CELEBRATING THIS VICTORY WITH DR. WALTER RODNEY
Blog Details Home Blog Details The Young African Leaders Forum (YALF) received exciting news from our comrades at the Walter Rodney Foundation (WRF) in the United States. Steps were taken to right the tragic wrong done to the family of Dr. Walter Rodney who was ruthlessly assassinated on June 13th, 1980. Reports point to the Forbes Burnham-led government as having orchestrated the murder of this great pan-African Historian – the author of How Europe Underdeveloped Africa This book changed our President’s perspective about Africa’s development since his undergraduate days. It is also the foundation for the formation of our organisation, YALF. Dr. Walter Rodney was a promising and intelligent 38 year old young man who wanted a better society characterised by Justice and Equality. He was a Scholar-Activist, who taught as a Senior Lecturer in different universities and held a series of Groundings with young people in different countries across the globe. He had the boldness to confront the political and social injustice in his time. He inspired and empowered youths intellectually – and with practical examples. Today, justice is being served. Dr. Rodney was vindicated after 41 years. Following the recent announcement in Parliament By the Attorney-General of Guyana – Anil Nandlall, Rodney’s Gravesite and Memorial will now become National Monuments managed by the Guyana National Trust (GNT). His children’s books Kofi Baadu-Out of Africa and Lakshmi-Out of India will be added to the syllabus for primary and secondary students. His seminal text, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa will be available to the University community. The government of Guyana also confirmed that Rodney’s cause of death will be amended to delete the word ‘’misadventure’’ and it will now read ‘’Death by Assassination.’’ His records would also be amended to read that Dr. Rodney was a “Professor” instead of “unemployed”. We savour this victory!!! Signed, Danny Matondo, Head of Communications, Young African Leaders Forum Share Categories Popular Posts Newsletter
Individual Development as the Pathway to African Development
Blog Details Home Blog Details Individual Development as the Pathway to African Development Man is the measure of all things. He forms the bedrock of any society, and his nature determines the state of the society. It is paramount for the individual to be developed if a nation is to achieve sustainable development. This is because without first solving the problem of the individual, it is almost impossible for any nation to develop. Individual development is the foundation of a nation’s development; and no nation will prosper if the individuals that constitute it are not developing. This fact is analogous to a machine which parts are faulty. It is obvious that the overall functioning of such machine will be hampered to the extent which depends on the role played by the faulty part. That is, if a vital part is faulty, the overall functioning of the said machine will be thoroughly weakened. Juxtaposed, this will imply that the extent to which an individual can affect a nation depends on the position occupied by such individual. It will be rare for a society to experience development if her top leadership positions are occupied by underdeveloped individuals. The reverse will be the case when leaders are developed. By individual development, I mean the moral and intellectual uprightness of an individual. Whilst the moral aspect of an individual determines his will and character, his intellectual uprightness promotes his competence via a powerful reason. With a spirited will and a power reason, an individual can be said to be developed. Unfortunately, the absence of individual development has proven to be the cause of Africa’s underdevelopment. Most African leaders lack the intellectual integrity and the moral courage to live up to expectation. They are ruled by their appetite rather than by reason. Once in power, they gradually begin to nurse the hope of staying there for life. Many African leaders impugn on the fundamental rights of the citizens and eventually become dictatorial. It is apparent that the gales of looting and corruption in the continent is as a result of the absence of character (spirited will) in leadership. A leadership that is individually developed will place the interest of the people above that of the self. It will have a proper understanding of the dynamics of the continent’s underdevelopment in a rapidly globalising world. Such leadership will put in place measures anchored on democratic tenets – in which the people chart a course of economic recovery. It will frown at corruption. This is what Africa needs. Share Popular Posts Newsletter
