My A' Level literature class this year is studying Half of a yellow sun by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie a Nigerian writer who brings to the page a kind of lyricism which is reminiscent of Ngugi wa Thiongo and Chinua Achebe. I was enthralled right up to the last page; she wove the story so intricately in idiomatic English that I could relate to. The story brought to the fore the reasons why as Africans we have failed to progress and eradicate poverty.
1. Tribalism
Whichever country on the continent you go to, the country is always divided along tribal lines. The massacre in Rwanda in 1994 was because of failure to understand each other as tribes of one country, the call for a separate state of Matebeleland in Zimbabwe is because of suspicion and failure to get along as one nation. Tribal polarisation is the root of all the ills in our country.
2. Jealousy
The green - eyed monster has been at the centre of the hoarding, defrauding and sabotaging of local infrastructure, personal injury and fatalities when we are faced with the senseless behaviour which we occasionally engaged in in the past but which of late has been a regular alarming occurrence.
3. Religious polarisation
Whilst we talk of religious tolerance, we still have a long way to go. We need to start practising what we preach and our church leaders need to be tolerant and considerate people. We need to live together in harmony with no prejudice.
4. Selfishness
I have noticed that Zimbabweans behave like crabs, always pulling each other down (although this is also true of other parts of the world). The moment we start thinking about how our actions affect the person next to us and how we can make the world a better place, we will become less selfish.
peace,
fadz
1. Tribalism
Whichever country on the continent you go to, the country is always divided along tribal lines. The massacre in Rwanda in 1994 was because of failure to understand each other as tribes of one country, the call for a separate state of Matebeleland in Zimbabwe is because of suspicion and failure to get along as one nation. Tribal polarisation is the root of all the ills in our country.
2. Jealousy
The green - eyed monster has been at the centre of the hoarding, defrauding and sabotaging of local infrastructure, personal injury and fatalities when we are faced with the senseless behaviour which we occasionally engaged in in the past but which of late has been a regular alarming occurrence.
3. Religious polarisation
Whilst we talk of religious tolerance, we still have a long way to go. We need to start practising what we preach and our church leaders need to be tolerant and considerate people. We need to live together in harmony with no prejudice.
4. Selfishness
I have noticed that Zimbabweans behave like crabs, always pulling each other down (although this is also true of other parts of the world). The moment we start thinking about how our actions affect the person next to us and how we can make the world a better place, we will become less selfish.
peace,
fadz
Hi Fadzai. Gd 2 be back reading your blog after a three month break from all things blog-including mine. Still analyzing everyday issues I see.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more on the points you raised. However I think the greatest thing that has hampered the growth of our economy and politics is selfishness; wanting more for ourselves. Every other evil you named stems from this root. Just consider 'jealousy'.
Cheers
Imakando
Hi Imakando, my blogging has been sporadic of late but it is my hope that I am back now. Like I said, we are like crabs. We would rather see all of us at the bottom of the bucket rather than let some of us climb our of it. And if some do get out they crow and laugh at those still inside instead of helping them out.
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