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"Africa": Doomed?
"Africa": Doomed?
"Africa": Doomed?
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"Africa": Doomed?

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The African continent is arguably the richest in terms of natural resources and rich in human resources as well, so why the extreme poverty, suffering, misery, etc., especially in the dark-skinned communities in the sub-Saharan region? Why is the term ‘African’ a direct reference to the dark-skinned people, to the exclusion of all the others on the continent? Why are they looked down on and not afforded basic human dignity? Ignorance and corruption are two significant factors, amongst others. The international community’s reactions and the major role played by the international media is worth mentioning and debating. In addition, the blatant corruption of the leaders in the dark-skin populated countries plays a major role. The hidden hypocrisy displayed by the international community and the roles of most of the humanitarian organisations need be addressed. Is there hope for the dark-skinned people or is Africa a ‘basket case’?

LanguageEnglish
Release dateApr 23, 2018
"Africa": Doomed?
Author

Johnny Walters

Johnny Walters is a male, born in Ghana (West Africa) on November 14, 1958. He came to Denmark in 1992 and has been a citizen since 1988. He has been a partner in a business company since 1992, working as an International Broker in trade, finance, and services. This has contributed to his many travels around the world mainly due to his international business relations. He has four children from previous relationships and is currently single.

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    "Africa" - Johnny Walters

    About the Author

    Johnny Walters is a male, born in Ghana on November 14, 1958. He came to Denmark in 1979, and has been a citizen since 1988. He has been a partner in a business company, since 1992, working as an International Broker in Trade, Finance, and Services, which has contributed to his many travels around the world due mainly to his international business relations. He has four children from previous relationships, and is currently single.

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    Dedication

    I dedicate this book to the suffering and voiceless people on, and from, the African continent.

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    Africa – Doomed?

    Published by Austin Macauley at Smashwords

    Copyright 2018 Johnny Walters

    The right of Johnny Walters to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the

    Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All Rights Reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with the written permission of the publisher, or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1956 (as amended). Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

    Smashwords Edition, License Notes

    This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

    A CIP catalogue record for this title is

    Available from the British Library.

    www.austinmacauley.com

    Africa – Doomed?, 2018

    ISBN 978-1-78848-139-7 (Paperback)

    ISBN 978-1-78848-140-3 (Hardback)

    ISBN 978-1-78848-141-0 (Kindle E-Book)

    Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd.

    First Published in 2018

    AustinMacauley Publishers.LTD/

    CGC-33-01, 25 Canada Square

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    Contents

    Preface

    Chapter 1:-The African Continent

    Chapter 2:-The Image of the African Continent.

    Chapter 3:-Prejudice.

    Chapter 4:-The Media.

    Chapter 5:-The African.

    Chapter 6:-Colonization – The Vestiges.

    Chapter 7:-The Myths.

    Chapter 8:-Ignorance.

    Chapter 9:-The Mentalities.

    Chapter 10:-Effect and ID.

    Chapter 11:-Superiority and Inferiority Complexes.

    Chapter 12:-Human Dignity.

    Chapter 13:-The Challenges and the Dilemma.

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    Quoting the lyrics from my song:

    But How

    "You’ve got the rain, the moon, the stars above,

    You’ve got the sun; you’ve even got the snow,

    You’ve got the land, the greens, the seas on earth,

    You’ve got the gold; you even got the blue skies,

    But tell me how: how can it go so wrong?

    You’ve got a life and all the love with it,

    You’ve got a name, you also got a way of life that you live,

    You are a man; you’ve got the means in you to make it work,

    You’ve also got the right to life in harmony,

    So tell me: how can it be so bad?

    You have seen things you should not see,

    You have done things should not be done,

    Let your kindness NOT be a weakness,

    Lift up your eyes and look above, there’s hope in life if you care to see,

    It’s a shame though it should be this way, in need of help and none in sight."

    ***

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    Preface

    Africa, Africa, Africa! So familiar a name but I cannot deny, and ignore the very simple fact that it sounds easy, common, and inviting to say. One can actually get used to this name as the name is an abstract reflection of so many things; mystical, weird, exotic, degradation, suffering, hunger, and all other strange and mixed pictures popping up in one’s head.

    With this book, I am attempting to create a debate and stir awareness to what I consider the most unfair deliberate or non-deliberate efforts to keep a whole society from experiencing and enjoying the full potential that should be available to every human being and society on this earth.

    I have much more than often wondered what the name Africa stands for. What does this name mean or represent, and why this name more than often spells only negativity. As clearly as I can remember to this day, I have for a quite number of years seriously wondered why I automatically expect some form of negative information or news when the name Africa is either mentioned or appears in a written form. I can remember the many frustrations I have experienced just by hearing or seeing this name – Africa.

    Why, why and how is this so? I will frequently ask myself. Is this really true? Can this be true? In everyday life, social, cultural and sports contexts, the name Africa has a condescending tone to it. As a matter of fact, I have been jokingly wondering whether when there is any positive reference made about the world in the news media or otherwise, that the continent of Africa and its citizens do at all feature in the minds of those by whom those references are made. The big rock bands having a world tour, a sports event somewhere, the news anchorman or woman who is presenting some interesting information about the world, the paper media writing about an interesting or informative event taking place or have taken place somewhere outside the continent of Africa. Do they really truly consider the African continent as part of the world reference? I ask.

    Is it on purpose that the continent of Africa is systematically misrepresented? Why is North Africa often referred to as the Middle East? Is Africa a country of a particular looking people? Is an African person stereotyped? Why do the international media and community as a whole make references to the African continent as a country with one group of people with one language? ‘An African dance’, ‘An African-looking man or woman’, ‘An African food or cuisine’, An African this or that’, but I very seldom hear ‘A European this or that’, or ‘A South American or an Asian this or that...’. This observation is remarkably similar to that I frequently experience with a great number of people from various countries on the African continent, both living within and without. Is all of the immediate above a series of conscious and calculated efforts, or simply a naïve and innocent cause and development of events? Which is which? What is behind this seemingly unnoticed situation that has captivated me and got me to be so interested and concerned about? Much more than often, I wonder whether being an African has to do with one’s skin color, one’s build, a particular ethnic feature, or the geographical location of the various countries on the African continent.

    Everyone everywhere has an opinion or two about Africa and yet, only a small percentage of these people have any form of a relationship to this continent. The only tangible explanation that I have heard from people with proclaimed opinions is that their sources for forming these opinions usually do come from the media. So I have a huge interest in the very significant role played by the media. Famine, hunger, wars, an outbreak of diseases, political upheavals and instabilities, mismanagement, corruption, and all the other negatives associated with Africa.

    It is not a secret that the media plays a very big role in the shaping of the societies commonly referred to as ‘the developed countries’. I have often asked myself whether the media, especially in the ‘developed countries’ are aware of the magnitude of power that they yield. The media can make and break any establishment, be it political, social, cultural, or sports. Powerful politicians, sports personalities, entertainers, and musicians, all directly and indirectly benefit from the media apparatuses set up all over. But then again, why do the same media time and time again only bring negative news pictures from the African continent, especially parts inhabited by the dark-skinned section of the population?

    All across the world, the images that are planted deep in our minds are usually those which are either directly manipulated or regulated in some form by those in authority. This I believe can either be by fair or foul means, however, do we even stop to think of how these images end up in our minds? This is by no means an effort of mine to proclaim that we do not have minds of our own to determine our fates, but my concern and interest in mentioning this is the effect it has on the perception of both the Africans and those from outside the African continent.

    One of the goals I intend and hope to reach by writing this book is to someway, somehow, confront the whole world with this issue on the perception and belief, the misconceptions, the interpretations, the understanding that people have about Africa, her people, and the African continent as a whole.

    My observations, interest and curiosity has nothing to do with accusing anyone of racism, no! There have been times when voicing out my concerns, or simply reacting to an already too familiar news bulletin or images on Africa, was met with counter reactions accusing me of insinuating the said situations to be racially motivated. This is far from the truth as it does sound surprising to some people when I state that there are many incidents involving other black people in and from other parts of the world (outside of the African continent) who have made expressions not that different to the widely presented negative views of Africa and for that matter, Africans of negro descent. Yes, some blacks from the US, England, the Caribbean, and elsewhere have expressed, directly or indirectly, their shame and discomfort in being connected either directly or indirectly to anything African, and on known occasions, even displaying their physical and emotional dissatisfaction as well. My observations and concerns are not to imply that the negative news and images of the African continent are racially motivated, but could they be?

    As mentioned earlier, I hope with writing this book many observations I have made over so many years will either be shared by many or disputed; however, a light will be shed on the seemingly strange but thoroughly negative status of the African continent and her suffering people. In light of these observations, many questions might be answered and debated but one major goal I have is to create awareness of this mentioned situation which gets worse as the years go passing by.

    On TV all across the ‘developed countries’, one cannot help but see numerous adverts day in and day out, appealing to people’s compassion, sympathy and at times, even pity, to donate and help the ‘poor African’ people of their misery. Years ago, I was invited and participated in a TV studio debate program in the city of Odense, Denmark, on a topic along this same subject – something to do with the effect of the various donations made to the African countries by the non-profit, non-governmental and governmental organizations, and the mismanagement by all parties involved, and the consequences of their actions on the recipient African countries. This is a testament that in some way and somehow, my observations and concerns are not isolated.

    As at the present, there is a huge increase in the number of all sorts of private organizations and private companies, all with the common message and goal of aiding Africa in every sector of her social setup: in the field of schooling and school materials for learning, food and clean water/water purification gadgets, electricity for lighting and medical operations, etc. This is as a matter of fact not new as much as I remember, but a daily occurrence from many years back, just that it’s been intensified, with many more ‘players’ joining in lately. How come that the effect of all such massive actions over so many years has not made the situation and plight of the Africans better? In fact, there are clear signs and indications that many nations on the African continent’s post-colonial era are worse off.

    I hope for examining the reference and description of Africa by the international community when referring to the dark-skin populated regions will usually add the term – ‘south of the Sahara’, and what happened to the North African countries being referred to as Africans or the white settlers in Southern Africa and elsewhere on the continent? They should not have any problems or issues with being referred to as African countries. They are, after all, located on the main continent of Africa, same as would be referred to any European, South American countries located within the boundaries of the said continent.

    This African continent is blessed with so much in terms of natural resources, gold, diamonds, rich vegetation, crude oil and gas, etc., which any nation on earth would proudly and willingly associate themselves with, right? Then how come the representation of Africa is always that of misery, poverty, degradation and negativity as a whole? Is there any reason? Common logic defies this very known and embraced status of sub-Saharan Africa and its people.

    Pre-colonial and post-colonial African continent in the eyes of the international community cannot be clearly defined if one should ask them. The pictures and images of those innocent ‘black Africans’ commonly presented in literature, books, films and photographs by various entities both within and outside of the African continent as savages, war-mongers, animalistic, heathens, primitive, less-human, etc., has indeed barely changed. With all the post-colonial schooling and massive influence of the colonial powers on their colonies, there is very little to show for in the eyes of the international community, and I even think the result is catastrophic.

    Indeed, Africa is a ‘basket case’, without whom the everyday worries and concerns of the international communities would be psychologically ‘hanging’ on them, but instead, it’s ideal to have Africa bear all the negatives, which in turn makes those outside of Africa feel better. Why else? I frequently ask myself. The only times we hear or see images of Africa in the international news is to report on something negative, or rather patronizing to the African people, something we have heard and seen time and time again over a great number of years. Whosoever is presenting these negative news and images of Africa repeatedly over so many years and the situation of the Africans to whom these massive campaigns appealing to the compassion of the international community is not getting any better but rather getting worse, must be getting a ‘pay off’, a satisfaction, or a benefit from it. This makes me conclude and wonder as to whether there is any reason or cause to support my observation and subsequent conclusion.

    ***

    Chapter 1

    The African Continent

    A very dear friend of mine in Denmark jokingly commented time and again on how they were introduced to the name Africa and what it meant during classes in their early school years. She would say in Danish, quote (I translate):

    ‘Africa… a vast hot country…’ unquote, just as dramatic as was told to them repeatedly by their then class teachers during class lessons apparently. I have sometimes struggled with my own sense of imagination and wrestled with the thought of picturing the images of these teachers illustrating by demonstrating with the movements of their arms and body. She will go on further to mimic the tone of voice with which these teachers will continue their teaching, quote:

    ‘Africa, the country of giraffes, lions, monkeys, huge elephants, dangerous crocodiles’, unquote:

    A lady friend of mine casually mentioned to me during a conversation with her several years back about some of her travels, various eye-catching experiences and encounters. She made mention of a significant 1-day trip she took to visit Egypt whiles temporarily working in Israel. Geographically, Egypt borders Israel and has a common border crossing where people, goods and services regularly cross over. I enjoyed her story and found it fascinating enough to allow myself the opportunity of creating a picture of such a scenario, as often seen reflected in some photographs (both motion and still) as well as from movies and documentaries with scenes of busy border crossings and activities between two separate and independent communities, in my imagination of her story. In reacting to my own apparent involvement with her story, I uttered the statement:

    ‘Wow, so you have visited Africa, that’s nice!’

    She reacted with a swift response in a way that took me aback.

    ‘No, no, no, I did not visit Africa, I said I visited Egypt.’

    ‘I heard you right, you have officially visited Africa,’ I said.

    She went on for some minutes to argue my point by stating uprightly that she had not been to Africa.

    ‘Egypt is an African country, it is a country located on the African continent,’ I said.

    She then admitted to me in the most sincere way that she was not aware that Egypt was an African country and that Egyptians were indeed Africans.

    I will attempt to describe the African continent as best

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