Government administration has lived in the burden of paying loans and continue to pay loans incurred from IMF and the rest because the lenders are in business and Africa remains the pawns that should be exploited
Africa’s increasing debt profile and endless borrowing by rulers who in my observation cared less signals another dangerous trend if not prevented could sink the affected nations into another era of slavery and advanced colonialism in a vicious cycle of experimental economic management that has always proved false. IMF, World Bank all other institutions in similar category do not appear as genuine rescuers of the African nations suffering from crass economic mismanagement by questionable characters parading as leaders. IMF and all other financial institutions in like manner has been swift and maintained the choke of financial largesse every time Nigeria or others with a pan in the hand queue up for another loan because of veiled vested interest.
Administrations upon government administration has lived in the burden of paying loans and continue to pay loans incurred from IMF and the rest because the lenders are in business and Africa remains the pawns that should be exploited.
Take for instance the interest rate attached to loans issued to African countries; they’re in the range of 9% – 10% while the United States and other countries considered ‘developed’ is provided similar loans at the interest rate of 1% – 1.5%. You may wish to prove this wrong!
The sheer survival of IMF and those behind the scene is based on this blank decision that Africa must not be allowed to rise above levels, they must not succeed and must remain a borrower. If I am wrong what stops IMF, World Bank and all the others to demand for accountability before issuing another round of loans. Has the borrower paid the previous loans, or what has he done with it, the society which these purported loans were taken into are all out there for open monitoring, nothing is hidden or why don’t the Lender’s Institution ask these shameless borrowers, if at all there is any atom of sincerity in the lending and borrowing transactions, say; ‘What have you done with the previous loans.”
Even local financial institutions for whatsoever reasons will not throw money around in the name of loans unless there is an ulterior criminal motive of an insider, then they will even cajole you to come for more loans as long as it keeps you begging for more and keeps the man behind the scene on his business. This is the system in operation between Africa, its weak and dumb rulers and the smart guys behind the scene at IMF, World Bank and others in similar category.
In the past, African rulers has given us the impression that you must borrow to succeed however the late John Magufuli proved all that wrong and confirm our initial concerns that only weak and insincere African politicians working in the interest of external forces and not for the good of their own people has repeatedly maintain the queue of beggars
John Magufuli proved African rulers wrong
The late John Magufuli of Tanzania was a smart passionate African, patriotic and understood the game clean cut – he knew it that although it is advisable to borrow for genuine economic reasons but that remains the last unavoidable option under strict fiscal planning of ‘useability and returns’ but in the absence of a disciplined financial acumen and fiscal planning by the men whom the management of such funds will be entrusted to their care, the wisest decision was to make do with what you have and not increase the burden of your people in the name of loans.
One of Magufuli’s greatest legacy in Africa was being able to convince us that Africa do not need any support from external forces to develop its country and improve the lives of its people.
In the past, African rulers has given us the impression that you must borrow to succeed however the late John Magufuli proved all that wrong and confirm our initial concerns that only weak and insincere African politicians working in the interest of external forces and not for the good of their own people has repeatedly maintain the queue of beggars attracting all sorts of ridicule and exploitation of Africa and its rich untapped resources – both human and natural.
It’s on record that for five years straight without borrowing a dime from IMF Magufuli was able to build bridges, railways, revamped decaying infrastructures at the airports, improved healthcare facilities and electricity without borrowing a dime, even when such loans amounting to the tune of $10 billion was offered by China to reconstruct and expand the port in Dar-es-salam, he turned it down and still completed the port expansion.
Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi, in his 8th minute speech, commemorating the death of Magufuli’ titled ‘the Unpredictable Magufuli’ said it all; They did not know that leadership could run in Africa without money being borrowed from International Monetary Fund (IMF), They did not know that projects could be set up and executed on time.” because they did not know Magufuli was coming,”
Magufuli provided free education to all government schools, fished out 20, 000 ghost workers from the government, arrested 14,000 unqualified personnel earning free monies they did not merit – About 35,000 individuals milking the lean resources of the nation – these are all the products of the IMF loans and more under the cover of the weak rulers across Africa crying loans, loans and more loans with no remorse nor shame.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) do not borrow you money because they are interested in you or they love you that much, they’re in business and not a Charity house. However, they have studied and understood the gullibility of the African ruler and has taken their time to select the dumbest among them to the cycle of business running.
The Diaspora Africa Influence
Now, here is wisdom for those willing to buy it and will not throw it to the dogs and pigs. Only the Children of Africa can upturn this table of misfortune and this is where the Diaspora comes in – those who have been exposed in the games of this corrupt international financing and loan disbursement.
I have been at both ends of the divide and arrived at the conclusion that the continental Africans have very little or insignificant influence over the decisions of their rulers unless they chose to rebel under severe circumstances so I searched out for where appropriate help could come from and I discovered that the Diaspora Africans wield so much influence both in their country of residence and in the continent.
The Diaspora Africans has enormous influence to shake African rulers selling off the continent to external forces for a second colonization. Continental young African remains a force but extremely limited and haunted by its own fears to survive harsh situations created by the people he wants to challenge.
The Diaspora Africans who understand this default should stand up to the challenge.
As a diaspora leader, I found out we have a common problem; and that is, our misguided understanding and confusion of information from Africa and all its external influences.
There is a conflict of interest based on groupings and perception.
Those who wire money to Africa do so because there is a belief that everyone in Africa is suffering, helpless and need money including family members or sometimes as a form of exchange for financial backups. This is the way they see the situation and has formed large group of internal ‘IMF.’
In the year 2020 despite the challenges of Covid19 pandemic, Diaspora Nigerians alone remitted $16.8 billion, this is a fall from entire Sub-Saharan African countries Diaspora remittance in 2019 totaling $48 billion yet this money did not translate into any industry or capacity building but for consumption.
Another set of the Diasporas looks forward to receiving African rulers coming to China, the UK and the USA for photo taking opportunities, a time to rub shoulders and align forces, they lay red carpets for these fellows coming for purposes ranging from ‘seminars, investment, aids and of course ‘to borrow money.’ This set of Diasporas will be pleased to make a large photo frame of themselves with presidents, governors and senators irrespective of whatsoever situation they have created at their home country. I used to be in that category and we cared less.
Then another set completely disconnected from reality and glued to the social media information of wars, unrest and completely dysfunctional African society – among these sets are Diaspora members completely submerged in the fantasy of well-developed societies and detached from the stark realities of lack and failures in governance in their home country. They express anger and frustration online to whoever that cares to listen but will do very little to make use of the privileged knowledge gained overseas to upturn the table.
All three groups share the same feelings of disillusion, frustration and helplessness but has failed in employing that power of Diaspora influence to get involved in the anticipated deconstruction and reconstruction of Africa whereas nothing will change until the Diasporas begin to wield their influence in their home countries.
The Diaspora Africans has enormous influence to shake African rulers selling off the continent to external forces for a second colonization. Continental young African remains a force but extremely limited and haunted by its own fears to survive harsh situations created by the people he wants to challenge. This is where the first group of Diasporas will come into force.
As much it is advisable and noble to support family members, diversify your remittances to support community-based industries, organized technology development centers, healthcare, even agriculture, let the remittances look out for opportunities to create facilities as these. Imagine diverting 30% of $16.8 billion into community-based empowerment projects that would give the frustrated and confused young people in Africa a sense of identity that will make him frown at the temptation of acting a political tool of fraud, robbery and destruction for the weak-minded confused President, the senators and the governors that cared less for the citizenry.
Now the second group will have to act the genuine diplomats of its respective countries in overseas; Desist from these photo-ops and red carpet laying for individuals whose presence in governance has brought so much shame and ridicule for their countries in Africa. Look out for him and his gangs coming to overseas to beg for loans and lavish money meant to develop the country to buy properties overseas and do not join in hosting them by any means.
Do not give them the privilege of medical tourism while entire healthcare facilities and education in their African countries has totally collapsed – Confront him to go and fix the countries first. You can do that and they sure know you have the capacity.
Remember the late John Magufuli proved that reality, even Paul Kagame of Rwanda has proved that too, therefore Africa acclaimed giant should be ashamed to always be in the queue of beggars for foreign loans and aids. Take the red carpet off their feet, do not welcome them or play host of any kind, the message of disapproval will be loud and clear.
The Diaspora Africa solution
It is not enough to mount protest blocks to get rid of non working president, the president willsimply be replaced by another, even a far worse individual – Nigeria is a classic example.
Keying into the 3 groups of Diasporas and their perception of continental Africa as I have outlined, its high time Diaspora Africans learn to come together and stand up for the continent to avoid the coming advanced colonialism that will be far worse than the former.
Coming together means encouraging capacity building, from leadership to industry, the people and their society. African Diasporas has an overwhelming number of professionals all over the world.
In the USA, Europe and the UK, young Nigerians and Ghanaians are in the cabinet of foreign government as decisions makers, they are in the industries and financial institutions as key stakeholders, the number of African Diaspora professionals in the healthcare and academics surpass any other immigrant groups found overseas including Asians especially in the United States.
The Diaspora Africans should leverage these opportunities and boost capacity building in these areas of leadership, they have the power to influence the oversea power brokers to join forces with them for the benefit of the continent and more so, for the benefit of the stakeholders of a viable Africa.
Those who queue up for these loans do not have any genuine interest for the country they rule and I can prove that otherwise, the bludgeoning youth population is a far winning bargain ticket for foreign investment either as consumers or as a workforce even for a cheap labour which has made China an industrial capital of the world today. Nigeria has far better chances with its population but its rulers have for years been in the queue of beggars for loans that is rarely utilized.
until Africans chose to groom their own leaders according to our cultural values and integrity, and desist from this individual mentality of stupendous accumulation of wealth, the resource flight, brain drain and reproduction of puppet leaders across Africa do not seem to abate anytime soon
they still dictate and control who becomes the next president in the country.” And this is where the Diaspora Africans should draw the line of objections otherwise Africa will remain eternal subjects of external power brokers whose only interest is to ‘steal and destroy.’
The Diaspora members have the power to frustrate further loans and aids disbursement if they chose to do so. because these multinationals are fueling the laziness of the African rulers on purpose and you can only notice the difference if you have taken the pains to test the waters on both sides.
When crises break out as a result of frustrations and disillusion caused by unproductivity of the continental African rulers, the same multinationals will be the ones to supply the killer weapons and string one group against the other – always a negative trend – Nigeria, DRC and Central Africa Republic are classic examples! People are hungry, deprived and confused and there is little challenge they can put up against any ruler who chose to subject them to eternal misery.
In a statement by Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao; former AU ambassador to the United States “the colonizers have never left.” “They are still very much involved in everything we do; they still dictate and control who becomes the next president in the country.” And this is where the Diaspora Africans should draw the line of objections otherwise Africa will remain eternal subjects of external power brokers whose only interest is to ‘steal and destroy.’
Come home and establish your presence, come and join political parties, come home and set up foundations, a near example would be to start with what Dr. Arikana will refer to as ‘African Center of Diaspora Excellence’ where all the leadership and industry skills, knowledge and technology will be explored – an Organized way of starting a new technology of development in healthcare, economics and governance, hydrothermal, electricity, industry, etc for the benefit of the continent, This will form part of the capacity building envisaged and until Africans chose to groom their own leaders according to our cultural values and integrity, and desist from this individual mentality of stupendous accumulation of wealth, the resource flight, brain drain and reproduction of puppet leaders across Africa do not seem to abate anytime soon. One Africa down, All is down!
