The Importance of Self-reliance
Africa has everything that it needs to develop into a world power. What is necessary to develop Africa is confidence among Africans that we can build Africa and organization. The United States is a superpower in the world, but it was Africa that built the United States. Let us be clear, it was not African-Americans that built the United States, it was Africa that built the United States. If Africa built the United States, certainly Africa can build Africa. One of the biggest negatives that colonialism had on Africa is that it left us with an inferiority complex. This is one reason that we do not have confidence that we can build Africa. Colonialism and exploitation affected our consciousness in a negative way and this has contributed to us thinking small and being petty.
President Nkrumah in his book Africa Must Unite writes, “Some of these states are aligning themselves with the European associations in the mistaken belief that they will profit sufficiently to prosper their economies….Out of the applications submitted, the projects so far approved ignore the requests for the establishment of industries and concentrate on social projects and the building of roads, railways and ports. These, it is true, are necessary for fuller development and the raising of welfare, and undoubtedly are welcome additions to the economic and social base. But it is wishful thinking not to recognize them as the bribes they are, and to suppose that the European Common Market, which is devised to increase the welfare of the European member countries, should conscientiously promote industrialization in the raw material producing countries of Africa. It is equally romantic to think that the Development Fund could ever be big enough to provide anything like the investment capital the African states require for substantial development.”
- The strength of being self-reliant is that it gives us the power to make decisions in our own interest.
The weakness of being dependent is that we have to do things that are in the interest of the people who gave us the aid and most of the time these things are not in our best interest.
- The strength of being self-reliant is that we develop our own organizational capability.
The weakness of being dependent is that we depend on other people’s organization.
- The strength of being self-reliant is that we are taking responsibility for our own well-being.
The weakness of dependence is that we give someone else the responsibility for our well-being.
- The strength of being self-reliant is that we can change things in our best interest.
The weakness of being dependent is that we cannot change things in our best interest.
- The strength of being self-reliant is that we take advantage of all our resources and creativity.
The weakness of dependence is that we waste our resources and do not develop our creativity.
- The strength of being self-reliant is that we work hard in our own interest.
The weakness of being dependent is that we become lazy and don’t develop good work habits.
- The strength of being self-reliant is that we gain confidence in our ability and we have dignity.
The weakness of being dependent is that we become beggars, we feel inferior, and we lose our dignity.
- The strength of being self-reliant is that we will develop enough to solve our problems and someday even help others solve the same problems.
The weakness of being dependent is that we will never be able to help ourselves and therefore we could not help anyone else.
- The strength of being self-reliant is that we can unify Africa without anyone’s permission.
The weakness in being dependent is that we will never unify Africa because it is in the interest of those who we are getting AID from for Africa to remain weak and divided.
- The strength of being self-reliant is that we set an honorable example for our youth that our youth and we can be proud of.
The weakness of being dependent is that it is the worst example for our youth.
- The strength of being self-reliant is that it leads us to the emancipation of women and of all of the people.
The weakness of being dependent is that it is a continuation of the oppression of women and of the people.
