On Africans’ Dependency on East and West, by Ejike E. Okpa
At just concluded USA-AFRICA LEADERS SUMMIT attended by you know who – the excitement that Biden promised $55B to Africa, caused for apologists and sympathizers to dance America loves Africa – $13 each for every man, woman and child amounting to $39 in 3yrs. Let the toast begin.
Notwithstanding the details of such rain forecast for the desert is yet to be understood. Nothing gladdens and warms the heart of beggars than a promise.
Am not a PanAfricianist. Am a Republican in its true sense.
I subscribe to national growth and development which when achieved can be testament to others.
Global institutions like World Bank, WHO, GTO, IMF, WHO, are not institutions I care for nor respect. While they have notable roles in the world, only poor and struggling nations look to them for bearings and guide.
Even if the airy idea of having an African country a member of US Security Council, is like expecting the sun to rise from the west. Possible but highly improbable.
What Africa needs is continental security crafted along the sense of self preservation.
As long as majority of financing for Africa comes from outside, Africa will never see light at the end of a tunnel. Why? One has to have dug a tunnel and stay committed to the end before they can expect light at the end. It is not in the DNA of Africans to commit to self actualizing engagements as they want and seek approval from outside power.
On oil, people jump up and down about Nigeria oil, less than 2m barrels per day for 200m population.
Qatar with less than 400,000 population (Qataris) produces just about the same amount of oil as Nigeria.
Nigeria gets hung up on its ranking as one of the big producers but it’s the poorest on per capita basis based on population versus revenue GDP.
Opinions are a dime a dozen – facts are in short supply with Africans.
Summits are euphoria for stupid engagements when the collective is persuaded to see their existence in one lens.
Secure the Plate before seeking the Pan.
Pan-Africanism is a crafted distraction for Africans who like to think they are one but forgetting they are 54 odd fellows with strong desires to remain dysfunctional. The distraction and ensuing dysfunction appeals to the west and east.
The whole cannot be strong if the sum of the parts are weak. 54 African countries are weak so as a whole they cannot achieve.
Ejike E OKPA
Global Affairs Analyst
