In ancient Alkebulan or Africa, our people used to be known for their seriousness, resilience, resourcefulness, dexterity and creativity in every endeavour of life they engaged in at that time but sadly today, those virtues that stood the average African out among peers in other continents are seldom in existence.
The great continent of Africa instead of boasting of many colossuses in various fields of human endeavours now parades more charlatans and people of mediocrity whose love for frivolous lifestyles soar to high Heaven.
Africans have completely become a people who believe that the very essence of life is consumption and not just that but in the most pathetic and shameful manner where they now conveniently throw caution to the wind without recourse to any useful thought and application of vital information that will help alter the seemingly ignominious situation that the continent is presently plunged in.
This craze for frivolities and lust for silliness have boxed Africa as a continent into a pernicious corner where she has become a dumping ground for the Western world, Asia and Arabs. We have become Guinea Pigs for newly developed vaccines and drugs for the rest of the world. If the vaccine or medication has the propensity to eliminate lives or cause damage in the human body, it has to be clinically tested on us first before it can be approved or not.
Basically, this form of callousness has become possible in the first place ever since we as a people have failed woefully, to truly identify with our history then our challenges, and adequate strategies in resolving them because we have been busy chasing the frivolous things of life while in pragmatic terms neglecting the salient issues that bother on our very own existence on Earth.
And instead of admitting our failures, we subtly cast aspersions on others and in some rare cases we cannot find anyone to heap the blames on for our idiocy and foolery, we hurriedly claim that our woes were inflicted by witches and wizards or demons then we turn into religious fanatics, and begin to cast and bind imaginary beings only existing in our minds as supposedly the attackers of our destiny which is already in our hands while wasting productive time in churches, mosques and other religious centres.
Eventually, when we get help either financially or otherwise probably from a concerned relation or bosom friend to start a business or do something meaningful, we then realise the expensive night or strip clubs we have not visited before, that beautiful young lady we desire to have desperately but feel we have not spent enough money on to get her attention and hopefully, take her to bed.
While others, suddenly realise that they need to change their vehicles that have been serving them very well without giving any serious trouble. Then they purchase a new wonder-on-wheel to impress family and friends without making any effort to work on the business or the interest for which the money was given.
Usually, it is when people are given huge amounts of money to be useful to themselves in Africa that they use such to buy expensive clothes, shoes, jewelry and other beauty accessories which they do not even have need of in reality.
Monies that probably ought to have been channelled towards productive activities are being blown on exotic foreign trips on board first class flights and extremely-expensive luxury cruise ships where no business contact is initiated or made. They only discuss sweet nonsense there with reckless girls whose only contribution to humanity is sexuality.
Our leaders in the polity are not left out of these idiosyncrasies, they obtain huge loans from World Bank and International Monetary Fund which they often claim that are for infrastructural developments but always end up diverting these funds for frivolous expenses such as purchases of private jets, yachts and state-of-the-art vehicles that are not not necessities. Ordinarily, a rational leader in Africa is expected to manage the treasury or loans to build facilities that revenue will accrue from but never! You hardly see many African leaders thinking in that direction.
The thoughts of African leaders are usually based on frivolities; how to throw larvish parties worth millions of dollars with naked young girls parading at the pool side or buying houses for their numerous mistresses.
While their female counterparts who are equally spendthrifts waste monies on very expensive jewelry, and sometimes the numerous gigolos that they keep.
Huge sums of monies that could have been used to build or equip schools, fund innovative research and develop our infrastructures are being used on White Elephant projects and lots of ludicrous activities.
It is very painful that Africa rarely has great leaders like Thomas Sankara and Nelson Mandela who shunned frivolities to offer meritorious and selfless services to their citizenry.
Irrespective of our irresponsibilities, and nonchalance at making efforts to become a better people and continent, we are still living in delusion, expecting the Western world to respect, and give us an outstanding place among other continents that have done favourably well to earn their respect and merit their positions.
Except we change our frivolous ways as a people, we will always be disregarded and our beautiful continent of Africa not only exploited of her enormous resources but also seen and used as a dumping ground for garbage.
Sure, we have a choice to either continue with our recklessness, and being swindled by the West and Asia or decide to be responsible, and prudent with our resources so we can rebuild our Africa for ourselves, children, future generations as well as to the envy of other continents.
By Dr. MarkAnthony Nze
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK