. There are many countries, for instance in Europe who do not have up to a tenth of Nigeria's wealth but her citizens live in conditions ten times better than that of Nigerians. It is a glaring, howbeit painful case of servants riding on horsebacks while kings and princes stagger meanly and wretchedly on bare feet. Reading the Minds of our Heroes Past: "History, the mysterious strength of the future" The future generations have nothing to look back to, particularly in Nigeria. There really are no models, no real reason for Nigeria and as a result they have No pride in the nation and no respect for the Nation. But may be they are, but we are not taught about them. Most of what we see in the curriculum of our schools is stories on the different ethnic groups, the different tribal empires, and really little or nothing on Nigeria. A curriculum whether consciously or unconsciously that has been prepared to emphasized ethnicity and de-emphasizes Nationality. Little wonders why most Nigerians are more patriotic to their tribe, than they are to their Nation. What is the purpose of our Nation? What were on the minds of our founding fathers? Articulating the purpose of our nation is pivotal to our response to our duties as citizens of this great nation. The only meaningful link between a nation and her people is having a common purpose. When we have discovered the purpose of the nation we must then align ourselves to it. Without a strong national "Why" every one creates his or her own "Why" These well intended 'Why's would certainly result in utter chaos and anarchy.
DIAGNOSIS Africa, and particularly Nigeria is not a mere geographical expression, it is a people the state of the Nation a reflection of the attitude of her people and governance. When I say governance I do not mean exclusively those holding public offices but her citizens as a whole. Some one once said to me that one of the laws madness is doing the something time and again yet expecting a different result. If we continue to be as impassionate as we have always been, if we continue to think as are have always thought, if we continue in our insensitivity to indispensable values, if we do not explore new terrain of thoughts, it would be rather amusing to expect a new Nigeria. The sorry state of the nation would never change until her people speak out for a change. We have been silent for too long, allowing the cold hands of fate chat the course of the nation to an irreparable national wreck. I read a quote in a book by John Mason that said, "silence is golden, but at other times it is pale yellow". The silence of the Nigerian people at the state of the nation is unattractive. Nigerians today has cultivated some anti-progressive habits that would only plunge the nation further into her abysmal state. They are- 1. Lack of Sense Ownership I was in taxi in the city of Port Harcourt one sunny day. In the heat of the traffic, the lady by my side bought ice-cream from one of the hawkers on the road, when she was through with it, she threw the waste out of the window and I said "you shouldn't litter our environment with your waste" Politely she answered me "Na your house?" And I got the message. Nigerians feel irrelevant in the scheme of things that pertain to how their nation is run. Apparently, it appears as though there is a selfish cabal that controls the nation's affairs to the detriment of our own well-being. There is no sense of ownership amongst her citizenry. Everybody is of the opinion that the "Government" owns the nation and the "Government" is wholly responsible for her failure or success. The "Government" is in debt to the people a good means and state of lively-hood. They may be right, but those in the government are not aliens, they are Nigerians with the common Nigerians ideology and problem. Yes we have a right to proper governance, a dignified peaceful and healthy lively-hood but in the words of Finola Bruntun, the wife of the Irish Prime Minister John Brunton "Now is the time to recognize that for every right there is a corresponding obligation." We all own Nigeria but for administrative purposes, some of us hold public offices but primarily no Nigerian has more right of ownership to the nation over the other. Therefore we all share equally in the blame or praise for the failure or success of Nigeria. As inspired from the book BY James Allen "As a man thinketh", we can only become a great nation when we the people of the nation would cease to whine and revile and begin to seek for that hidden justice that controls all nature. We ultimately get what we deserve. It is obvious, that when an organization is privately owned, it soars higher than one that is government owned. Nigeria has become a no mans land. And so nothing works. We so easily forget that the nation is not tangible, each one of this are the objects of her existence, each one of us is the only prove that there is Nigeria, for there really is no Nigeria without Nigerians. So we are vital to the very existence of the Nation. And we must be aware of the injustice we do to ourselves when we relegate "ourselves" to the background oblivious of the potency of our relevance to the nation. For when nobody works consequently the Nation can't "work". 2. An Attitude of Selfishness and Disregard of Servant Hood On the first hand, Nigerians act according to personal interests FOR THE FULL VERSION PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO ucheiloka@yahoo.com About the Author Uchenna Iloka is a young lawyer from Nigeria with a strong passion for using the influence of the rule of law and policy making in changing the polity of the African Nations and their interplay with other nations around the world. |
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