Prior to the discovery of Petroleum, most African countries depended on agriculture for their existence, be it subsistence or large scale farming. Crops like Cocoa, Coffee, Cotton et al, were produced on a large scale for exportation. Things were alright, because an average African man was a farmer and that implied that majority of the people were gainfully employed.
And then, the so-called Black Gold was discovered in some parts of Africa, and things started to change, because of the huge money involved in oil business, people left their farms and went in search of what they considered a quicker and easier way to wealth. Instead of improving living standard, Petroleum brought to Africa War, Pollution, Corruption, Instability and Inflation e. t. c. many lives were lost, families separated due to war, Lands were polluted as a result of oil exploration and gas flaring, Poverty, inflation and unemployment are now the order of the day.
Every day, my heart is saddened for my Continent Africa… our Africa. We are blessed with so many natural resources and yet we suffer, but we live with dwindling hope of a better tomorrow, just like the biblical Jews waiting for the arrival of a messiah. We should not apportion blames to the west, although they contributed to the declining nature of our economy through the shady and corrupt foreign policies and greedy practices of their Oil firms like Shell, Chevron, and so on. We should blame our inability for proper management of the resources, inept government, lack of transparency and accountability, greedy and corrupt politicians.
Until we start to face and address our self-inflicted problems, we cannot enjoy the blessings that flow from the gifts of Mother Nature. The government, Public Office holders and Politicians should be open to debates and suggestions to sensitize people about the need to diversify to other areas of enterprise. Corruption should be tackled without fear or favour.
At what point did we get it wrong? What did we not avert our minds to? Crude oil is supposed to be some kind of blessing to our lands but it is now more or less a curse. Till date, some African Countries are still discovering oil. Should we be happy for them or should we roll out the burial drums? Will life be better in those countries? Only time will tell!
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