All is not doom and gloom for the black race
In his extended piece of writing titled The Capitalist Niger, Chika Onyeani, an American of Nigerian origin, is very blunt about the state of the black race. He says, for instance, “Many people will be angry, to say it mildly, when I question the intelligence of my people compared to the Asians (Indians, Pakistanis, Malaysians, Filipinos) and others who attained independence at the same time as most African countries.”
Regarding the black man’s ability (or lack thereof) to manufacture goods, Onyeani says, “The Black race is a slave – pure and simple – an economic slave. I am frightened and disgusted at the same time, at a people who produce nothing and consume everything that others produce.”
He goes on to point out that Africans have such an insatiable appetite for luxury goods (goods that they do not make and do not have a clue how they are made) that there are more Mecerdes Benz cars in Africa than in Germany, where they are made. He further laments the fact that all the wars in Africa are possible courtesy of the white man’s gun, an implement that is not made by anybody in Africa. Africans, he contends, do not even understand how a gun works, not to mention making one, but they are quick to use it to kill their own brothers.
Then he turns to the black man’s affinity for music and makes the following sobering observation, “I am sitting here and looking at my nephew’s great stereo. It was made in Japan by the Aiwa Corporation. In fact, since Africans love music so much you would have anticipated that they would control the production of all products pertaining to music. Yes, we can sing, we can dance. That is just about it. In fact, it has been shown that Black people spend more money on purchasing musical equipment than any other group, but do we produce any these products? The answer is a resounding NO! Do we even have a factory owned by a Black person where these musical products are assembled? The answer is a resounding NO!”
When I first read Onyeani’s booklet, I ground my teeth, seething with rage, like most of my readers will no doubt be enraged from the cores of their souls upon casting their eyes on this article.
Yes, he is blunt and unapologetic, provoking and thoroughly rude. Yet when you honestly examine his assertions, you discover that they are not entirely devoid of elements of truth. He is, I am sure, a well meaning individual of African origin who is probably trying to apply some shock therapy to the situation of the black race in order to jump start a process that will bring it to its material well being.
This column exists to kick-start a similar process for Malawians and Africans by taking a totally different approach to Onyeani’s, namely pointing out the positive developments within our race, in the hope that these will be emulated or even improved upon.
Africans have so far not been able to engage in mass manufacturing of goods mainly because, as I have postulated many times before, they have not developed a culture conducive to manufacturing. Culture, fortunately, is never cast in stone. It has some inherent fluidity and can, therefore, be changed. Indians did not have a manufacturing culture before, but they now do. It was unheard of twenty years ago that patients would go to India. Now scores of Malawian patients are seeking medical attention in India.
In Africa, too, things are changing. I have pointed out a number of times before that Ghanaian Apostle Kwado Safo Kantanka designs and assembles beautiful cars, branded Kantanka. He also manufactures other products such as armoury vehicles, TV screens and, yes you are reading correctly, jets. Turtle is another car made by Ghanaian craftsmen to suit local conditions.
In Nigeria, a local chief called Dr Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma founded a company which now manufactures vehicles that have been branded Innoson. The Kiira project in Uganda has already manufactured car units that have been test driven. The project is based at Makerere University and will soon turn out commercial vehicles for the East African market. In Kenya, the Mobius brand has rolled out a number of units which now have a constant presence on Kenyan roads.
I recently heard of a Mchinji-based man who designed and assembled an automatic nsima cooker. These are the initiatives that deserve our total support.
All is not lost for Africa and the black race. n
