PART 1

The bane of underdeveloment in Africa; (FOLLOWERSHIP)

The bane of underdevelopment in Africa can also be viewed as the problems of development we experience in Africa. Africa is a continent of the black race with a population of over 1.2 billion people making it the second continent with a large population. (Wikipedia) Africa is known for its cultural diversity and traditional values with over 58 countries.

I would like to give a quick definition to the term development. It is defined as an event constituting a new stage in a changing situation. Development covers all aspect which includes communications, construction, economic and technology.

The first factor, which is the most prominent factor, is the problem of corruption. What is Corruption? Business Dictionary defines corruption as the wrong doing on the part of anyone in the position of authority or powerful party through means that are illegitimate, immoral, or incompatible with ethical standard. Investopedia defines corruption as any dishonest behaviour by those in positions of power such as managers, civil servants and government officials. It includes giving and accepting bribes, collection of inappropriate gifts, manipulating elections, double dealings, fund diversion etc.

The word corruption is not strange but most times generalized to be practiced only by the leaders. What of the followers? In the civil services today in Nigeria, no matter what you want to do; if you don’t give gifts you can’t move ahead. In the construction sector of our economy, we experience a lot of decline mainly as a result of corruption. How these do happens? The use of substandard materials for building construction work. Government after allocating funds for projects, contractors and developers in other to make abnormal profits use substandard materials and rending the project non-durable. After a while the government is forced to spend more on this project again in other to be put in good conditions. This funds could be used in another sector effectively. Who should be blame? The leaders or government who allocated the funds? The people for their own selfish reasons gave government’s wrong advice? Or the contractors in the bid to make excessive profits?

Furthermore, another factor that causes the problem of development in Africa is as a result of the high level of illiteracy or ignorance. In Africa today, most people don’t appreciate the value of formal education, we won’t be surprised that some part of Africa still sees western education as a taboo, this has resulted into an increased rate in the level of illiteracy and this greatly hampers the participation of the masses in development process. For example no matter how good a leader can be, when he his surrounded by people who can’t see beyond what their eyes can show them, there is less to which that leader can achieve. In Africa, most followers depends on the leaders for everything, provision of jobs, electricity etc… but in a situation whereby the followers have a glimpse of how they can provide themselves with this in a legal way, we all wont depend on the government for all that we need.

In addition to what has been said earlier on, another factor to consider as a bane of development in Africa is the problem of ethnicity and tribalism. Africa known to be rich in culture but this is also a great problem. For example in Nigeria, there are three major ethnic groups but numerous and each of this ethnic wants to believe in the power of superiority. The believe that one ethnic is better or greater than another, rather it would have been helpful on the side of the followers to unite as one to help the leaders in achieving a great development, but this as created nothing but civil wars, lack of cooperation, communal clash… this has done nothing but harm to the development of Africa.