Sometimes a danger to real African development are Africans with a lot of formal western education, because many can only think within the foreign framework they learned in schools. So, their idea of development is reproducing on the African people the ideas, institutions, and societal forms that apply to Western societies, to the subordination of their own indigenous systems, believing it will also work for the African people. Thus, they wrongly regard imitation as progress so long as it produces an outwardly visible benefit. But this is not development, just copying and long-term stagnation.
What is development? The concept must first be clarified. To achieve clarity, we must not draw opinions from our thoughts, but observe the Laws of Nature!
In Nature development is endogenic…from within. A rose develops when its inner qualities unfold outwardly, and when the guidance for this unfolding comes exclusively from within. The seed never needs instructions from without, only a supportive environment for what is within to unfold. Thus, development is a progressive unfolding of inner qualities, a sequential expression of indigenous capabilities, and a logical building out of inner components to outward completion, in accord with the inherent nature of the species.
To be “African development”, an initiative must come from within the souls of the African people, as a natural expression and a progressive building out of their indigenous qualities and cultural heritage. It must not come from without, otherwise it is adoption or an unnatural imposition. In Nature, even when something comes from without (water, sunlight), it only neutrally reinforces and helps the species express its inherent qualities.
So when people have big initiatives, plans, and developmental agendas concerning Africa, some questions to ask are:
- Is the plan driven by genuine love for the welfare of the African people?
- Did the central idea originate from the soul of the African people?
- Will the initiative help to unfold and mature the natural abilities of the people?
- Is the concept in harmony with their cultural heritage and indigenous nature?
- Do the plans build-on and improve their preexisting systems and social frameworks?
- Will the African people be uninfluenced implementing the initiatives?
- Is the final goal to make them self-sufficient and independent from foreign governments and institutions?
If initiatives are earnestly examined by these questions, and all answers are not a resounding yes, then real African leaders should relentlessly call them to account! African development should not advance foreign norms and institutions on the African people, but it should really operate in strict accord with the concept of development. The “African” welfare and interests coming first to then lead and guide the strategic implementation of “development”.
~Dr. Ikenna Ezealah
Nation Upbuilding 