Sierra Leone has just marked 49 years of independence. From the late 16^th century until 1865, its people were enslaved and forcefully shipped away from their homeland in the Trans Atlantic slave trade. This trade, far from crippling socio-political and economic progress in Africa also killed the African peoples’ psyche and made them dependent on their slave masters.  

The slave mentality still reigns in most African countries, despite their independence. Africa must urgently discard this mentality if it has to effectively engage with the rest of the world.  

A good place to begin would be developing confidence in our countries hence keeping money here as opposed to stashing it abroad; not beckoning developed nations to come to our aid on issues we can and should solve on our own; financing our governments and demanding that our leaders be more accountable to their electorate than to donor dictates; tailoring our education to solve Africa’s challenges; guarding against people who aggravate our problems then pose as saviours; and developing an African ideology and position on issues. 

It is one thing to be physically free but another thing to be mentally free. A free African mind is Africa’s ultimate capital!