Why Africans Are Poor; The Way Forward

I am an African and I seek not to condemn Africans but to enlighten the African (To Whom It May Concern) on certain fundamental truths that would be a light at the end of the tunnel of mediocrity for the African race. Before we delve into the reasons why I think most Africans are poor, let's establish certain facts that would enable you better understand what am about to share.

Aristotle once said "Whatever is impressed is expressed". A Scottish Philosopher called David Hume once proposed a theory called the “The Blank Slate”. This theory infers that a child comes into the world with no Self concept -Blank Slate. The environment imprints thoughts, feelings, words, attitude, opinions, values and ideas as the child connects with the environment. These build together to form the self concept of the person over the years. This self-concept becomes the Master Subconscious Central Processing Unit (MSCPU) of the intellect, decisions, opinions, or will of the human. Everything you are today is as a result of an idea or impression you took in and accepted as truth over the years. Your self-concept determines how successful you would be in life. It is the driving force that propels you towards failure or success depending on the kind of concept you have built for yourself over the years.

A research carried out by Nalah Augustine Bala on Self-Concept and Students’ Academic Performances reveals a significant relationship that exists between the self-concept and academic performance of students ^[1] . This research proves that the performance of a person in whatever area of life is fuelled by their conceptualized self ^[2] . Another research carried out on Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome reveals that a trauma can be passed on from one generation to another even though the other generation did not experience the trauma at first hand. Most Africans especially the youth, suffer from a self-concept of insecurity, inferiority, selfishness, and negativism. The primary root of such emotional, psychological imbalance could be traced back to the effects of slavery and colonialism on the black race. Slaves were maltreated, abused, made to feel inferior and dependant on their masters in order to keep them "under control".

Unity is strength; one of the ways of the colonial masters to break the strength of the black was to break the spirit of unity amongst them. The colonial masters did very well in planting this corrupt impulse into the subconscious of the African slave. The concept of self gratitude was gradually sown into the black race; the black man was made to believe that it was better to sell out your brother just to have a morsel of bread. A mentality of selfishness and backbiting was gradually induced into the black race. I write with no intention of stirring up bitterness against the western culture neither do I intend to open up the wounds of our past but rather, to help us see the root of this issue and how to efficiently solve it as well as bring healing to the African race.

All these treatments from the colonial masters molded a certain self-concept into the subconscious mind of the African. As Napoleon Hill rightly said in his book “Think and grow rich”, he said; “they cannot think in terms of riches, because their thought habits have been steeped in poverty, want, misery, failure, and defeat” ^[3] . These "broken" blacks became parents and transcended their insecurities unconsciously into parenting. These were the fathers and mothers of our forefathers! This self-concept has been passed down from generation to generation to this dispensation, infiltrating into our very way of life and affecting every decision or step we take in life.

Today in the 21st Century, the average African adult is not self-reliant. This “brokenness” can be found in institutions and governance as well. Most African institutions cannot do anything on their own until they see it done by their Western counterparts. Most African leaders cannot take any decision for their own country without the "indirect command" of their "colonial masters”. Colonialism has been abolished but the colonial master did very well in planting some colonial impulses into the subconscious of the African years ago. As Bob Marley in "Redemption song” said "emancipate yourself from mental slavery” ^[4] , I believe this transgenerational psychological imbalance is the root of poverty in Africa.

Africa is endowed with many natural resources such as gold, bauxite, timber, and many more, yet we do not see economic freedom in our countries. The rich resource of our minds, like a fountain of precious sparkling molten gold, the priceless treasure box of the African has been stolen and captured by insecurity, negativity, mediocrity, selfish ambitions, non-self-reliance, inferiority complex. Who would set him free? "None but ourselves can free our minds” ^[5] . As Paul stated, you do not have to be conformed to the pattern laid down for you by this world, but continuously be transformed by the renewing of your subconscious minds ^[6] ; Success comes to you if you become SUCCESS CONSCIOUS and failure comes to you if you allow yourself to become FAILURE CONSCIOUS ^[7] .

I agree with Brian Tracy, “The most important principle of human life is that you become what you think about most of the time” ^[8] . This insight is the bed rock of religion, philosophy, metaphysics, psychology, and success as well. Your outer world is very much a reflection of your inner world. If you change your thinking, you change your life." The only way for the African to rise is not building better roads, shopping malls or infrastructures, all these are important but let us consider building a better foundation first and this is none other than building a better self-concept for the African generation. Self-development is the key to the rise of the African.

Health, Behavioural, and Nalah Bala. “SELF-CONCEPT AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, AKWANGA, NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA.” Young 3 (February 15, 2014): 31–37.

Tracy, Brian. Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life: How to Unlock Your Full Potential for Success and Achievement. New York; Chichester: Wiley, 2005.

“Bible Gateway Passage: Romans 12:2 - King James Version.” Bible Gateway. Accessed May 18, 2020. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A2&version=KJV.

“Bob Marley Redemption Song - Google Search.” Accessed May 18, 2020.

https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0TCozjTc0KLQ0YPSSSspPUshNL MpJrVQoSk1JzS0oyczPUyjOz0sHAB9HDlY&q=bob+marley+redemption+song&oq=b ob+&aqs=chrome.4.69i57j46j0l2j46j0j46.5510j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8.

“Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill” (n.d.): 253.

[1] Behavioural Health and Nalah Bala, “SELF-CONCEPT AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, AKWANGA, NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA,” Young 3 (February 15, 2014): 31–37.

[2] Ibid.

[3] “Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill” (n.d.): 27.

[4] “Bob Marley Redemption Song - Google Search,” accessed May 18, 2020, https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0TCozjTc0KLQ0YPSSSspPUshNLMpJrVQoSk1JzS0oyczPUyjOz0 sHAB9HDlY&q=bob+marley+redemption+song&oq=bob+&aqs=chrome.4.69i57j46j0l2j46j0j46.5510j0j7&sourceid= chrome&ie=UTF-8.

[5] Ibid.

[6] “Bible Gateway Passage: Romans 12:2 - King James Version,” Bible Gateway, accessed May 18, 2020, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A2&version=KJV.

[7] “Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill,” 27.

[8] Brian Tracy, Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life: How to Unlock Your Full Potential for Success and Achievement (New York; Chichester: Wiley, 2005).