Is Africa a sleeping giant or a giant that died in its sleep? A search for the voice of indigene in their development

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether Africa a sleeping giant or a giant that died in its sleep. The denial of Africa's identity to its people and the imposition of the western culture are two essential things that imperialism and colonialism bequeathed Africa using a foreign language, education system and introduction of cultural beliefs that enmeshed people into a stupor. Consequently, the trajectory of Africans' existential life has primarily been altered by various factors, including culture, economy, and education infrastructure. Scholars have often observed that this is one of the reasons the African continent lags compared to the rest of the world in regard to development. From this perspective, this paper brings forth the arguments that today, Africa still grapples with such challenges as poor communication networks, poor infrastructure, poor education system and insecurity, besides the fact that Africa seems not to know herself. Furthermore, this paper argues that despite its significant endowment with human and natural resources, the African continent has been impoverished and underdeveloped. Still, it is ‘waking up and freeing itself. In conclusion, the author observes that to gain sustainable development, Africa ought first to discover herself. In essence, there are signs that individual African people show a sense of self-awareness, exploring and examining the factors that hold them and coming up with practical solutions that contribute to a transformative society.