A continental call to action across the Motherland

Samuel Saah Karimu

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n this world, trust me some people will always throw stones in your path to success. But hey, it’s your decision to decide the outcome; you either use the stones to construct a divider that’ll preclude you from claiming your prosperity or you build a bridge of extension that’ll name and disgrace the rival that you’re ready for business. Presently, the possibility is all yours my kindred Africans mostly the young people of my nation, Liberia to venture past those subjective imperatives of human advance in our aggregate battle against social indecencies in the public space.

In the mean stream of governance, some deceitful political performing [ads1]artists are tossing stones of division and loathes in their exposed mission for political deceptive nature imagining under a pseudo name as ‘Paradigm shift on the continent’. They won’t rest the length of the hunger for riches is unquenchable like a roaring lion awaiting fresh blood in the high timberland marked ‘Survival the fittest’. They got all the stones-like resources to threaten the vivid path to real transformation but never relent as these stones will be used at the ballot box to positively shift the destiny of our beloved continent, Africa.

Let’s not forget that a sick child in Karnplay, Nimba County can be healed by how well you transform this stone in your favor especially doing and after elections. A non school-going youngster across the Degei river in Fuamah district, Bong County can regain and reclaim the future just by the bridge you’ll construct with the stones tossed at you. How about we astutely utilize the stones to build an enthusiastic scaffold of national prosperity and development. A bridge of hope and certainty that’ll perfectly bridge the gaps between the haves and the have nots, the disabled and the abled inluding marginalized and the privileged few. I’m dreaming the construction of that African bridge of hope, prosperity and rapid transformation that’ll make all men equal before the law similar in the eyes of our Creator. A bridge that respects neither person, status, class, association, emotions, feelings nor affiliations.

Regrettably for us, at this point in time, destiny has caught us across the Meterrianean sea and Congo Basin but, our pen won’t rest until the masses of our people are victoriously liberated. This is a patriotic message for you to redeem that disabled soul fighting for survival in the rural areas but always victim of progress just by seeing the unchanged condition of his abled sibling. Imagine a visually impaired father in rural Africa who got no access to road and quality health facilities least to talk about education and industrial sites to generate income. When will this nightmare end in the Africa we know? For too long the resources of our continent have endured political fumble and terrible administration ignoring innovative means of sustainable developments and prosperities.

Now these are pondering questions for all and sundry: Have you ever wondered how the rural people survive or feel the political governance you enjoy in the cities emanated from their votes? Have you ever reasoned out why there is mass urban transition compare to the rural area thereby, negatively affecting the supply of manpower in goods and services delivery? Tell me with bold face, the source of your courage to campaign for change in the rural areas you once intentionally abandoned! What is the real source of your courage to take debate to those forgotten or remote urban terrains? How do you think disputes are judiciously settled in a high to reach area in rural Africa that has no access to police station least to say court house? How do you think Africa will achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) amidst alarming maternal maternity rate, poor health care deliveries, low human resource capacities and poor water and sanitation system? O yes, tell me in this modern era how do you think we will win the fight against maternal deaths when most of our pregnant mothers and sisters walk more than two hours just to attend antenatal care (ANC) at primary health facilities? What is the sincerity of our fight against corruption when our governance and leadership framework is driven toward the class or elite system that selectively grace associates and disgrace nonmembers?

On the negative side, your continuous failure to create a conducive environment within the space we occupy made the private sector unaccounted for and run as Saint in the market for goods and services. You bureaucratically hamper the growth of our African-owned industries and companies and preference the foreign owned whose sole objectives are to get the dollars, create inflation and develop their land. As in the case of any organized economy, the private sector remains the engine of growth to foster rapid developments but sadly, in most of our African states, the government dominates the labor market with weak institutions and unproductive manpower. Now, tell me for the sake of reasoning how can this public sector checkmates the private sector when most of its key actors sell out their consciences of national interest for peanuts or stomach? The private sector too needs checkmating and overhauling to dispatch the essential change we require in this new Africa but this is only done with a strong and vibrant public sector with zero tolerance on corruption and nepotism.

Ahy, I most times cry to wonder on the quality of education obtains by a child in the rural area when there’s alarming transition of the few capables in the urban area. A society where an agriculturalist abandoned the soil for split-coat job in one tight and less impactful political office. A society where a seasoned doctor or chemist leaves the healing center and settles for politics of wealth. A society where the only job for an African-trained chemist is the classroom instead of the industries or chemical sites. A society where our local and national teams are passionately substituted for the European and American soccer; hmm.. the clash of the mind is against the continent. A society where dreams, talents and aspirations are frustratingly buried ignoring the merit system of governance. A society where a business or MBA student sees the bank or the government as the only source of employment leaving the teachings of entrepreneurship for theoretical reference only. Oh! What an irony of democratic governance!

Unfortunately, you deliberately leave the issues that matter and without inner voice you hopped to the Web with your divisive message wanting to acquire power at the expense of the masses’ sweat and blood. And you call that politics of change? Again, what is the real source of your courage to preach this message of division on a continent that is notably known for brotherly love and social cohesiveness? Trust me, your days are numbered as your own stones of loathe will meet you at the polling station.

As Dr. Henry Boima Fahnbulleh, Jr. of The Pan African struggle would say, the African people are their own liberators so it’s with you my dear country man; ascend now and send a proviso to these just raiders that the time has sought the enthusiastic individuals to take responsibility for arrive you’ve bungled for decades.The emancipation of our continent is tied in the words of elders “Only a madman goes to bed with his roof on fire” so we won’t sleep while our landmass fall prey to terrible administration and ineffective condition.

Beyond all of these visible and life threatening constraints, I am certain that my Africa, your Africa, and our Africa will soon champion the needed transformation. The real solutions to the African nightmare of quality leaderships require no blame-shifting instead a trinity of responsibility; the people, the private sector and mainly the public sector acting on the direct mandate of the people. From distance, we dream the transformation as some of our trusted brothers may not be there like Prophet Moses but the truth of the matter is we’ll surely get there and I’m certain this entry of success is entirely tied to hard work, patriotism, innovation, humility, and deeds not words(action).

Trust me, this journey must begin and end with those young progressives of the mainland with unrelenting desires to captain the African Titanic watercraft of progress. Let’s utilize the stones to build the Africa we want for us, our children and unborn children. Yes, Africa must rise with the black man on the black continent!

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Samuel Saah Karimu is a youthful globally prepared Liberian writer, researcher and certified public discussant with background in Business Economics, Financial and Project Managements and Quantitative reasoning blended with quality business communications and problem solving skills. Hold training in development studies, Management Information System and Forensic Investigation. Worked with the private sector on a private-public partnership mainly design for strengthening rural-health system in Liberia.