Colonial hangover haunting Africa’s development

Lazarus Sauti

Hangover is simply a relict of the past and colonial hangover refers to rules and standards of behaviour peculiar only to the old colonial system.

This less subtle form of control - colonial handover or mental slavery – is haunting the development of countries in the African continent because most Africans believe in the notion that ‘foreign or white is better.’

They bend over backwards to help a foreigner, but find it hard to even grant audience to a fellow African who might have a new idea. But truth be told, the White man is not better than the Black man, neither is his culture superior to that of the African.

In fact, there are elements of goodness in both cultures, and so there is an evil side to.

Now if the African considers the ways of the Europeans as more superior to his, he is in a position of clouding his objective vision of being creative and exploring his God-given talents.

Because of colonial hangover, Africans believe the continent’s indigenous knowledge systems (IKSs) are primitive and backward.

Furthermore, Africans have severely failed to restructure Africa’s society and livelihoods to represent the needs and culture of the people.

Jemila Abdulai, writer says because of colonial hangover - the chains around Africans’ self-perception and identification with their ancestry, the continent is failing to overcome poverty and diseases.

Abdulai notes, “Although development opportunities in African nations have increased over the course of time, the struggles continue because of this inferiority complex.”

Honourable Saka, a political analyst on African affairs and a well-known social commentator in Africa believes that colonial hangover (mental slavery), which is currently staring Africans, is more dangerous than slavery – the period in which African men and women were forcefully abducted by European and North American countries to work as slaves.

“First of all the African people must be told the truth. Colonialism did not end 50 years ago! Slavery is not yet over either! We are still trapped mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, socially, culturally, academically, technologically and many more,” remarks Saka.

He goes on to say, “Many Africans do not even realise that they are still under the yolk of “modern” slavery.”

This ignorance is what makes colonial hangover dangerous.

Sadly, political leaders in Africa are not doing enough to free the great continent and her citizenry from colonial hangover.

They seem to be happy to realise that the continent is still under colonial rule. This is furthering the problem and at the same time hampering the growth of Africa.

Ugandan Pharmacist, Dr Daniel Kawuma, comments: “Though our nations were granted political independence, we still have a great amount of psychological attachment to the western world.”

“There is a need for self-reflection and urgency to debunk the myth that dependence and immigration to the western world is an automatic lottery ticket to a better life.”

Adds Kawuma: “This is arguably the culmination of the inferiority complex. An insatiable desire among Africans to leave their motherlands and feast on greener pastures in the fantasyland created and exaggerated by media and Diaspora through false valuation.

“Though some are able to succeed, many sacrifice their careers and livelihoods without any significant returns—and instead endure misery and hardship.”

Collence Chisita, a Harare based researcher believes that it is easier for Africa to shed off colonial hangover.

He says: “Africa need new mental costumes not borrowed ones. The continent also needs to turn the globe around and look at the world with clear eyes and mind.”

For this to happen, President Robert Mugabe says education should be used to empower citizens. This means that educational institutions should be a key point of intervention by focusing attention on relevant education so as to bridge the gap between the educated minds and their natural habitat.

More so, policy decision makers in the education sector in African countries should pave the road towards self-sufficiency and the human resource base of the continent will be greatly utilised to gear development, productivity and innovation.

For total emancipation, African governments should also embrace indigenisation and economic empowerment programmes. These programmes should seek to boost the confidence of Africans.

Godwin Agbesi sums: “Awake Africans! Gather yourselves; harness your rich and bountiful resources and with your brilliant ability, transform your country into a better and beautiful place.

“As China is becoming more self-reliant, so must we also be more self-reliant.”

Let Africa progress and not to retrogress!