No Chinese official ever begged foreigners to help develop China. The Asian Tigers; Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore grew of their own accord. Luis Inacio Lula da Silva led Brazil to the part of glory by having a good mastery of good governance and all seriousness to lead the people to a glorious era. Hugo Chavez stood like a rock having in mind the sole mission of making Venezuelans feel the benefits of their country being an oil producer.
Ghana’s President John Mahama on his part called on leaders of more developed nations to partner African leaders toward ensuring sustainable development of the continent. This is contained in Mahama’s address presented at the 68th session of the UN General Assembly. Mahama said that much of what was currently seen were gestures that connoted pity and sympathy instead of partnership for economic development.
"Often the western world has wrongly assumed that we in Africa do not know our worth, this is entirely wrong because Africans are aware of who they are. African leaders are aware that what the continent needs is not sympathy, it is partnership which will avail us the ability to stand on our own feet," he said. The Ghanaian president further said that the continent would achieve serious development given the right partnership.
"Africa is not in search of hand-outs, Africa is in search of opportunities, we have already shown that with time and the right opportunity, Africa can make it." Mahama said. Mahama stated that there was need to transform Africa’s economy by adding value to its primary export produce. "It is not good enough for Africa to export raw gold, cocoa, petroleum and other resources and end up importing product finished from its produce."
"Africa needs to add value to its natural resources by setting up industries that will add these values," he said. He said that such step would create more employment for the teeming youths and boost economic growth in the continent.
What Mahama and his counterpart from Nigeria nay Africa always fail to grab when making such atrocious speeches is that the only times the Western world ever came to full agreement and partnership on Africa were times they wanted to exploit and plunder Africa. The heinous, inhuman and inhumane Slave Trade coupled with the notorious colonial era and the continued entrenchment of imperialism. These leaders are talking more like they are out of ideas, almost totally helpless and hapless yet want to continue ruling.
Africans can only save Africa and determine the form of partnership they want not begging. No country ever begs and grows. Every developed nation on earth today took charge of their destinies. It is high time Africans started taking developmental issues seriously and stop killing themselves while the leaders siphon the funds meant to be injected into the economy and develop the land to the lands of the same people they are begging.
Serious countries will continue to look at the leaders begging and pleading for support as jokers and clowns because they know Africa is wealthy but badly and poorly managed.
