HOW MONARCHY TENDENCIES LED TO AFRICA’S BACK WARDNESS.

By: Abubakar Sematimba.
The character of being self-centered greatly and still a major factor that has contributed to the backwardness of African people

The monarchy tendencies of Africans seem to be hereditary, even the Holy Scriptures Quran in particular reveals how Pharaoh of Egypt imposed and claimed ownership of the land of Egypt.

In his words he questioned if the kingdom of Egypt and all those rivers that flow beneath it did not belong to him alone. (Q43:51-52).

Pharaoh killed, tortured, exiled and decreed that every baby boy that will be born in Egypt must be executed for fear of losing 'his' powers. (Q28:4).

Indeed pharaoh excelled in arrogance as history gives an account of this egotism son of Africa's history.

An African will tell you that he was the first to have a degree, but if you ask for the contribution made to society, you will not get a sounding answer.

A friend of mine questioned why professors and specifically African professors, many of them behave the way they do.

He was asking where is the research centers and work produced by these elites, and how have they used the expertise acquired to help their fellow Africans who are dying of famine and diseases.

It is here in Africa were criminals; sick people and dead bodies are transported using the same means of transport, police pick- ups and not Ambulances.

Our leaders' travels so often to conferences in other developed world, but you wonder why they don't copy from such journeys.

Why they don't see the need to change the livelihood of their subordinates remains a big question to ask.

Africans have their natural medicines since time immemorial, but the 'healer' can not share the know -how not even with a relative.

After passing on, s/he will appear in dream directing a family member how to administer a certain medicine, and you wonder why s/he waited to die and then pass on the important information.

The saying that, I would rather have my own rabbit than having a leg of cow actually was perfected by how Africans do their own things.

Transport remained one of Africa's greatest problems to present day, In East Africa for example railway line was not allowed to pass in some kingdoms.

During the 18th century many of the railway constructors, the Indian coolies lost their lives through man eaters and mostly by rigid African tribes.

In east Africa for example the Nandi's in Kenya could not allow the 'iron snake' to pass into their land.

An African could argue that a railway line will bring bad luck, and the leaders superstitiously feared to lose their powers.

It is in Africa where people can dance for the entire night after giving them a spoon of sugar, knowing enough that sugar is produced from their own land.

Functions like weddings and funeral services can take more time than it is necessary in Africa.

We have African and European time, I remember my school mates in Pretoria and Soweto used to say to me that there is no hurry in South Africa.

I recall one Ugandan man who hired a chopper, just to go and show off on the village where he was going to marry.

Africa's funeral functions will take some good time to complete, reason being that some one can not just die and get buried just like that, time allowance will be put there to see if a dead person can be raised from the dead. .

It is easier in Africa to have millions of Dollars on your account from embezzled Government funds, while millions are starving to death.

Still in Uganda one Teddy seezi cheeye a former director of economic monitoring in the internal security organization (I.S.O) and a journalist is serving his term in Luzira prison for stealing funds that was meant for sick people.

In South Africa after twenty years black leaders are still crying and blaming the apartheid system, yet they are in control of every thing not whites.

Some Africans are regretting and wish if a white man can come back and take over the leadership again.

Other fellows with African ancestral linage like those who are living in Europe and the west are known for car jacking, drugs, shootings and driving expensive lavish vehicles.

I recall at our home no one was supposed to drive Dad's car, only the big Boss could drive, we were not allowed to sit in the lounge, and not allowed to use glasses to drink water.

Ironically almost everything could only be spared for the boss and his visitors.

In case the big Boss was sick or tired and cannot drive and there is an emergency, that is where the problem could emanate from; in the entire family it was only him who could drive.

It is on record Africans do not build institutions, they become institutions them selves and when they die that marks the end of every thing.

Africans we do not groom future leaders, we intend to think that leaders will come from heaven.

It is in Africa where a primary child is told to walk for a very long journey to go to school, reason being that even the elders walked during their time.

It is in Africa where school children are not allowed to have wrist watches and cell phones and once caught you will be suspended from the School.

It is in Africa where a candidate student who is doing her/his final exams after four or six years of waiting will be denied to enter into examination room just because s/he owes the school some money.

It is in Africa where a girl child will be removed from school, just because she is pregnant and forced into marriage at a tender age, without investigating what really happened, and not be given a second chance.

In fact education seems to be irrelevant in many of African countries, at one stage lecturers at Makerere University in Uganda, where advised by the president to go and look after goats, and that the government was not going to increase their salaries.

The idea of rearing goats is not that bad but according to African mentality that is being despised and under looked.

It is in Africa where a boy will be reprimanded for impregnating a girl even if a girl is older than a boy.

To sum it up, l urge African leaders to do what they are supposed to do, let them build hospitals and let those hospitals have medicine and let doctors earn better salaries.

Poor Africans are squeezed by their leaders to pay tax, so let them 'leaders' have mercy and build good schools, have better Policies, disciplined Army, good transport net works and reasonable justice systems.

About the writer: Abubakar Sematimba is a Journalist,Teacher and founder of blessedly Ugandan a foundation that promotes home made products and services.