Opinions of Friday, 28 August 2015

Columnist: Emmanuel Agyemfra Boateng

How Africa can become the land of hope and success

Opinion Opinion

A question was raised on Daily Graphic’s Facebook page on how the media will use its power to rebrand Africa from one of hopelessness to a continent of hope and success. After reading the post, I sighed and told God silently that he should let Africa get there!

Yes, the media can help Africa become a continent of HOPE and SUCCESS if the leaders of this rich continent will forgo some of their sickening behaviours and pave way for the HOPE and SUCCESS train.

It’s not too late, just that, we’ve been sleeping for too long and this is the time for us to wake up and join the fast train towards the land of HOPE and SUCCESS.

The media’s efforts in branding Africa from one of hopelessness to a continent of hope and success will only materialize if only;
Head of states get the ‘Buharism’ mentality: That is when you make the nation your first priority.

We are ready to eradicate Civil War: When the likes of the President of South Sudan are not given the chance to rule again. He refused to sign a peace deal in Ethiopia that would’ve brought lasting peace to the crisis between North and South Sudan.

Our Leaders realize we are doing democracy not m’onarchy’: Yayah Jammel, Museiveini, Robert Mugabe and others who are not giving way for proper elections to take place in their country.

The media in Africa cannot just start branding Africa when some of their leaders are not ready to help in the rebranding! I watched the late Komla Dumor on Good evening Ghana with Paul Adom Okyere when he told viewers that, he didn’t understand why people said BBC was fond of airing only negativities about Africa, when there were positives. The Boss Player made it clear to viewers that they reported on the so-called negatives to make our leaders realise their pot holes and work on them.

4.Our leaders begin to patronise our public hospitals.
Our governments listen instead of waiting for STRIKE ACTIONS.

The media will succeed in branding Africa if:
We stop protecting the rich against the poor.
Our leaders use commercial buses so that they can feel the potholes as their European counterparts do or park the V8s and use motorbikes or bicycles

The youth is EMPOWERED.
They stop giving the oppressors voice while silencing the disenfranchised.
Our Leaders STOP begging from IMF and WORLD BANK and start utilizing our own natural resources.

The media has done a lot already, but our mentality is pulling us back. African states should sit up and wake up from their slumber and we will reach the HOPE and SUCCESS point.