Founder of United In Mind, Inc.

California

U.S.A.

December 14, 2021

[REDACTED]

London

U.K.

Misconceptions About Africa: The Hopeful Continent

Dear [REDACTED],

It has come to my attention that in a recent webinar, entitled The True Facts about Africa, the Hopeless Continent, you made numerous claims about Africa that were fallacious and baseless. With access to so much information in our increasingly digitized world, it is easy to see how our species’ tendency for confirmation bias may make it difficult to seek out relevant facts objectively. However, claims and solid arguments must be supported by evidence and, upon giving you the benefit of the doubt and trying to understand the premises behind your argument, it has been determined that most of your claims are unsubstantiated. In fact, there is a breadth of compounding evidence to the contrary. Thus, I’d like to assist you by providing necessary insight and consolidating the information so that going forward, you may consider revisiting some of your claims prior to speaking publicly and risking the damage to your reputation as a self-proclaimed expert on African affairs.

In your webinar, you asserted that, on balance, Africa ultimately benefited from colonial imperialism. You falsely claimed that in the centuries prior to European colonialism, all Africans lived in tribes that lacked sophisticated governments and only developed subsistence economies, in which Africans only produced things for their own use and did not engage in any form of large-scale trading or commerce. You mentioned that absolutely no political, economic, or social innovation took place on the African continent between 1840 and 1880. In addition, you implied that Africans today are incapable of developing technological innovations or solutions to their own problems. Finally, you stated that western intervention in the form of mission trips, “voluntourism,” and the work of NGOs is crucially needed and a great benefit to Africans. All five of these claims are misleading, unfounded, and, quite frankly, potentially damaging.

There is clear evidence that inter-regional trade was occurring along the Trans-Saharan trade route from Ghana, in sub-Saharan Africa, to the Muslims of North Africa by as early as AD 773. (Davidson, 45) According to British journalist and historian Basil Davidson - author of over 30 books on African history, the Soninke people of Ghana formed the empire that oversaw a large portion of the gold trade across the desert. He stated that “early West Africans who lived to the north of the upper waters of the Niger River formed themselves into a strong trading state.” (Davidson, 34) In fact, based on the historical account of Tarikh as-Sudan, by 622 A.D., there had been twenty-two kings in Ghana, placing the origins of Ghana at around AD 300.  (Davidson, 45) This suggests that Ghana may have established a political system over 1.5 millennia prior to 19th-century European colonialism, contrary to the claim you made. 

Ghanaian kings had also established an advanced trade-based political economy prior to the 19th century. They had a system of price control and set the market price of gold by way of charging a production tax as well as an import and export tax.   (Davidson, 40-41) These kings needed to maintain a monopoly on gold to control trade within Soninke territory, so they offered gifts, rewards, and, occasionally, invaded neighboring kingdoms led by “lesser kings and chiefs.”   (Davidson, 36) By AD 800, the king of Ghana had begun collecting taxes from the other kings and chiefs whose territory they conquered.  (Davidson, 36) This required a strong army, which the empire of Ghana certainly had. By sometime between AD 1062 and 1076, King Tunka Manin had at least 200,000 warriors equipped with well-crafted iron-pointed spears in his army, and 40,000 of them were equipped with bows and arrows. (Davidson, 36-37) Thus, the Asante empire expanded, accumulating wealth and even more power. It’s apparent that the empire of Ghana made strategic use of both their location as well as their most internationally coveted natural resource to take optimal advantage of the salt-gold trade. As Davidson wrote, "Ghana began the trade in gold." (Davidson, 41)

The primary roles of the Soninke kings included organizing trade, managing public services, maintaining diplomacy with Saharan traders, and ensuring their safety along trade routes provided they paid their taxes.  (Davidson, 40) The empire also held huge banquets, listened to the concerns and requests of their citizens in the royal court, and, most importantly for the merchants, made it very safe for merchants and residents to conduct business in the region so that, in the process, they were able to accumulate a vast amount of wealth and weaponry to continue affording their power.  (Davidson, 38) To facilitate this, sometime between the 7th and 13th centuries, the empire of Ghana established a form of mass communication between villages through the use of “talking drums,” in which complex messages could be sent using a combination of tone, pitch, and rhythm. (Lost Kingdoms of Africa - Asante Kingdom, 00:33:36) This method of communication allowed the empire to announce major events at the royal court or assemble armies quickly through a call to war. Each village would utilize drums to continue relaying an announcement until every village across the empire heard the message. (Lost Kingdoms of Africa - Asante Kingdom) They clearly possessed the intellect to establish an organized political system of governing whilst retaining economic advantage over foreign states.

By 1817, the empire of Ghana was so wealthy and powerful that a British visitor by the name of Thomas Bowditch wrote an awe-inspired account of Ghana’s Royal Court, which he said was extravagantly filled with umbrellas made of fancy colorful fabrics, silks, and topped with figurines crafted with gold.  (Lost Kingdoms of Africa - Asante Kingdom, 00:02:06) Gold ornaments and accessories were seen all around, on canopies, swords, and on many members of his royal court. Davidson mentions an account from a history book by Tarikh al-Fattash in which he mentions that King Kanissa’ai of the 7th century had 1000 horses who slept only on a carpet and wore silken ropes as halters. Each horse was cared for by three personal attendants. (Davidson, 38) As time went on, Ghana became so prosperous that even the horses and dogs were covered with silk, gold, and silver in a grand display of their power and wealth. (Davidson, 38)

Considering how much political, economic, and social innovation the empire of Ghana alone had accomplished between AD 300 and 1817, it is absurd to suggest that no innovation occurred throughout the African continent between 1840 and 1880. According to Ghanaian scholar, professor, and historian A. Adu Boahen, when the slave trade ended in the early 19th century, many regions throughout Africa quickly adapted and filled the economic vacuum with international trade in various goods, including ivory, gum, cloves, beeswax, honey, coffee, peanuts, cotton, rubber, and palm oil. (Adu Boahen, 4) Prior to the Belgian invasion, the annual value of trade just at the mouth of Congo was around £3,000,000, which, when adjusted for inflation, would be more than £379,000,000 today. (Adu Boahen, 4) 

This new capitalist system had a huge socio-economic impact as it allowed for an increase in social mobility. Suddenly, residents of rural areas, male or female, were able to participate in a free-market economy as an entrepreneur, either as producers, traders, or both. (Adu Boahen, 4-5) The end of slavery also meant that Africans were no longer a commodity but, rather, human beings with rights and opportunities. New traders from central and equatorial Africa emerged and, in some cases, were more successful than those who had inherited their status. (Adu Boahen, 5) The expansion of multinational trade facilitated the spread of certain lingua francas and cultures, such as Swahili and Lingala, throughout the continent.  (Adu Boahen, 6-7) By 1880, three long-distance trading systems had been linked. (Adu Boahen, 5-6) Migration occurred simultaneously throughout parts of Africa around this period. As parts of Europe hemorrhaged millions of its citizens who migrated to the US, many Africans were moving around within Africa in search of opportunity. Central Africa was quickly turning into a more pluralistic region through rapid cultural diffusion and commercial unification. (Adu Boahen, 7)  

Modernization was simultaneously occurring throughout Africa prior to the Western invasion in the 1880s. Modern mines were constructed in Algeria in 1843 and Ghana in the 1870s. In Egypt, a printing press was set up in 1822. (Adu Boahen, 8) Before the end of Muhammad Ali’s reign in 1848, Egypt had also set up textile and cotton mills, wood mills, glassworks, and a paper mill.  (Adu Boahen, 8) In Ethiopia, construction of public works had begun, factories that produced cannons and mortars were built, and a “well-equipped army of professional soldiers'' had replaced the unpaid feudal army.  (Adu Boahen, 9) In Tunisia, Ahmed Bey had also invested in the state’s armed forces by setting up factories that produced guns and military equipment. (Adu Boahen, 8-9) In Fez, Morocco, an engineering school to train cartographers, surveyors, and artillerymen was established. (Adu Boahen, 8-9) On that note, the oldest existing educational institution that is still in operation today is the University of Karueein, founded in AD 859 in Morocco. (Guinness World Records) Prior to colonial rule, a number of schools had opened throughout Africa. By 1841, there were at least 21 elementary schools in Sierra Leone. (Adu Boahen, 16)  South Africa had both elementary and secondary schools in addition to technical schools and teacher-training colleges. (Adu Boahen, 16) Between 1841 and 1896, 3,448 students graduated from one African school alone, with over seven hundred of them in professional occupations such as teachers, law agents, law clerks, editors, journalists, interpreters, artisans, farmers, and a physician. (Adu Boahen, 17)

Politically, many states in Africa were also experimenting with establishing constitutions. As the population of educated and middle-class Africans continued to increase due to the socio-economic changes throughout the continent, clashes between the new elite and old aristocracy led to violence in some regions and peaceful transitions in others. (Adu Boahen, 9) In these regions where peaceful transitions led to the drafting of constitutions, such as in the kingdom of Grebo in Liberia, the Fante Confederation in Ghana in 1868, and the Egba United Board of Management (EUBM) in Nigeria in 1871, democracy and oversight was the apparent end goal. (Adu Boahen, 10) The detail covered in the drafted constitutions in both Ghana and Nigeria showed that they were truly invested in creating an organized system of government that would've ultimately benefited the people. The states that drafted constitutions weren't interested in establishing absolute monarchies or totalitarian regimes; they were interested in creating culturally appropriate democratic systems of government with checks and balances in place and a clear distribution of power. (Adu Boahen, 10) 

The Fante Confederation’s constitution proposed an alliance between local regions and an opportunity for regional kings to elect a king-president. (Adu Boahen, 10) They stressed the need for “men of education and position” to make up the Ministry of advisors to the king-president. However, most impressive was their emphasis on the need to construct roads, establish schools with required daily attendance of those between 8-14 years of age,  and the goal of promoting agricultural and industrial pursuits. (Adu Boahen, 10-11) They planned to open a national school in each district as well as a technical school for professional training in architecture, carpentry, agriculture, masonry, construction, and other skills that would have been of great benefit throughout the industrial revolution. (Adu Boahen, 11) Ghana also planned for schools to be headed by school mistresses at a time when education and employment opportunities were limited for women in many western nations. (Adu Boahen, 10-11) Meanwhile, the Egba United Board of Management in Nigeria stressed the need to forward civilization and maintain foreign relations in the interest of fostering trade. They were interested in contributing to the country's economy while retaining state power and autonomy. They collected customs duties on exports to positively affect the country's overall economic growth and GDP and managed to set up public services such as a postal service and secular school. (Adu Boahen, 12-13) Had Africa not been invaded, they may have been closer to establishing a social democracy, in which both equality and freedom were achieved as the state utilized profits from international trade to afford programs that benefited their citizens.

Shortly before the European invasion of Africa, many African rulers attempted diplomatic engagement and resisted subjugation. Their appeals were passionate and sincere. Some offered friendship and continued partnership in trade while others appealed to religion and stressed the equality of free men. (Adu Boahen, 23-25) One ruler suggested that neither white nor black should harm the other, while many others insisted on retaining independence. (Adu Boahen, 23-25) Menelik of Ethiopia appealed to Queen Victoria of Great Britain and stressed his faith that God would continue to protect his country. (Adu Boahen, 25) As Adu Boahen wrote, “[the African rulers] were determined to defend their sovereignty, religion, and traditional way of life but at the same time wanted to cooperate with the Europeans for mutual benefit.” (Adu Boahen, 26) Unfortunately, the edge that the African people had in spirit, determination, and collectivist philosophy proved inadequate against their invaders’ maxim gun, breech-loading rifles, steamship, and antidote against malaria. (Adu Boahen, 26)

To address the economic impact of colonialism on African nation-states overall, we can refer to a chapter of Adu Boahen’s book, called “Colonial Impact,” for a fair assessment of both the positive and negative impact. In the case of the arbitrary creation of forty-eight new states in Africa as the imperialists of Europe split them up for distribution, the negatives far outweigh the positives. Essentially, the new boundaries were drawn with zero consideration for the many ethnocultural groups, and, in many instances, split up communities and preexisting nations. This haphazard method of dividing states continued to contribute to boundary disputes between countries, as various ethnic groups such as the Bakongo, Ewe, Akan, Somali, and Senufo were suddenly separated by state lines. (Adu Boahen, 96) In addition, they certainly did not consider "fairness" when they divided Africa up into states. Mineral resources, fertile lands, and coastlines were not fairly distributed. (Adu Boahen, 96-97) This means that as of today, due to western intervention, some nation-states continue to be burdened with the consequences of having no fertile land, no access to the sea, or too many borders to patrol. (Adu Boahen, 97)

It’s important to note that not all colonizers were equal. What all of them shared in common was the destruction of African culture, the ethnocentric promotion of Western culture, and the subjugation of the African people. Amongst the positives was, in the British colonies, a bureaucracy of civil servants along with a new judicial system, which, unfortunately, did not always conduct business fairly. (Adu Boahen, 98) Development of infrastructures, such as the construction of roads, railways, and communication lines, were unevenly distributed and focused almost entirely on exploiting natural resources and transporting goods to the metropole. (Adu Boahen, 100-101) Schools, hospitals, street lights, radio, postal services, and employment opportunities were concentrated in the urban centers and ignored the rural areas. (Adu Boahen, 105) In some colonies, there were no schools.  (Adu Boahen, 104) The production of goods that the colonies needed was prioritized over the essentials that any nation might need to support its people. 

A sense of solidarity and national pride is amongst the positives as far as outcomes, however, it was a result of the humiliation and frustration shared by those oppressed and exploited. (Adu Boahen, 98) In addition, the development of professional armies in Africa, of great benefit to the imperial powers as they were useful in both World Wars, continues to interfere with the balance of power throughout many African nation-states today. (Adu Boahen, 98-99) Especially in countries where the colonizers were horrifically cruel, the military and various armed forces continue to hamper democracy, modernization, and political stability. In a way, it seems reasonable for a continent of people who have been oppressed, subjugated, pillaged, and invaded so ruthlessly by imperial powers to gather from their experience the need for a strong military or assume that remaining insular and isolated would protect them from foreign exploitation.

Mono-crop economies also prevented diversification of the agricultural economy, as each colony produced one or two cash crops and locally produced products were sometimes processed elsewhere. (Adu Boahen, 101) Starvation and malnutrition were common occurrences throughout the colonies as the local Africans were expected to focus completely on gathering goods for the metropole that they were unable to grow their own life-essential crops. (Lovett, 3)  In addition, Africans were driven out of the mining field, as Europeans had exclusive control of Africa’s riches during colonial rule. (Adu Boahen, 101) Adu Boahen added, “Colonialism also put an end to inter-African trade.” (Adu Boahen, 102) Thus, all of the progress that had previously been made towards a pluralistic Africa through commercial unification and cultural diffusion was lost. 

Technological advancement and industrialization were prevented in Africa, giving many other nations a chance to progress quickly while Africa lagged behind. (Adu Boahen, 99) While other nations were able to develop cars, airplanes, and harness nuclear power, nation-states across Africa continued to be pillaged of their natural resources as its people were forced to serve the metropole. (Adu Boahen, 101) Africa’s intellectual, political, and economic advantage prior to the 16th century is further evidence that Africans always had the capacity to succeed. However, due to colonial rule, African nation-states were unable to develop diplomatic relationships with other nations, a political economy, a stable government, or learn through experience from their own mistakes as other free nations did.  (Adu Boahen, 98-99) 

Colonial imperialism was more than capitalist greed on the part of the colonizers, it was economic warfare. The colonizers knew how much their own economies depended on the resources available in Africa, and those in positions of power may have realized they had to take more drastic steps to secure their access to Africa's resources and achieve more economic strength. As America began to surpass even Britain in the rate of economic growth, Europe needed to find some way to obtain the resources they so needed. They ultimately used the combination of propaganda, racist pseudoscience, military power, and the complete subjugation of the African people to hinder Africa's opportunity at becoming a political world power and strip them of their resources while fattening their own country's pockets. As Britain ended the slave trade, they and other European states benefited as they had their own "slaves" within the colonies to continue farming resources for them. Ultimately, the economic impact of colonialism on African nations was negative. It hindered progress and prevented African nation-states from establishing a strong self-sufficient government, economy, infrastructure, and advancing technologically in a way that would have adequately addressed the needs of the African people. 

 Despite colonial imperialism and continued western interference after the transition to independence for many African states throughout the 20th century, many Africans today have shown their capacity for developing technological innovations and solutions to their own problems. Young innovators across Africa have taken development into their own hands, equipped with a better understanding of what their fellow citizens and community members need, and inspired others around them. They create products that are designed to address these needs and are active contributors to the progress and ongoing stability in many parts of Africa. They have shown the elements of African philosophy and entrepreneurial spirit that represent the potential of a self-sufficient Africa without reliance on aid from NGOs. 

In Kenya, thanks to readily available cellphone-based internet access, local companies like M-Pesa, Ushahidi, Gearbox, Paygo Energy, and AB3D have been able to fulfill some of the essential needs of the community. (Digital Africa) Around half of the Kenyan GDP is processed by M-Pesa, a mobile banking solution that allows users to top up and make payments immediately. (Digital Africa) People can purchase a bottle of water from a local street vendor and pay with M-Pesa, eliminating the need to carry cash. Yet another company, Gearbox, provides engineers with access to the necessary resources to be able to create a variety of products, including a 3D microscope, a digital fetal scope to monitor a baby’s heartbeat in utero, and a pay-as-you-go meter for yet another Kenya-based tech company, PayGo Energy, which gives people the chance to purchase a gas tank on loan and pay only for the amount they use, making it easier to afford for everyone. (Digital Africa) What’s incredible about Gearbox is, as an example of Africa’s tendency to repair, reuse, and recycle as much as possible, a place called the WEEE Center collects parts and materials from electrical and electronic waste donated to them. These parts are then reused by companies like Gearbox and AB3D, which does 3D printing for hospitals, schools, and other companies to overcome supply chain problems. (Digital Africa) Ushahidi, a Kenya-based tech company with global reach, has created a user-friendly open-source crowd-mapping platform that, according to board member Angela Odour Lungati, “[taps] into the collective intelligence of the crowd" and empowers people by giving them a chance to engage with others through sharing and accessing first-hand reports about nearby events. (Digital Africa) It was especially useful during the outbreak of election-related violence in 2007-2008 and has been utilized by agencies to locate survivors after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. (Digital Africa) Indeed, if there were an app that might contribute to increasing the chances of achieving political stability and democracy throughout the continent, it would be something like Ushahidi.

In Rwanda, the director of an incubator called K-Lab, Aphrodice Mutangana, said, "It's related to our history. Everyone wants to solve a problem. [...] We have a motivation behind that [to] push us to do more and more." (Digital Africa) Since it can be far more convenient and practical to get around by motorcycle in many parts of the world, companies like Safe Motos of Rwanda have eliminated the hassle of ride-hailing and price negotiation. They ensure quality safe driving by incentivizing drivers to provide a better service for customers, which contributes to safer roads for others. It's fast, practical, and makes the payment process transparent and seamless. To address the issue of inconsistent access to electricity, Rwandan innovators have founded ARED, which allows micro-entrepreneurs a chance to operate their own solar kiosks on their time. (Digital Africa) Another company, called Charis, operates drones to take images of fields that will allow farmers to service them more efficiently. The multispectral sensor in the drones allows farmers to detect diseases and other potential issues in advance, which saves them time and money in the long run. (Digital Africa) The founder, Teddy Segore, hopes to run a drone pilot academy, which will allow him to share his knowledge with other Africans and potentially expand the reach of his business, as well. (Digital Africa)  

Two remarkable examples of innovation in South Africa include Phelophepa trains, essentially free mobile healthcare clinics, and the world’s first Pharmacy Dispensing Units (PDU), which look like ATM machines that conveniently dispense essential medication. Since 1994, in South Africa, a locally dubbed “Train of Hope” has provided free medical care to over 70 different rural communities through trains equipped with 19 coaches and over 70 people, including 22 permanent staff members and 59 medical school student volunteers. (South Africa Train of Hope) The five onboard clinics include a psychology clinic, dental clinic, eye clinic, pharmacy, and, most importantly, a general health clinic that offers comprehensive primary health care services. (South Africa Train of Hope) The staff also raises AIDS/HIV awareness in these communities, sometimes visiting local schools to offer safe sex education to young adults. (South Africa Train of Hope) In addition, the availability of PDUs have helped locals save time, sometimes 12 hours a month, by allowing people who have proven themselves committed to their treatment to skip visits to overencumbered clinics just to pick up medication. (Msomi, 2018) A pharmacist greets patients through the electronic kiosk and asks a number of key questions before dispensing medication, making the entire process take less than 5 minutes for most people. (Msomi, 2018)

One of the most impressive examples of an innovator whose work has had far-reaching influences across the realms of politics, conservation, and social justice, is the work of the first female African Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai. Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977 to empower women by giving them the chance to contribute to the needs of their family and the environment by planting trees that provide fuel, food, shelter, and income. (Maathai, 2005) Her movement gave people the chance to overcome their sense of helplessness from the demoralizing impact of western imperialism and continued depictions of Africa as a hopeless nation filled with desolate people. (Maathai, 2005) Her work has contributed to peace, democracy, and conflict resolution throughout parts of Africa. (Maathai, 2005) Other young innovators include a Maasai boy in Kenya, Richard Turere, who at 11 years old invented a way to deter lions from preying on his family’s herd of cattle by inventing rather complex solar-powered devices using recycled “junk” he had collected, including parts of a motorcycle and a broken flashlight. (Innovate Africa - Lion Lights) 

One of the most impressive examples of Africans’ capacity to innovate and solve their own problems, however, may be the grandmas across rural areas of Africa who, after training for 6 months, become solar engineers capable of building and installing home solar systems. (Bangs, 2017) The program specifically chose to teach women because they had discovered after an initial period of teaching both men and women that mature women were more likely to share their knowledge with others in their community, whereas the men would more likely migrate out of their village. (Bangs, 2017) Thus, it is evident that Africans are more than capable of fixing their own problems. Even with limited access to the luxuries of western nations which were never subjected to invasion, many Africans have been able to work around their economic constraints to create solutions to fill the needs of their communities. 

Contrary to your assertion, western intervention, especially in the form of mission trips, or “voluntourism,” as well as the work of some NGOs, is neither crucially needed nor beneficial to Africans. In fact, there have been many instances where it has proven detrimental to the communities they intended to serve. Mission trips were especially damaging in Uganda.

In the documentary God Loves Uganda, it’s apparent how the political agenda of missionary workers began the sequence of events which led to the enactment of laws that violated fundamental human rights. Members of Lou Engle’s evangelical church in Kansas traveled to Uganda as “soldiers” and referred to themselves as members of God’s army, ordained with the duty to visit impoverished communities throughout Uganda to recruit more soldiers. (God Loves Uganda) These missionary workers used fear-driven tactics and coercion to prey on elements of human nature. In one instance, a missionary worker said to a woman in one of the villages she visited:

“We all need a savior because we’re not living the way we should live. The Bible says that we deserve to die for that. The reward of sin is death, but Jesus Christ can make you the kind of person you should be. So if you die today and if [...] not repented, then we will not be with him in paradise. Does it scare you?” (God Loves Uganda, 00:62:51-00:63:46)

Those words were certainly scary, but not in the way she intended.

In the documentary, Reverend Kapya Kaoma, an African pastor, exposed the ties between fundamentalist Christian groups and postcolonial legislation in Africa. He observed that because the missionaries were white and had good accents, people also tended to believe them and they had more of an ability to draw crowds. (God Loves Uganda, 00:58:47) Lou Engle was a right-wing activist who previously held rallies in the U.S. against what he called “immoral laws,” such as those that protected the rights of same-sex couples. (God Loves Uganda) Scott Lively, another evangelical pastor, held seminars that spread hateful lies and associated same-sex relationships with sexual abuse, child recruitment, and even Nazi Germany, appealing to the fears and emotions of parents and a collectivist society's inherent desire to protect children. (God Loves Uganda, 00:37:00-00:39:00) Clearly, this was influenced by not only the spiritual but also the political agenda of the church. While at Kampala, Uganda, Lively addressed members of the Ugandan Parliament regarding the anti-gay bill that, in essence, institutionalized discrimination and promoted hate crimes on the basis of sexual orientation. (God Loves Uganda)

The Anti-Homosexuality Bill made renting out apartments to LGBTQ individuals a punishable crime for landlords, sentencing them to five years in prison. (Harris et al.) Anyone, including parents who failed to report children to the police could be sentenced to 3 years in prison for not reporting LGBTQ individuals. (Harris et al.) Homosexuality itself became a crime punishable by either the death penalty or life in prison. (Harris et al.) After the bill was passed, David Kato, a Ugandan human rights advocate and member of the LGBTQ community, was killed in a hate crime. (God Loves Uganda) Contrary to the hate speech promoted by missionary workers affiliated with Engle and Lively, African religious leaders like Bishop Christopher Senyonjo and Reverend Kapya Kaoma continued to emphasize peace and the protection of human rights. (God Loves Uganda)

Religion has played a role in politics and has been utilized as a tool to push agendas for much of man's history. If we look back, many wars and acts of mass violence have been encouraged by fear-driven religious rhetoric. It's counterproductive and ironic, of course, since the original purpose of religion was to enforce norms that might maintain order and encourage peace. Whether this is religion influencing politics or vice versa is arguable and may vary across situations. Religion is directly tied to a person's sense of self and their belief in their ultimate opportunity for eternal salvation and security in the afterlife, so a threat could be perceived as a threat to their sense of self and long-term security. However, it is clear that in the case of Uganda, missionary workers directly impacted politics to influence the implementation of a law that encouraged hate crimes towards the LGBTQI community.

These missionary workers promoted abstinence-only programs, restricting the implementation of comprehensive safe sex education that have proven to be more effective in preventing STDs and unplanned pregnancies. (God Loves Uganda) For a country like Uganda that was dealing with an HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1990s, this may have been lethal. Time and time again, we have seen that abstinence-only programs are, on its own, not effective at preventing unprotected sex, a crucial element to stopping the HIV epidemic. In addition, while the birth rate in most western nations has been around 1% per year, in many African nations, the birth rate has been more than 3% per year. (Statista, 2021) For many young nations, rapid population growth can exacerbate a variety of existing challenges. 

It’s important to note that while there are still regions within Africa where poverty, food insecurity, and lack of health care may be an issue, Africa itself is a huge continent and these portrayals of Africa as a dismal continent filled with destruction and despair are neither accurate nor helpful. At least, they are not helpful to the African people. However, it does seem to be helpful for the NGOs who draw on public sympathy to raise funds. 

In “Hiding the Real Africa,” Karen Rothmyer, a journalist who lived in Kenya for a few years, discussed how NGOs are incentivized to paint a sad picture of Africa to stay in business. (Rothmyer, 2011) Journalists, who are often provided with flights and other means to travel to these areas by the NGOs, often rely on the data collected and provided by them, further spreading the same information to the masses. (Rothmyer, 2011) The internet revolution has helped this type of sensational "news" reach more of an audience, which further benefits both the NGOs and the journalists. Rothmeyer mentioned the spread of "dubious numbers" and Rasna Warah, a Kenyan journalist, admitted that she had published inflated estimates using data provided by an NGO. (Rothmyer, 2011) The real issue is the demoralization of entire communities of people by having them repeatedly portrayed as powerless and desolate.

Even when western entrepreneurs do find inspiration in African culture, art, and fashion, they find some way to exploit the African people without giving them a fair share of the profit or credit. For example, there are companies like Rhimani UK that acquire jewelry and accessories from the Masaai women in Africa, one of the few remaining pastoral ethnic groups who have retained their traditions and lifestyle despite the encroaching development around them. (Aroni) In Kenya itself, a number of expatriate white women have opened up stores in which traditional design-rich accessories are acquired from the Maasai women without any direct credit to them. In one case, a woman even credits herself for helping these incredibly talented women “improve” their designs. (Aroni) Once again, people of privilege with no regard or respect for the culture from which they profit have found a way to take advantage of someone else’s natural resource - their heritage.

The politics of representation continue to negatively impact Africans. To counter this, the media would need to show the strengths and multitude of progress in the parts of Africa that are doing well. Despite there being certain regions that deal with challenges especially common in young developing postcolonial countries, it does not adequately represent the entirety of a continent nor its population. Most importantly, it does not speak for its people's potential to adapt, overcome their own challenges, and thrive. 

The documentary Poverty, Inc. by Michael Matheson Miller outlines the downsides and negative impacts of charity-work. The efforts of many NGOs to provide aid involves dumping a surplus of food and supplies sourced from western companies in short bursts. This directly impacts the local farmers and entrepreneurs who can’t compete with “free,” which can put them out of business. (Poverty, Inc.) These are the same farmers and entrepreneurs who were unable to export their products and participate in the global market due to tariffs and other barriers of entry. (Poverty, Inc.) 

Thus, by the time the free products run out and local demand goes up, supply is either limited or, in rural areas, nonexistent. In the end, the western businesses from which the NGOs acquired their goods benefited more than the locals in the regions they were supposed to be helping. (Poverty, Inc.) The parts of Africa that are underdeveloped are in that position due to the impact of western intervention throughout history from colonial imperialism to missionary work, the unintended consequences of bureaucracy and competition amongst NGOs, and, finally, the multinational companies who stand to gain the most if Africa stays “poor.” If African countries fall into the “resource trap,” these multinational companies could then continue to strip the continent of its multitude of natural resources at a discounted rate. The interplay of all these factors contribute to political and economic instability in parts of Africa. This is neocolonialism.

As dependency is fostered, dissolution of local businesses continues, and local ecology, industry, and economy is destroyed; the demoralization of an entire community of people who are painted as impoverished and “doomed” to fail can potentially lead to self-fulfilling prophecies. What many of these countries need is a chance to build a solid infrastructure, compete fairly in the global market, and more support for local businesses and entrepreneurs. Africa contains brilliant intellectuals who will only be able to succeed in fixing their nation’s problems if they stop being oppressed or forced to watch their homeland continue to be exploited by those who stand to gain something.

I can understand that with a legacy like yours and a grandfather who was directly involved in imperialism, you may have spent much of your life exposed to alternative facts. It seems to me that Africans are more than prepared to fight their own battles and make their way in the world as they innovate and create solutions to fill the needs of their communities without western interference. The imperialists who prevented progress throughout Africa as they pillaged the continent’s resources, devastated entire communities, threatened ecosystems, and actively tried to destroy African cultures won’t continue to impact Africa, as Africans have proven themselves resilient and capable time and time again. Many of them seem to understand their needs better than any westerner might as they possess the sociocultural awareness and respect for their land to eventually catch up to their invaders. The impacts of colonialism weren’t “supposedly negative,” they were, in fact, extremely so. 

Hopefully, the information that I’ve curated for you has led you to reconsider your stance on the overall impact of western intervention in Africa, beginning with its invasion. There is enough concrete evidence that all five of the claims you made in your webinar are false. This being said, I look forward to your next webinar and the opportunity to see evidence of your ability to process information that might challenge your preconceived notions.

Sincerely,

Founder of United in Mind, Inc.

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