How Sub-Saharan Africa can rescue itself

By Japhet Alakam

One of the books that changed the thinking of many during our undergraduate days was Walter Rodney’s  How Europe Underdeveloped Africa. Rodney in the book tried to paint the picture of how the actions/inactions of the Europeans impoverished the people of Africa. After going through the book, most of us were infuriated about the Europeans.

But, a critical look at the state of African nation after many years of self rule, with abundant resources and  series of aid from abroad, why is it that Sub Saharan Africa has failed to alleviate poverty and promote development and economic growth in Africa? This is what  Dr. Sylvanus Adetokunboh Ayeni  examines boldly and holistically in his  new book entitled;  Rescue Thyself: Change In Sub-Saharan Africa Must Come From Within.

The ten chapter paged book segmented into three parts and published by Hamilton Books, Maryland, makes a comprehensive and rather provocative examination of the calamitous state of most of the nations of Sub-Saharan Africa.

As someone who was born in Africa, educated there from primary school to medical school and has also been involved in development issues in the sub-continent for many years, mainly in the education and healthcare sectors, the author brings his wealth of knowledge as he takes an in-depth and bold dialogue with several constituencies about the necessity of finding alternative pathways to solve the monumental problems facing the nations of Sub-Saharan Africa, the book answers the widening questions.

He observed that in the past fifty to sixty years, more than $1 trillion in foreign aid has gone to Africa. Despite this largesse and the multitude of foreign experts in many disciplines made available to these nations, Sub-Saharan Africa remains the world’s poorest region.

The first part which consists of three chapters takes a look at Sub-Saharan Africans and Detrimental Misconceptions, part two takes a look at the fundamental requirements for change while the last part takes an inward look at issues in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The book is an in-depth and bold “conversation” with several audiences including government policy makers and the foreign aid community. The author strongly suggests that the open ended “giving” approach of many of the donors, including the rich and developed nations of the world, should be restructured or at least significantly curtailed. Sure, the donors are very passionate about alleviating the suffering of the populations in these nations. However, they should demand more accountability, transparency and honest governance from the leaders of these nations.

The book highlights some of the challenges facing the continent and asserts that the most formidable barriers to progress and development in many of the nations in Sub-Saharan Africa are Sub-Saharan African leaders who have presided over the decimation of the subcontinent. Some of these nations certainly need help. But first, they must start helping themselves. Several possible solutions are proposed, all anchored on a new type of leadership, honest governance, quality education, superb infrastructure, respect for the rule of law, and a different strategy by the donors.

The murderous activities of Boko Haram in Nigeria, Niger and Chad and the 2014-2015 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, plus the worsening destitution in many of the nations of Sub-Saharan Africa, all make it imperative that a blunt, deep analysis and discussion of the failure of these nations should take place. While the agony in most of these nations affects the majority of the population, the children, the youth, and the elderly have been particularly affected.

No amount of foreign aid to these poor-performing nations will reverse the poverty in the region unless there is significant improvement in the performance of the leadership. The author noted that Sub-Saharan Africans have been bequeathed with all the tools needed, i.e., human and natural resources to develop their nations. Thus, for these nations to escape from destitution, change must originate from within. The future leaders of Sub-Saharan Africa must be those who genuinely care about the fate of their nation and are ready to fight to change the status quo.

Well researched informative and educative document that have all that it takes for Africa to rescue themselves from the realms of poverty. I recommend it to all, especially the youths who are the future leaders.

 

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