The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report that Africa spent $50.2 billion on military expenditure last year. The year 2014 marked Africa's largest year-on-year increase in military expenditure of any region worldwide. Military spending in the region has increased by 91% since 2005. Military expenditure drives the knowledge economies of developed markets and denies Africans an opportunity to evolve better tools to confront its challenges.

While the continent needs to be secure from internal and external aggression, it must focus its energies on addressing the causes of conflicts. One way is to upgrade the continent's tools such as education, entrepreneurship environment and finance to lift majority of the poor to middle income populations. Other than stockpiling weapons, African governments must work to deny terrorists the excuse to exist. A complete overhaul of the continent's leadership mindset that view African people as a burden is required. Leadership by exclusion of others must be addressed. It is through investing in African people and opening channels of hope that will unleash the latent creative energies held captive by political expedience.