The Realities of Africa and the Need to Sacrifice.
You want to live a particular way of life. A life filled with freedom from stress, financial abundance, exciting travels, and the adventurous lifestyle of an influencer, yet you do not want to Sacrifice Yourself for that dream. How do you even get there?
You are in Africa, specifically Ghana, where the “exposure kind of life” is mostly centered in Accra. Though the remaining regions have great tourist sites, Accra seems to be the land of opportunities for most people living in Ghana. You may also have noticed that throughout the 16 regions, Accra happens to be the most expensive city in the country. Its cost of living has gained world recognition and ranked one of the most expensive cities to live in the world. Prices are double what you’d expect. It’s quite unbelievable!
Or perhaps, you are in Nigeria, where the same exposure-driven lifestyle is concentrated in Abuja, Lagos, and some parts of Port Harcourt. Recently, fuel prices skyrocketed, and the cost of living continued to rise. The recent electoral results declared Mr. Tinubu as your President. The man the masses dislike, yet he is in power. It went viral on Twitter a few months back when people asked; What happens when Mr. Tinubu wins the election? You can tell they are doomed! The masses believe he is in power for his gains and not the priorities of the people.
The point is you are born and bred in Africa and do not want to Sacrifice yourself for your dreams and the things you love. Africa? Where government leaders in some nations fail to understand that their population increases yearly and that growth and development are essential for their states. Africa? Where every year, universities produce different types of engineers, pharmacists, teachers, historians, agricultural scientists, and more, but we struggle to create anything (drugs, machinery, etc.) on a large scale. Africa? Where most school graduates often resort to selling products (perfumes, t-shirts, etc.) on social media platforms because of the high unemployment rate. Africa? Where health care systems are zero on a scale of 1 to 5. Witnessed pregnant women in labor run shifts due to the unavailability of hospital facilities. Africa? Where most cities are still deprived of enjoying basic amenities like electricity and water. Africa? Where road construction can take forever to complete, and when they are completed, it can only last up to two years or less. Africa? Where leaders have turned their precious youth into salon barbers, makeup artists, and hawkers on the streets, whereas these energetic youth can fill positions in government and make better decisions. Hey, do not get me wrong here. Being a salon barber is great! I know great personalities that have created employment by opening a barbershop. Of course, not everyone can fill government positions; however, it would be great to see most of these young people making decisions for nations, not old folks!
Overall, you are in a place where leaders do not factor in citizens, nations are far behind when it comes to technology, and leaders are so corrupt that they can announce to the public that snakes have swallowed millions of taxpayers’ money. Oh! Where did we go wrong?
You are born and bred here with no affiliations whatsoever in the system, yet you do not want to sacrifice yourself for your dreams and ambitions. Hmm, please reconsider.
All this brouhaha from a rich continent like this make me wonder about the purpose of our educational system. I mean, what major progress have African nations made after colonization? How beneficial has it been to its citizens? Can we measure the growth and development? I know we are trying, but at what rate? No improved metrics are involved in measuring the progress of development. How do you even start collating data in the first place? Hmm!
Leaders sit down and allow young and bright men taken away to European countries to work for them at a minimum wage. What hurts me is that these young people prefer to work in someone’s country for a meager salary (compared to the salaries or wages of the people there) rather than utilizing their skills in their homeland. Why? Because it is simply better to sweat abroad than to sweat here and gain nothing. It just does not make sense.
I do acknowledge that some Africans, especially the youth in some countries, are making strides, especially with the rise of technology in Nigeria. May God richly bless all those who are making a significant difference. If we can achieve even more, on a higher level, our African countries will not merely be seen as tourist destinations for foreigners, including some black individuals. I earnestly hope that divine wisdom guides some individuals to return and make a substantial impact in their home country.
Shoutouts to entrepreneurs like Vusi Thembekwayo, a South African speaker and entrepreneur making waves in the digital space. Kwame A. A. Opoku, a Ghanaian speaker and entrepreneur in the tech space, Evans Akanno of Nigeria doing massively well in the tech space, and to all you entrepreneurs out there making it very big. Keep doing it.
Dear young ones wanting to grow to become influencers, please dedicate time to learn and grow. Educate yourself. I learned long ago that school is only tailored for you to fail in life; however, education is not something you mess with. You need it! Everyone needs education. Educate yourself. I understand it is challenging to do so, given the constraints of the system you live in; however, please force it!
The system you live in will not help you become the influencer you want to be. It will not allow you to live a stress-free life and travel if you want to if you do not Sacrifice yourself both Spiritually and Physically.
Pro-tip for helping yourself:
- Seek a Genuine Mentor: Find someone you can communicate with for career progressions. You need it, honestly. It will save you a ton from making mistakes. If you are in the tech space, you can find a mentor here.
- Please Read Books: Please, READ! You can make do with free resources online, but please know which materials to read. 70% of the online materials are trash. You need to get good information. Identify and sort out information from right to wrong. Do not waste your time on useless books. A lot of people walking are but educated fools, including most politicians.
- Define Your Goals: Know what exactly you want to do in the future and start looking for answers as soon as possible. Having a clear vision will help you stay focused and motivated.
- Utilize Technology: Leverage the rise of technology in Africa to your advantage. Explore opportunities in the tech space and consider how you can contribute or create innovative solutions to address local challenges. Go on YouTube and do that search.
God will give you strength when you pray too. He will guide your path. Please, let us make it and help others in the same position.
