Do indices on Africa need probing?

It is unfortunate that African leadership is trivialized using a scorecard developed by NMG - publisher of the East African Magazine relying in part on Mo Ibrahim Index and others to assign value. While I understand this type of scoring is to enlist and elicit reactions, hopefully positive by/from those who are at the bottom of the barrel, I find it dubious and suspicious.

With Africa having some odd 53 nations all having various issues occasioned by former colonial lineages and continued remote control and Africans sheepishly towing the lines of their former master, internal and intra ethnic challenges, a parliamentary or congressional form of governance, population spectrum spotting wide and diverse expectations, and finally, religion - all foreign, it is basically a wide and wild guess to think this sort of ranking is objective. What keeps disturbing me is how African themselves have bought into same unusual formula the West and their donor masters have often used, for instance, in the case of currency devaluation to assign value.

In the case of currency devaluation, the Ethiopian currency - Birr, has a value of B77 to $1, while Nigeria Naira has a value of N150 to $1. Judging that Nigeria supplies US a fifth of its oil and such commodity is significant to both economies, how come Ethiopia's currency is valued more? This tells a story that socio-economic modeling that considers a wide data laced with diversity that is not easily managed and or measured, often leads to outcome that is dubious. The Nigerian economy obviously is more stable and stronger than that of Ethiopia, but that is not reflected in the currency valuation.

The impact of corruption no doubt renders a country hapless especially when what is stolen is stashed in western institutions. Does that make Africa the worst of the world? Some will give a resounding Yes!. But hold your conclusion. Corruption is evident in most nations but it is how that nation manages its corrupt conducts and practices that determines the perception. In US for instance, annually more than $300b, are attributed to fraud, corruption and waste, such figure is bigger than all money stolen from Africa on an annual basis. When what is attributed to fraud and corruption in US is calculated on per capita basis, US is leader in that arena. But corruption is not seen as a top matter because US manages its perception and outcome with law enforcement pursuits. While the African side is awful, it's more like calling a dog a bad name in order to hang it. I unequivocally condemn the flight of stolen wealth making its way abroad.

The dependency of African nations on foreign investment while refusing to aggressively improve their local economy leaves the nations impotent and overly dependent. Take the case of Coca Cola announcing that it will invest about $12b to expand its operation in Africa over the next 10 years. Africans jump up to that and dance. But consider this for a second: The value of the investment is only about $1.2b every year amounting to about $1.02 per African on the continent per year. And if one were to factor in the present versus future value of money, it may even be less. The way and manner the West gives $1 and tells $1,000 stories especially with Africa, makes Africans think what they get from the West is more valuable and crucial than what they can give themselves from internal efforts and production.

The West has never in any given year invested in excess of a few billions, mostly in extractive industries which are investments to help oil their home corporations. In the non-extractive industries, they are largely absent and when they do, demand a pound of flesh without blood, as in the case of return-on and return-of invested capital. I guess the aftermath of slavery and colonialism that made the indentured servant believe whatever the master gives is more useful, continue to demean and devalue the African. Until Africa shakes itself off and effectively weans herself from foreign dependency especially on things that tend to further weaken their resolves to emerge from within, Africa shall forever and there appears no end in sight, be the ridicule of every nation and people on earth.

The NMG ranking while it tells a story and points to areas of weakness, it must be discouraged. If corruption is identified as a bane for effective development, AU should issue a resounding resolution condemning such and going ahead to set up Anti- Corruption regime within its initiatives to curb and curtail this ugly conduct. The conduct and practice of leaders having homes outside of their country is a shame and sham.

By Ejike E. Okpa II

Dallas, Texas.