I encourage every African to watch this captivating and insightful dialogue, “The West’s Unspoken Fear: China as the First Non-white Superpower”, from the perspective of African nation-building. It captures an essential point I usually communicate to Africans, namely that Africa cannot reach its developmental potential through the Western liberal democratic system.
Many Africans, especially the educated ones, have difficulties thinking outside this system and have become so mentally restricted that they can only see African progress through the lens of Western models. They are so “in the box” they cannot fathom other possibilities exist outside of it. The Western model is good for the West, but Africans need something different! Even the US did not just copy the British system, but formed something new for themselves. The Africans who champion copying the Western system like to argue and say “then what model should Africa use?”
In this question is both the problem and the answer. The subconscious admission in this question is, “We do not know how to think for ourselves and form an original developmental model that works for us as Africans, based on our unique heritage, so we need to rely on existing ready-made models from others to copy!” And in this attitude the iron gavel pounds in judgment!
In this thought is also the lack of faith and conviction in one’s own capacity to form something original that can hold its own and be equally successful in its own right. It is mental weakness finding comfort in the familiar that is neatly dressed up as “progress”. Wake up my people!
I say to you: the path to African nation-building and genuine progress lies in building new models of governance and development from the African spirit, that aligns with our heritage, culture, and nature. No matter how uncomfortable it feels, copying will not bring us to the Promised Land but only to a realm of pseudo progress.
China is showing the world it is a different people, so it needs a different system to grow. Even in the same family, each child needs a different path to reach its potential. Races are children born in the same human family. We have differences and need different frameworks to reach our potential! Once we accept this, we will find the strength and creativity to originally build for ourselves instead of copying from others. And this will earn us self-respect and pride in our indigenous capacity!
Anyone who aspires or proposes to be an African nation-builder, but who is only willing to strictly follow the adopted Western liberal model and is not committed to forming a new paradigm is a “person of concern” and cannot be a genuine African nation-builder.
The right African nation-builder will be willing or ready to creatively form a new paradigm, governing framework, and developmental model that works for the African people and enables them to reach their potential in their own way. As Africans we can draw lessons from China’s ascent, but not copy. Our path to progress will look different. It is through creative originality applied to national development that true sovereignty is gained!
Onward & Upward!
~Dr. Ikenna A. Ezealah, JD, PhD, MBA
Builder of the African Future
Nation Upbuilding 