AFRICA TOMORROW
The discovery of skull fragments in Ethiopia recently underlines old claims that what we know as civilization may well have originated in Africa.
There is a growing fund of information which seems to prove the contention that what we call our history, did, indeed, have its roots in Africa.
The potential of the area is termendous. The history of one nation after another looks back on better days and there is evidence of a strong talent for advancement if there can ever be a lull in warfare and strife long enough for a government to grow and to attain power to curb such sucicidal actions as are now so evident. The halcyon days of ancient lore can have a strong influence on the power and glory of re-established states now in this 21st Century. That which once existed, can have a valid counterpart today once the will of the people is contained and directed toward such a goal, but the promise of such a change is not very evident at this moment in Time.
There is much bickering about how to go about it all, and the all to frequent cop-out tactic is to blame it all on "colonialism". That only sets the black-white thorn more deeply in the flesh that needs nourishment not added torture. Many balcks seem to feel better, momentarily, by placing the supposed blame of everything bad that takes place at the feet of failed Empires. This does very little toward solving the basic problems which exist among millions of men, women and children. It only makes things worse since it deal with things past rather than things present.
Of all the African states, South Africa, Egypt and Morocco, seem to be the only ones who even attempt to better themsleves. Nigeria held such a hope for decades but failed dismally in an attempt to come into modern times. Lybia has advanced to an imitation dictatorship but is stuck there in a swamp its own making. Sierra Leone is among the recenty ones to suffer severe internecine strife. Liberia - that great experiament by a western nation to revitalize the Dark Continent - with infusions of western concepts of democracy and people-power, has fallen apart.
Ethiopia and Eritrea are at it again and that is nothing new. I have often wondered why more western-educated Africans have not returned to their homeland as "leaders" - not politicans , necessarily - but innovators working on all aspects of living to help revive a sense of self-respect and unity among their people. Those few who attempt to do so, are, I fear, often handicapped beyond our understanding, by tribal differences in their native land. One of the basic things which has to take place in Africa is to overcome this clannishness, this pettiness "families" seem to think is the only way to survive.
As long as Nigerians hate each other violently, for example,who can even talk to them about unity much less convince them of their need for change and modification of their petty demands one upon the other.
In many of these areas, famine sets the stage for foreign intervention and involvement. Gigantic relief programs are in order, blended with sincere efforts at encouragment to enchance self-esteem among these needy millions.
A.L.M. June 23, 2003 [c531wds]
