1. Skyscrapers in the midst of poverty and disease
Why built multi-storey buildings among people with the lowest GDP? Why build showy skyscrapers while the majority can’t afford even a wooden cart? What is the value of skyscrapers if many people don’t have even pit latrines?Africa’s priority is not mansions and bungalows. It is not tall buildings. What Africa needs most is safe food, safe water and decent shelter. Africa’s priority is enabling people to get their daily bread. It is preventing people from relieving themselves in the bush like wild beasts?
2. Men and women embracing foreign customs and throw away the good African customs
What is wrong with the age-long customs that make Africa unique and exemplary? What is wrong with eating and marrying and burying people the communal way?At birth and marriage Africans get ululations from the whole village and at death they are seen off by multitudes. It is not sinful to be controlled or guided by traditional etiquette and cultural norms. Throwing away African traditional values resembles the unwise mother who throws away her baby with the bath water.
3. Notorious selfishness, individualism and egoism
Why are there wanton campaigns to throttle the African spirit of sharing, hospitality and generosity? Where is the spirit of cooperation of the large African families comprising parents, children, grandparents, aunts, in-laws, as well as cousins and nephews?There is no rationale for keeping at bay good things like traditional sharing, brotherly and sisterly giving, as well as the extended family’s sense of support and encouragement. The African age-long custom of borrowing and lending things like money, domestic utensils, beasts of burden, garments, as well as children and service bulls should be perpetuated in Africa.
4. People throwing away aged members of the community
What is the sense of keeping the aged members of the community in isolated houses named ‘old people’s houses’? Is it fair to claim that the old folk should be kept far away because they spoil our velvet carpets and scratch our sofas with their untrimmed fingernails?Our forbears will react angrily when they see us marginalizing or isolating our aged relatives as if they are lepers. There is no joy that surpasses that of living under one roof with the esteemed grandmothers and grandfathers – our human encyclopedias and living libraries.
5. The traditional code of respect being despised like a heap of dung
Is it fair for parents to treat their children as their equals? Is it wise to dismantle all age group boundaries? Is it logical for students to treat their teachers as their playmates? Is it bad to accord respect to the elderly members of the African communities?Respect between the younger and older generations is still important in Africa. For instance, while in East Africa, Tanzania in particular, ‘shikamoo’ – the customary word of greetings from a junior member of the society – must not be interpreted as slavery, humiliation or insubordination.
Literally translated, ‘shikamoo’ means ‘I am at your feet’ but it does not connote inferiority complex on the side of the one who greets or superiority complex on the side of the one being greeted. Moreover, a younger person is expected to be the first to greet an older person.
6. Extremely expensive cars on dilapidated motorways
Why are poor infrastructures becoming increasingly a common phenomenon in Africa? When will Africans cease traveling on narrow, bumpy, pot-holed and slippery roads? When will all Africans get running water and reliable electricity?Blackouts or power interruptions are enemies that should be eradicated from Africa. The money spent to repair cars that travel on poor roads is more than the money used to repair the infrastructure in Africa.
7. European type shopping moles among people molested by disease and epidemics
Why are merciless diseases taking a heavy toll on Africans? When will diseases like malaria, yellow fever and dysentery be wiped out from Africa? Why are these diseases allowed to exist, unafraid of molesting even the educated and the wealthy?Mosquitoes, jiggers, fleas, lice, and stomach worms can be prevented from proliferating. Since their natural habitats are well known, they can be terminated completely.
8. Aristocrats becoming richer and absolutely powerful
What is the logic behind the ruling class becoming tycoons at the expense of piteous paupers? What justifies the ruling oligarchy to own the whole land and all money coffers while the poor citizens do not know where to get the next meal?The rich chaps delight at land grabbing, elections rigging, and shopping in western metropolis but the poor folk carry heavy burdens of debts and taxes. The illegitimate high class squanders the national cake. All members of aristocrats’ families have bodyguards, paid by people’s money. Illegal tycoons in Africa have bodyguards even for their dogs and cats. Unbelievable!
The well-off carry firearms wherever they go, even when they visit the toilets. They are so fearful because, as the ancestors put it, a thieving dog is scared even by its own shadow.
9. Bogus specialists and substandard craftsmen
Why has Africa so many germs while the so-called health and hygiene personnel are on the increase? How is it possible for education standards to fall so much while every year many Africans graduate with Masters and PhDs? Why are there so many buildings that collapse while the number of construction engineers increases?Wow! Africa is replete with terrible fake things – fake products, fake local and foreign experts, fake doctors and fake nurses, fake wives and fake husbands, fake education, fake religion, fake roads and fake bridges – fake everything. When Africa’s falsehood marries overseas falsehood, the product is beyond narration.
10. Moral decadence of the highest caliber
What is wrong with Africa’s morality? Why is the rate of moral decadence so alarming in Africa? What causes the irresistible moral erosion in Africa? Why are teenage pregnancies, rape, murder, and abortion prevalent in Africa? What underlies the trade on albino limbs – the trade done even by high profile politicians? What fuels lack of accountability and embezzlement of public funds? Can’t people live without irresponsibility and corruption? Can’t nepotism and tribalism be eradicated?Parents and guardians are crying because of the moral decadence among their children. Teachers and school owners are shedding tears because of the moral deterioration among students. Moral integrity, ethical uprightness and trustworthiness are dwindling in Africa. Remedial measures must be taken pretty soon.
11. Dangerous misuse of religion
Why have Africans begun to misuse religion? What are the reasons for the increase of sorcery and witchcraft in Africa? Why do most African sportsmen and sportswomen visit witchdoctors prior to great competitions? Why are deeds like divination and casting out demons gaining credence in modern Africa? Why are crones and albinos killed for religious reasons?Africans used to involve religion in all sectors of their lives – birth, disease, marriage, death, education, farming, animal rearing, architecture, as well as sports and recreation. Nowadays the pendulum is changing direction.
Religious pride, cultural pomposity, and dubious missions are increasingly becoming the popular fashion in Africa. Questionable sects and denominations mushroom in Africa. Worse still, religion is now a money-mongering business. Social gospel is embraced by multitudes. Prayers and forgiveness of sins are offered for money. Well-behaved believers are decreasing and myopic preachers strive to deflect people from their good religious and ethical heritage.
In Africa, visitors and guests are allowed to do sacrilegious deeds and display bad manners like smoking or drinking even at worship premises, something that is offensive to reasonable people. Africans should not be pleased with people who propagate alien behavior such as indulgence and individualism – vices in African religious standards.
12. Wind of secularization, blowing slowly but detrimentally
Why is secularism gaining more ground in Africa? What is planting the seeds of atheism and agnosticism on the so-called ‘dark continent’? Why are secular and atheistic philosophers like Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Marx, Jean-Paul Sartre and Baruch Spinoza getting more disciples in Africa? Where is Africa destined to?Giving room to secularism and atheism is leading Africa astray. Divorcing religion from the day-to-day affairs is inviting the white man’s plight. Communities that have decided to do away with faith and dependence on God are currently regretting the consequences.
The Bible and the Quran should remain revered Scriptures among Africans, and despising or leveling malicious criticism to these sacred books is indeed abhorrent.
By Godson S. Maanga(godsonmaanga@yahoo.com)
