WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? - COMMENT NOUS PROGRESSONS?

I posted a picture I got from Facebook yesterday on my Google+ page and the reactions I got helped me measure, in some way, the feeling of frustration of the African youth. Just like those I have personally interacted with, many are angry at their various governments; they feel let down. A lot want to do something about the situation but cannot see anyway they can do this. In this situation some think that nothing but aggression would solve the problem since most governments are oblivious of their pain. Matters of unemployment are treated with levity, basic necessities of life like light and water that can make life a little more bearable as they navigate these rough paths of life are almost non existent. Against this backdrop, all they want to do is vent their anger on leaders who have failed them. Most feel that dialogue is not the answer since leaders are not listening. Be that as it may, we have seen in recent times that uprisings have not really given the desired results. Where do we go from here? This is quite a difficult question to answer, the greatest tragedy of all has been the massive brain drain from Africa. Has this solved the problem? I don't think so. We need to sit down and look at other ways of tackling this problem if violence or escape cannot do it, there must be something else that can be done. Why don't we look at the option of coming together with those of like minds and talking about what measures can be put in place to solve these issues from our very backyards and start developing those strategies so that when the opportunity comes for us to make a difference we will be ready? Thankfully, I think I have seen signs of this happening. With the level of anger and frustration many of us are exhibiting, we cannot be in the frame of mind to think of any kind of solutions. It is time to make up our minds to allow our pain to bring out the best in us rather than allow it to turn us into monsters that would only make things worse.

J'ai posté une
photo que j'ai pris de Facebook hier sur ma page Google+ et les réactions que j'ai eu m'a aidé à mesurer, d'une certaine façon, le sentiment de frustration de la jeunesse africaine. Tout comme ceux que je rencontre personnellement, beaucoup sont en colère contre leurs gouvernements différents; ils se sentent abandonnés. Beaucoup veut faire quelque chose à propos de la situation, mais ne peut pas voir de quelle façon ils peuvent le faire. Dans cette situation, certains pensent que rien que l'agression résoudrait le problème puisque la plupart des gouvernements ne sont pas conscients de leur douleur. Questions de chômage sont traités avec légèreté, les nécessités de base de la vie comme l'énergie et l'eau qui peuvent rendre la vie un peu plus supportable alors qu'ils naviguent ces rudes sentiers de la vie sont presque inexistants. Dans ce contexte, tout ce qu'ils veulent faire c'est exprimer leur colère envers les dirigeants qui les ont déçu. La plupart pensent que le dialogue n'est pas la réponse puisque les dirigeants ne leur fait pas attention. Quoi qu'il en soit, nous avons vu au cours des dernières temps où des manifestations n'ont pas vraiment donné les résultats souhaités. Où allons-nous d'ici? Ceci est une question très difficile à répondre, la plus grande tragédie de tous c'est l'exode massive des professionnels de l'Afrique. Cela a-t-il résolu le problème? Je ne le pense pas. Nous devons nous asseoir et examiner d'autres façons d'aborder ce problème si la violence ou de l'évasion ne peut pas le faire, il doit y avoir quelque chose d'autre qui peut être fait. Pourquoi n'exploitons-nous pas  la possibilité de se réunir avec ceux de mêmes perspectives et discuter des mesures que nous pouvons mettre sur place pour résoudre ces problèmes à partir même de nos arrière-cours et commencer à développer ces stratégies de sorte que lorsque l'occasion se présente pour nous de faire une différence nous serions prêts? Heureusement, je crois avoir vu des signes que cela se produise. Avec le niveau d'amertume et de frustration dont nous nous exposons, nous ne pouvons pas être dans l'état d'esprit de penser aux solutions quoique soit. C'est le moment de decider de permettre à notre douleur de faire ressortir le meilleur en nous plutôt que de lui permettre de nous transformer en monstres qui ne ferait qu'empirer les choses.

MentorAfrica: DEATH OF THE AFRICAN CULTURE

MentorAfrica: DEATH OF THE AFRICAN CULTURE: What do you know of where you come from? I do not mean the nation or country in which you live. What do you know of you roots? What do y...

DEATH OF THE AFRICAN CULTURE

What do you know of where you come from? I do not mean the nation or country in which you live. What do you know of you roots? What do you know of your ancestry, your language, culture and tradition? Someone once asked me a relevant but disturbing question; “In this modern era, of what use is knowing one’s dialect, culture and tradition?” For years I carried this question within me. I only got to know the answer to this question when I left my home country to venture abroad.

As every tree needs roots to survive, so do we humans need roots to have a firm stand. Our roots are made by the fibers of ancestry, culture, and language. Culture is identity, culture lays down the foundation on which families are built and even the nation, a good culture serves to protect and preserve important values. The African culture as a whole is quite an interesting one. The languages, meals, songs, clothes and laws tell stories and have our history preserved in them. Without this history, Africa as we know it will cease to exist.

I worry because increase urbanization, influence of the western education and even religion is gradually wiping out the African culture. I happen to be a product of these threats. Of what use is speaking in different foreign languages without knowing how to speak my mother tongue. How many Africans home and abroad pride themselves in speaking their own language, wearing their African fabrics, and portraying where they come from? It is even sad that Africans who have never left the shores of Africa suddenly have foreign accents and even cuss. It’s sad how our youths easily copy ill cultures from outside when we have such a beautiful culture. Our young men are sagging their trousers and cussing, while our women are frying their hair and bleaching their skins. Learning and trying to adopt other cultures is a beautiful and unifying thing. However losing one’s identity in the course of picking up a foreign culture is rather disturbing.

  

The African media should show Africa for what it is. Our schools should try to incorporate our culture into learning. Our parents should teach us the mother tongue first before teaching us any other language. From time to time, we should return home to share and identify with our roots. As Africans when we travel abroad, we should share our food, language, clothes and everything African with people of different cultures. Times are changing and fashion is changing. Let us incorporate our culture into the new trend of hairdos, music, fashion and even food…If we stand tall and proud of whom we are, the outside world would respect us. The reason they don’t respect us enough is we are more willing to embrace their culture than ours…Africans let us come together and keep our culture alive. I am proud of my African heritage…I hope you are too!

Love you all!

God bless!

Stay You!

- See more at: http://camerdream.blogspot.com/2015/08/death-of-african-culture.html#sthash.4gFZqBSd.dpuf

MentorAfrica: MANY HANDS MAKE BEAUTIFUL WORK

MentorAfrica: MANY HANDS MAKE BEAUTIFUL WORK: When I was a kid I read this West African grassland folklore; it was a story of four brothers who fought each other all the time. Their fat...

MANY HANDS MAKE BEAUTIFUL WORK

When I was a kid I read this West African grassland folklore; it was a story of four brothers who fought each other all the time. Their father who was distraught by their fighting called them to his hut one day. When they got to his hut, he gave them each a broom stick and told them to break it. Though confused, they easily broke the broom stick. He then gave them a whole bundle of broom sticks tied into a broom and asked them to break it. For minutes they tried to break the broom to no avail. He then told them the reason they could not break it was because with greater number of broom sticks, the broom had more strength. He then applied it to them saying divided they would fall apart, but united they cannot be easily defeated.

Recently, i came across this  mind blowing story which took me on a journey to my childhood.

These kids are an example of the change we need. As youths under the burden of unemployment, i believe if we took each others hands and ran as a group; we would spark a revolution beyond our imagination. We have the numbers, energy and zeal on our side. Instead of spiting over worn politicians, together we could create for ourselves and be our own voices. Sometimes we need to put aside self interest and realize we have more to benefit when we look at the big picture. 'I can do things you cannot, you can do things i cannot; together we can do great things, Mother Theresa' The easiest way to win in this world is to be part of a team. As youths in this era; networking, creation of discussion forums, formation of business alliances, harnessing creativity collaboratively; are the tools we have at our disposal for change. Your talent, idea can get lost on your own; but the masterpiece produced from a colorful blend of ideas and initiative will be a marvel to the world.The most successful communities function on a 'no one is left behind' policy. If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. A family or country does not need to be perfect, it just needs to be united. Like kwame Nkrumah, I believe I am an African not because I was born in Africa, but because Africa was born in me.

If you think you think you are too small to change the world, then you haven't spent the night with a mosquito
- See more at: http://camerdream.blogspot.com/2015/07/many-hands-make-beautiful-work.html#sthash.OSrGxjJX.dpuf

MentorAfrica: THE TRUE SPIRIT OF A TYPICAL AFRICAN

MentorAfrica: THE TRUE SPIRIT OF A TYPICAL AFRICAN: A letter of gratitude to our African elder brothers and sisters who became our parents by choice and sponsored us willingly…The true spirit...

THE TRUE SPIRIT OF A TYPICAL AFRICAN

A letter of gratitude to our African elder brothers and sisters who became our parents by choice and sponsored us willingly…The true spirit of a typical African

Reply 15:51 A+ A-

No matter what everybody will think or say, there is a fact about Africa that cannot be challenged in the highest court of law. In Africa, we have a spirit of unity and belongingness. There is a love that each African has for his fellow African that cannot be described. When out of Africa, you find Africans coming together to help each other because of the common bond they share. In Africa, a child belongs to the mother only when he is in the womb, but once he is born, he is the responsibility of the society. This spirit of unity and love originates from the smallest unit of the society, the family.

Thanks to the media, we are able to understand how people from different continents behave and relate to each other. It is common in Africa to find someone housing a stranded individual because they are from the same village, region, Country or by virtue of the fact that they are fellow Africans.

To our African elder brothers and sisters, in and out of Africa words cannot express the gratitude we feel towards you for willingly sponsoring us through secondary school right up to the university. While we were young, we thought it was a right for you to do so. We impatiently made a long list of needs and requirements and presented them to you, some of us by phone and some of us through email. You never said No without an explanation. If you could not help us at the moment, you told us kindly, saying you had received our message and you will see what you can do about it.

We made demands from you without even asking if you had met all of your needs before trying to see us through life. Days turned into months and months turned into years. we finally grew up and came of age, ready for adulthood. Then the truth struck us. We realize what life is and understood what you were doing all these years.You sacrificed for us. Some of you had about 4 junior ones to look after and you simultaneously sent us to school. Not to mention, you even went to the extent of sponsoring us in expensive boarding schools.

Some of our African elder brothers and sisters landed good jobs out of Africa. Instead of living in luxurious homes and driving expensive cars, you gave up some of these things and much more to make sure we your younger ones back home could eat 3 square meals a day and wear descent clothes. We still remember the boxes of clothes, shoes and other electronics you sent back home, not forgetting the Christmas gifts you sent. Those of you who are out of the country sacrificed your time to be able to help us. It is now that we realize what you did for us. Some of you took up two jobs, some of you added odd jobs to your normal jobs and after paying all the numerous bills you have by the end of the month (mortgage, health insurance, electricity bills,water bills, car insurance, gas bills, credit card bills, Internet bills, cable bills, taxes....), you still took care of our basic needs willingly.

Some of you helped our parents in raising the family. The moneys you gave our parents helped cut down the number of large farms we worked to sustained ourselves. By so doing, we were able to concentrate more on our studies. The most important sacrifice some of our elder ones did for us was that they dedicated their lives to making sure that their younger ones attained a certain level in life through education. While some of your age mates and friends were buzzy getting married, you put your life on hold to bring us up to a level where we could look after ourselves. 

Your numerous act of kindness and selflessness will continue to inspire us for the rest of our lives. Sincerely, we couldn't have made it this far in life without you. No amount of money is worth the sacrifice you made for us. You will forever remain our heroes and role models. We have grown up to realize that life is not a bed of roses. You will always have a place in our heart. God bless you. 

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