The Second Independence

Considering the fact that the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Spain and a lot of other European countries serve as hosts to tens of thousands of Africans a year, one starts to grasp the concept of just how many Human resources are continually been lost by Africa. The host nations hold the privilege of determining how the immigrants are perceived, depending on their economic viability. However this does not stop the continuing debate about the effects this migration on the migrants themselves or the continent they hail from. Some argue it’s good because it exposes these immigrants to a far better way of life, while others argue that it leads to the continuing destruction of the future of Africa. Because of the convincing arguments from both sides, one can never be really sure who is right. What one can then do is consider the ramifications of those who leave the continent to pursue educational opportunities overseas.

The impact foreign educated Africans have had on Africa cannot be overestimated. From the period of initial contact between Africa and the Western world, through the transatlantic slave trade, afterwards, and unto the present day, Select students have found their way into the Diaspora, searching for the attainment of good education. The first stream of Pan-Africanists, who transported the continent from colonialism to independence like Robert Mugabe, Julius Nyerereh, and Kwame Nkrumah, all had some form of Western Education.

Presently the initial cause for the struggle for all those Pan-Africanists has been addressed. Africa has gained independence from its colonial masters. However, the struggle does not end here; there are a lot more problems affecting Africa now than had been at any moment in history. The ignominy of been the least developed continent in the world is overshadowed only by the fact that we have all the available resources to turn this negative statistics around but we fail to do so.

Blessed with fertile lands, marine resources, mineral resources and now extremely capable human resources, the attainment of the second independence, ( freedom from complete dependability on non-western governments and institutions, in combination with the freedom from preventable environmental disasters, human calamities and institutional calamities brought about by ignorance and corruption), is a realistic dream.

As foreign educated Africans, what then is our responsibility towards the accomplishment of this great idea? Do we even owe any responsibility towards contributing to African development? Most of us have asked ourselves these questions at one time or the other. Considering the fact that we all personally know the struggles we go through to attain our education it comes as no surprise that we question our responsibility or lack thereof to others. Admittedly, Africa did not send you here, when you need money, Africa does not contribute to your personal funds, you work hard for every simple advantage you can get. Well and good, I cannot tell you why myself, but I will use the words of a more eloquent persona to do so. In his Speech “I’ve been to the mountaintop” delivered on 3rd April 1968, Martin Luther King said in reference to the parable of the rich man who fell on thieves on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. “…the first question that the priest asked -- the first question that the Levite asked was, "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?"
We are born Africans, and as such our fate is forever linked with the continent. The state of the continent reflects on us. Realizing that our pride or disappointment about the continent rests with our actions or inactions should propel us to seek the welfare of that great continent.

Every great movement has a point of change, the catalyst that defines that movement. What then is going to be ours? We do not have to wait till the only means left to us to turn around the deplorable state of our motherland entails violent means. We do not have to wait till whole communities are wiped out, cultures vanquished, religions lost or the resources for development have either been carted off to foreign nations or the benefits have been funneled into the pockets of petty politicians feeding on the ignorance of the people.

I am tired of feeling ashamed whenever Africa is mentioned, because what usually follows is a depiction of an uninhabitable land, with pictures of naked starving children, either carrying guns or carrying fatal diseases or pictures of well dressed, well fed, articulate men, seemingly badly informed about the very people they are trying to represent, or in some cases with no idea how to help. Are you tired enough to do something? Then prepare yourself for the second independence of Africa, and remember the words of Winona LaDuke, “There is no social change fairy. There is only change made by the hands of individuals.”