Princewill Odidi|3 July 2016|6:16am
I have often been asked this question by my colleagues too many times on why development projects continually fail in Africa. Africa has so much natural resources they will-say, why are they so underdeveloped and poor?
Usually I smile and give a simple answer: The elitist leaders who run African economies do not really connect with the traditional African people and as such do not understand their development needs.
Our elitist leaders have configured development in their heads based on the images they have seen in the developed world and as such prefer to construct those images in Africa and call it development.
If our leaders would take a survey among local people in a participatory democracy format and ask the people what they would prefer, you will be shocked to find that a garri seller will prefer a small micro credit loan to expand her trade, or a mama put would seek small income to rent a store front restaurant, or a local farmer who farm on same land year in and out would prefer fertilizers to nurture their crops rather than some giant magnificent project, built by some fellows who call themselves expatriates, who live lavishly in our best hotels at the expense of the state, building structures that adds no value to the lives of our local people.
So when we say the local people have to be able to interact with development programs, we mean development that understands the local language of the people, not development that speaks English. The projects have to be needs based configured to meet local needs and not edifice for political showmanship's.
Development itself is a mentality and a frame of mind. As Africans, we have to be able to produce a leadership that thinks differently. Doing the same thing over and over again will never change the results.
A population have to be ready to be developed for them to appreciate the tenets of development. Their mindsets has to be groomed and prepared to accept development and its challenges.
The people have to be prepared on how to interact with development for it to be meaningful and ready to engage. Whether it is a school, a hospital, a convention center, a tourist park, the people have to be able to develop an interaction with the projects otherwise it is development gone wrong.
Development does not operate in a vacuum, it can only operate within a defined socio economic meliu. One reason why most projects in Nigeria fail is because the people cannot really interact with these projects.
A young village kid would prefer an exercise book, pencil, school uniforms and a little roof above his head,rather than an elitist foreign educational-curriculum that does not serve local purpose. We cannot force foreign development on a people if they are not ready.
Maybe, next time when I am bordered about this question on why Africa has failed to developed amidst so much natural resources, rather than blame an elitist leadership who prefer to see Africa like Europe and America, I would blame the people who have refused to come together akin the French revolution.
Princewill Odidi
Is a Social Commentator writing from Atlanta.
