Abstract:
The past and present in/deliberate misdeeds of Africa’s neo/colonialists and Africans themselves, especially African political leaders and other elites, continuously thwart the development of the continent. The misdeeds of most African leaders and elites are worse than those of the colonialists, which the same crops of elites often re-emphasise as the only cause of Africa’s ageing woes. Other misdeeds against Africa are hatched by the African populace. This paper thus aims at rousing consciousness to the ageing and rising misdeeds against Africa, towards attaining deserving development. Relying largely on secondary data, employing qualitative approach, objectivism and the plausible tools, it reveals that while the colonial invasion of Africa left it naked, poor, underdeveloped, and in various nationhood woes, the post-independence African political leaders and elites aggravated the problems, meting out worse cruelty on the continent and its peoples. The contemporary leaders and elites are the worst. The citizenry also contribute to the leadership misdeeds thwarting Africa’s development. Consequently, bad/failed leadership, paralysed democracy and elitism, abject poverty, hunger and suicide, endemic corruption, heightened illiteracy, ignorance, insecurity, violent crises and social vices, westernisation and culture erosion/attrition, over dependence on foreign aids, international debt, etc. characterise Africa. Africa’s ideal development that would have been attained by now remains a mirage because of the sustained and continuous misdeeds and plagues unleashed on Africa by its leaders, elites, populace and the neo/colonialists. Patriotism and rejection of dubious and incompetent leaders and elites are major ways out.
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