Not the casket but the content

Africa is the world’s second largest and second most populous continent in the world with 54 countries. She covers 6% of Earth’s total surface area and 20% of its land area. With 1.34 billion people, as of 2018, she accounts for about 16% of the world’s human population.

Evidently blessed with human resources, Africa is also blessed with natural resources ranging from arable land, water, crude, it llsalt, sugar, cocoa, minerals, natural gases forest and wildlife. And the list goes on.

If Africa is to apply for a job, she will present the best curriculum vitae because of her resources and competency but even Africans don’t know what they have and what they are. From the River Nile to the Mount Kilimanjaro her beauty can be seen. But for decades, non-Africans have been able to create a mental picture of Africa. This picture is so vivid that it’s been passed down generations and in turn some Africans have chosen to view themselves in respect to this picture.

This picture is that of a crying, sad, emaciated, illiterate child living in a jungle surrounded by apes. It’s funny yet sad how lowly Africa is being thought of. They tend to forget that civilization was birthed in Africa. Africa is actually a strong and great woman from which many creativity, knowledge and wealth has been birthed and has never been a sad child.

Although, through out the years and even presently, Africa has been and is being exploited in so many ways. Africans are not ignorant of this fact but have chosen to place their trust in leaders who become rulers and pretend to serve the people while what is actually being served is their bank accounts. They play blind to the ongoing exploitation and silent whoever is brave enough to speak but Africans can never be silenced. You silent one, an army rises.

Gone are the days when you hide things in books because you don’t want an African to read it. Africans are both readers and writers creating a niche for themselves and even insisting that their lexicons be added into the dictionary and used by the world. There is a conscious effort to ensure that young writers are promoted and encouraged. Likewise, Malalas are being bred; many who believe in education.

With the diamond, gold, silver, copper, iron, uranium, bauxite, cobalt, etc. scattered around Africa, she is meant to glow and shine as the beauty that she is; be a major exporter of natural resources but instead she is being stripped of her glory and wealth by importing rather than producting. It is said that Africans are consumers rather than producers; that statement is not far from the truth. The number of producers in Africa are very few compared to the availability of opportunities that can be explored but then there is a loophole in the amount of support (both monetary and otherwise) given to even the few that opt to improve the economy by using the available resources to produce and that’s why they migrate elsewhere where the conditions are more favorable.

Over the years, many like Nelson Mandela, Anthony Enahoro, Léopold Swear Senghor and Ahmed Sékou Toure have said ‘No!’ to the constant exploitation, deprivation and slavery of Africans. Lending out their voices to ensure that Africa holds her head high. Africa is free and should not be bound no longer. A number of people in Africa may be poor, hungry, thirsty and emaciated but the continent is rich and blessed. In every continent of the world, there are still people who are poor, hungry, thirsty and emaciated not just Africa. It’s high time the stereotype ends. Africa is not a charity case and shouldn’t be if only her economy is well managed and her good was sort for by all her children and not just a few.

Africa is making breakthroughs in education, agriculture, security, politics, religion, innovations, inventions, etc. She is a beauty, both inside and outside, and so when referring to her it is crucial that she is spoken of by only those who truly know her. The knowledge of Africa should not be limited nor partial. She should not be judged by her cover nor by the casket (what can be seen) but of the content (what she entails) because Africa is more than what meets the eye. She is not just a future we await, Africa is now!

So, join me as We take you on a journey of Showcasing, promoting the beauty, strength and uniqueness of Africa and Africans.!!

Precious Lola(Editor)