YOUR STORY IS A REPLY OF THE ACTION.
23TH JULY 2005
AFRICA: A CONTINENT OF PARADOXES.
The continent of Africa has been viewed by aplenty of analysts with a lot of pejorative overtone. They have branded Africa with different names; they have labelled it with thousand and one appellations. This is my own appellation...Africa - a continent of paradoxes. Can some one enlighten me on why Africa is like this? I hope to research on the cause of this paradox.
Africa has abundant mineral and natural recourses, yet it is the poorest region or continent. Africa s endowed with rich human, mineral, and other natural recourses with 45f the worlds bio-diversity and other resources, yet it is the poorest region in the world with more than half of it's population living in abject poverty, ignorance and disease. The significance of this paradox is that, while nations and people afar off are enjoying the fruits of our land, rivers, lakes and seashores, the average African cannot afford for safe and clean drinking water, let alone adequate meal.
Although Africa is a home to the oldest civilisation in the world, it is the most backward. History holds it a truism that civilisation started in Egypt of Africa, but today, Africa is so uncivilised that the backwardness of the continent is the most debated and talk-about with little gain from such debates. However, though backward, Africa still has monumental boulders that have forever, epitomise the cradle of human history. E.g., the pyramid of Egypt stands as one of he seven wonders of he world. Also Science has not been able to explain how the Egyptians use to embalm their pharaohs for years without decay.
Furthermore, while petroleum from the ground under the feet of Africans drive the sleek cars of the rich lots, the average African does not even have access to basic transportation facilities. This unravels and lay bare the poor transportation infrastructure in Africa and this accounts to some extent the underdevelopment of Africa.
While African children decks the worlds library with their intellectual and professional works, many of Africa's children do not have access to primary education.. The unstated understanding here is that, it?s it is not because the average African is inherently dull and lazy that is responsible for the high level of illiteracy in Africa, rather, if they can be given the opportunities to education, Africa will produce brainstorming and think tanking geniuses of the likes of Isaac Newton and Einstein. A typical example is the Nigerian born, Philip Emeagwali, the most searched and renowned scientist of recent times (A Founding father of internet) www.emeagwali.com
Statistics shows that, more than 30 million Africans with Ph.D. are not based in Africa.
While Africa's Medical Doctors provides the most sophisticated medical services to other parts of the worlds, million of mothers and little children die in Africa every year because of lack of even the most basic medical facility. This explains the high level of infant motility rate in Africa
Africa has one of the largest forest in the world particularly in Central Africa as well as large deserts, e.g. the Sahara and Kalahari deserts. This forest provides reasonable percentage of the worlds timber, which is used for several different purposes. Yet, some Africans cannot even afford wood houses, they live in mud.
While there are parts of Africa with heavy rainfalls like Dibuncha, that seconds Charapunji in the world, there are yet other areas that suffers from excessive droughts and this droughts accounts for untold famine in many parts of Africa
Africa has some of the longest rivers in the world, e.g. the river Nile, the Zanzibar and some lakes like Chad, These rivers and lakes are strategic bases that contribute to the nations power base and also serve as route and sources of revenue to the countries where they are located.
Africa is primary raw material produce, yet Africa can't produce its own raw materials.
Oh Mother Africa, when God made you, He said, "And you Africa, You will be a continent of paradoxes" and so Africa is a continent of paradoxes.
Peace to you all brethren and have a pleasant day.
Silang Emmanuel Sanda
