Africa's game plan must change

I do not want to join issues on the merits of what the African Federation model will do to unleash Africa’s potential. US America is like no other country in the world and with its 50 states, all different with laws that rival each other, compete and sometimes complement and conflict with the federal government, it has the depth and width to stand and survive.

Africa can never earn such capability no matter what anyone has spent to promote an ‘air’ dream like African Federation. Who is Mark Wood? Where and when did he spend $3m lobbying African countries to create the African Federation? Was he a gentleman that worked as US state department staff and started a consulting service targeting unsuspecting African nations to sell his voodoo economics and policy agenda?

It is disturbing and alarmingly disgusting that Africa will open their mind to entertain something from Mark Wood. He like Jeffrey Sachs is a lightweight on content needed to make Africa whole and prosperous. Mark Wood has not offered any workable solution anyone can document. What makes him a viable intellectual resource to defer to on matters relating to Africa - a vast continent with differences like finger prints? With all the challenges US is facing on its home front as well as abroad, where are Mark Wood and Jeffrey Sachs? Shouldn’t charity begin at home before it can be exported abroad?
 
It is not about the money spent on any idea but about the collateral content of what is sought and/or proposed. An ‘airy’ idea no matter the money behind it will not take root because it is flawed from the beginning.
 
Africa has copied and pasted models that are successful in other parts of the world, however, when it comes to being successful; it is still imagined than described. Does one have to attend and graduate from an ivy league in order for them to feel educated? No.
 
Education is not necessarily where one obtained it but what matters is the effectiveness of deploying what one learned, keeps learning and making constant changes when necessary and addressing shifting needs. Nation building is a 24/7 endeavor, no resting on any oars.

1.What happened to OAU, which gave way to AU – African Union, and other regional cooperating organizations; SADC, ECOWAS, EAU, the folks in north Africa? African Union succumbed to China building her its new headquarters for less than $150m. Does it mean the 54 African nations could not come up with less than $3m each, shared and assigned based on certain criteria to self-finance and fund that project?

2.What did Africans leave behind in the schools they attended such that they feel begging others to emerge is key to their sustainable growth?

3.Didn’t Kibaki, former Kenyan president graduate from London School of Economics, with first class honors? What did he leave Kenya with?

4.President Jonathan of Nigeria, has a PhD, first Nigerian sitting president to have such degree, how is Nigeria, Africa’s so called ‘Giant’ doing?

One Yaya Fanusie asks: Do you think those of us in the USAFRICA-2017 Project Task Force  are like you educated Africans? He remarks that Africa is going to be an economic global power and eventually a global military power as result of creation of the federation.

I second Africa becoming an economic global power, and it does not need to prove any military might, as long as it concentrates on maintaining law and order within its various political subdivisions, and being able to defend its territories against any outside aggression. Such military might to be maintained via rapid deployment agreements between nations, and a mentality ‘attack anyone of us, you have attacked us all.’ Peace is needed in order for prosperity to take root and become second nature.
 
I challenge Yaya Fanusie to a panel debate and/or forum on Africa, and/or any subject of economic development. What is USAFRICA – 2017 Project Task Force? Is this another distraction set to divert attention and anchor hope for Africa on paper tights who in collaboration with western vultures and/or wannabe China, are looking for ways to further dilute what Africa can and will do? Why waste time chasing pipe dream concepts like African Federation instead of concentrating to strengthen existing organizations and institutions making them relevant for their mission and charge? What will African Federation do that the African Union can not do?
 
Instead of forcing and or chasing an ‘air’ idea like African Federation, African nations will benefit more by jointly and collaboratively creating no more than 4 monetary/currency unions, or better one, to help stabilize its local currencies and improve on intra-inter trade agreements and arrangements to self-sustain. Most currencies from Africa are not easily convertible because their value is seriously eroded and even when a currency such as Ghana Cedis is at an exchange rate parity with the Dollar, Ghana banks charging interest rate of nearly 40% on borrowed money defeats the parity? It is a choke hold.
 
If Africa reportedly provides the world a third of the raw materials needed to run industries worldwide, how come the trickle down economic and attendant financial benefits accruing to all sources and points along the production curve, have largely eluded Africa, all things considered and being equal?
 
Africa should not be feeding the world and turn around like a sidelined step-child with a running nose who is unable to wipe the mess off its face. The cry and whine thinking and erroneously believing the solutions for Africa's sustainability and survival have to depend on the approval, assertion and sanction from foreign sources and now -- throw the weight around a new tiger on the block: China -- is key to Africa emerging is false hope. 

Finally, why shouldn’t Africa use the mentality or the impetus of US giant sports' ‘Nike’ slogan and “JUST DO IT,” defying all these prescriptions that Africa has swallowed with no long term cure in sight? Who in their right mind always runs to a neighbor for solutions all the time on what happens in their family? It beats me.
 
Collaboration should never be one-way traffic or such one is dependent even when they are ‘independent.’ Go Figure!
 
By Ejike Okpa II
Dallas, Texas.