African Rant

In the western world, we see Africa as an impoverished continent. We see starvation, war, disease and who do we blame? We blame the leaders and autocrats for being corrupt, we blame ourselves for not doing enough. The people we don’t blame are the poor people trying to make ends meet. My experience is that all the way up, the people are simply out for what they can get. Ghana produces cocoa, gold and, soon to be vast amounts of oil. The world’s second largest uranium mine is in Niger. They all have things we in the West want. Want, an emotive word. I was brought up with the phrase “I want, doesn’t get” ringing in my ears. However, here in Ghana, it is adults who “want” Don’t get this confused with wanting for something. The system is not as bad as we may think. Medical care is freely available, the state provides for those who cannot work. If you are fired from a job, it is customary, no, it is expected that you will be paid two month’s salary to compensate you. Even if you were fired because you were lazy or dishonest. What a wonderful work ethic to have.

Am I jaded? Perhaps. Am I being unfair to the good citizens? You find me one, they are pretty thin on the ground. Have you ever donated clothes so they can be distributed to the less well off over here in Africa? Have you ever considered what happens to these clothes? Distributed from the back of a United Nations truck perhaps. Offered, based on size to the most needy. Of course we would love to think that is how things are done. After all, the poor people are grateful of aid. Unfortunately, we forget that the same corruption that stifled the development of these countries will grasp every opportunity to profit. Have you worked it out yet? Am I asking too many questions of you? Those old t shirts, denims, dresses you hand in to help those less fortunate than yourself are SOLD not given to people. The common complaint I hear is that the leaders are corrupt. That’s not a problem, someone else will come along, depose said leader via a military coup and take over. The film from the ‘80s Wall Street coined the phrase “Greed is good” It has been here in Africa long before that and perpetuates today. By now, you think I am narrow minded, you may think I am colonialist. Heaven help me, you may even think I am being racist. Think what you like. I am here. I am waiting twenty minutes for a coffee in a restaurant whilst a Ghanaian is served in five. I have people served in queues way behind me. Another popular culture quote comes to mind, that of Sasha Baron Cohen in the guise of Ali G. Turning his well known phrase on its head, I want to utter, or have emblazoned on a t shirt “Is it because I is white?”

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