Queen of Pop, Shakira, performed what was arguably the best World Cup theme song in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, hosted in South Africa. The song was titled “This is time for Africa”. In that same vein, we all are saying that the time has come for Africa to take her place amongst the world powers.
However, it is unfortunate that despite the time being now, Africa has shown that she is not ready. The issue of corruption, unemployment, high mortality rate, insurgency, and illiteracy still beguiles the very future of this continent.
Various Heads of State loot the resources of their country and rather than invest in the continent, they take it all the way out to Europe, America, and so on. The health care system is so poor that large amount of Africans have little or no access to health care facilities, hence the increase of death tolls as a result of ill-health which could have been taken care of.
The issue of unemployment has led to the increment of crimes across various States. Young men and women now result to fraud, armed robbery, living dubious lives, and so on, just to Carter for their well-being. This also gives room for insurgency, as most recruits are usually poor, unemployed youths. Also, the issue of illiteracy plays a huge role here, as most of these insurgents have little or no formal education. Education is the bedrock of development, as any nation without education is a doomed nation.
We have to stand up, we have to make a stand. We have to take the light and chart our own course. We will be killing this potential-filled continent if we do not address these issues. We must protest against the issues that have been raised, and demand more accountability from our leaders.
And this is not the duty of Africans alone. All men of the Black race must come together, with one voice, to save this continent. Like it or not, we are all from the same root, and Africa is the future. We must all join hands together to save our ‘world’.
This is time for Africa.
