I have always used my pen to advocate for solutions that support Africa. However, this time, I found myself challenged by one of the representatives of the dot com generation – my own youngest daughter. We sat in a hotel lobby, accompanied by one of my legal-political-minded daughters, awaiting a dear friend whom I had invited to meet with us.
As I fumbled through my documents to find my phone and make an inquiry about our friend’s journey, my used airline ticket slipped from the pile and fell to the floor. My daughter noticed and posed a rather tough question: “Why is travelling in Africa and to Africa so much more expensive than travelling to the USA?”
I felt ambushed by my own 24-year-old daughter, who is deeply passionate about defending Africa. She wasn’t joking; she wanted answers.
To address this question, I had to gather my thoughts and respond to my daughter, who holds a Master of Law degree from King’s College London. Despite always defending Africa, even in situations where I know that certain actions, like wars, are not justified, I realized that this was an issue that needed a careful and honest examination.
I told my inner self that to cool the anxiety of my tormentor seated across, I had to use political science to what is called in Swahili “zima motto ” (extinguish fire ) because the Christmas season is dangerous in these hard times of Hamas/Israel war.
I began by borrowing a famous Hamas/Israel conflict slogan to set the stage. I acknowledged that as the world prepares for the peak of the festive season, it’s impossible to ignore the many contradictions and paradoxes that exist in Africa.
Using some Shakespearean language, I tried to calm the waters and started by addressing the most glaring issue at hand – the cost of airfare flights within Africa. It’s often more economical to fly outside of Africa than within some African countries using our airlines. Sometimes, it’s even easier for foreigners to enter an African country than it is for Africans themselves. Africa, like any continent, has its contradictions, but ours seem more pronounced.
Let me be brutally honest today. Beyond the high costs of plane tickets and international travel, I want to narrow the conversation to highlight a more critical point. Africa is one of the world’s largest producers of mineral resources, yet the African people benefit little, if at all, from these resources. Instead, we often find ourselves beholden to lenders like the IMF and World Bank, institutions created by the USA after World War II.
For instance, the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a leading producer of cobalt, a key component in smart devices like iPhones and MacBooks. However, many people in the region have never seen, let alone used, such devices. Instead, they are trapped in a cycle of never-ending conflict, abject poverty, and heart-wrenching devastation.
In a different part of Africa, Nigeria, despite being one of the largest oil producers globally, experiences frequent power outages, fuel shortages, and infrastructural deficiencies. Ironically, there are more generators in most Nigerian cities than anywhere else in Africa.
Moving further west into Africa, we encounter countries like Ghana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Kenya, which produce significant amounts of cocoa and coffee, exported to the Western world. Paradoxically, many people in these countries cannot afford the finished products made from their own produce, products that Europe exports. This represents a significant missed opportunity for value addition in Africa.
Lastly, Africa is undeniably a hub for culture, arts, and incredible talent. We produce world-class footballers, musicians, doctors, scholars, and artists. The world’s very first modern university was located in Africa, around Timbuktu.
However, it’s astonishing that Africans often have an overwhelming appetite for foreign goods and experiences. With limited resources, many Africans strive to demonstrate their social status by embracing Western clothes, cars, and lifestyles. Even some African leaders, after embezzling public funds, prefer to invest in the West rather than their continent.
What has led to this situation? When will Africa turn its focus inward, prioritize itself, and enrich its people before others?
I wrote this article while flying over Africa, avoiding conflict hotspots on the ground, to reach Europe. These are my thoughts during this festive season. Africa must address these systemic paradoxes and contradictions that persist.
In conclusion, my Shakespearean English from the 1960s and 1970s may have initially threatened my daughter, but she had a valid point. I pray that Africa takes the necessary steps to remove the obstacles that make air travel within Africa and to Africa expensive.
Thank you, and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2024.
