“THE AFRICAN MINDSET”! A REAL CHALLENGE TO AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT: THE THOUGHT OF AN AFRICAN YOUTH.

“THE AFRICAN MINDSET”! A REAL CHALLENGE TO AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT: THE THOUGHT OF AN AFRICAN YOUTH.

“Africa can be transformed when the mindset of Africans is first transformed and put into concrete actions”. These words of President Paul Kagame appears to be a true reflection of the path Africa needs to carve in ensuring development. A total liberation and change from the “typical African mindset” is key in our quest to develop.

It is saddening and disheartening that, in this age and era, the “typical African” still holds on to several “mindset” that has either consciously or unconsciously affected our thoughts and actions.

In the “typical mindset of the African”, ladies and women work hard in order to “catch the eye of a man”. Ladies are groomed and nurtured to become “marriage materials”. What happens to the potentials, dreams and aspirations of the African lady? Ladies are often victimized and given all sort of names when they decide to pursue higher education and career instead of settling down to be “marriage materials”.  As to the number of yards required to be a marriage material, Its not been determined yet!! The basic questions that linger: Is marriage the key to heaven for our African ladies? Can’t a lady pursue her career and still be married? How can we develop as a continent when these beautiful brains and potentials of the African lady is kept in  the kitchen and bedroom?

Sadly, within the “typical African mindset” religion has become synonymous to development and prosperity. We spend several hours in church expecting bread to fall from heaven. We have abandoned common sense in the name of religion. Our aged parents who have worked tirelessly to see us through life are abandoned and ill-treated because some men of God through whatever means accuse them as witches. Instead of us to devote office hours to work, we resort to prayer centers and convention with the hope of a breakthrough. We sometimes forget that, it is written clearly that, “Heaven helps those who help themselves”.

In the beautiful continent of Africa, the “typical African mindset” believes that, any product coming from foreigners is far superior and better than African products. Students with foreign certificates are perceived smarter and capable than students trained in the continent. Commodities from Europe, Asia and America are perceived to be of higher quality than local products. This trend has resulted in several instances where quality commodities made by Africans and from resources in Africa are branded as foreign goods. How do we progress with this mindset?

One other devastating and sad issue with the “African mindset” is in respect to time. GMT is often translated to mean ‘Ghana Man Time’ which is synonymous to lateness. In every function, guests are always notified an hour earlier else the program might start with no or just a few guests. Time has been described as an important resource in development yet that is not the case in the “mindset of the typical African”. How then do we confront our challenges when we don’t value time?

In the beautiful African continent, governments have often relied on aids, grants and foreign assistance hoping that is the easiest means of ensuring socio-economic development. In opposition, political actors give wonderful sermons on effective ways of mobilizing revenue. Sadly, upon assumption of office, they resort to the “typical African mindset of governance” which is surviving on aids, grants and loans with several conditions which draws us slowly into "slavery" which our forefathers fought against. 

The “typical African mindset” in relation to public or government work can best be described as a tragedy. Public service workers often use public goods without any maintenance. They use state facilities for their private work. They report to work late and leave earlier. In some public institutions, the weekend holidays start on Fridays. What baffles me is the fact that, these same persons are more effective and efficient within the private sector. The sad and annoying answer given for this mindset to public service is “their parents are not the owners of government institutions and facilities”.

My fellow brothers and sisters, Africa undeniably remains the most blessed continent in terms of natural resources. It is high time we make away with this “African mindset”. It is time to project our girl child. The African lady must be given all the resources required to achieve her dreams and not confined to the kitchen. It is time to apply common sense to religion. The time has come for Africans to see time as a resource. It is time to develop positive attitude to public goods and services.

Let us change the African narrative to a positive path by doing away with the “typical African mindset”. With this change, we can charter a path of progress and development.

By:

Kwame Ohene-Ntow

YALI DREAM

A BETTER GHANA

A BRIGHTER AFRICA.

The writer is a graduate student of Development Policy and Planning at KNUST and an Alumnus of Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI).

Email: vincentntow12@gmail.com