Opinions of Sunday, 9 February 2003

Columnist: Boafo, Francis

Letter From The Underworld To Africans

Topic: Unearthing Africa's Great minds for mastery of Scientific, Technological and Industrial Development.



From : Albert Einstein ( 1879-1955)

Lend me your ears, It is with a great privilege as a non-African to be called upon to set the ball rolling on this great issue.

At a conference organised here in the underworld at the request of the living Nelson Mandela , to determine why a great continent such as Africa lies behind in all aspects of universal human development; inspite of the fact that Africa is endow with massive human and natural wealth.

It must be remembered that no continent; no people worked for human and natural wealth known to us here in the underworld as DIVINE PROVISIONS, but were provided freely by the Creator.

At the end of the conference, it was decided that the Great Minds of the past millennium, write series of letters to give the 21st century African insight into the world - shaking mental frame of these people and how they succeeded in transforming the universe. We hope to enlighten the African eye from partial mental blindness and awake the Africa spirit from from its deep slumber.

Our series will inspire Africans to believe in themselves. That they are capable of transforming the continent into a SHOWPIECE this century. It is our wish and desire to see this century termed the African century. We believe it is impossible to achieve these objectives without a considerable dominant scientific knowledge and modern means of technological production.

When will the scientific thought triumph in Africa? When will the royal era of science be part of the African masses? Who owns scientific knowledge? These and many other questions were examined at the conference.

AFRICA AND TECHNOLOGICAL CRUMBS

Though science is not a subject of race, it is an open secret that, Africa stands today as the clearing house for scientific prowess and cut-edge technological innovation. It should dawn on all that, Africa is not yet a full fledged member of the world scientific and industrial community. It was because the planners of the scientific project never had Africa in mind though it was supposed to be a universal project. It was an elitist project meant for the monopoly of few, for the preserve and defense of the established order. To deskill, discipline and displace untold millions of people while concentrating power and wealth into the hands of the few. This has led to technological crumbs to the economic detriment of the continent today.

We in the underworld believe that, this must change hence these series. Africa must embrace Leonardo da Vinci's vision of humanity's future as enshrined in high technologies. It is a common sight today to spot countless Africans engaging in discarded manufactured products of Europe and elsewhere and depositing them on the continent. Africa can not and must not be the dumping ground of products of other continents. This is troubling and very disturbing taking into account the massive DIVINE PROVISIONS available on the continent.

GREAT MINDS OF AFRICA

Looking at Europe and America, one could see what African wits and whims have able to achieve in the previous centuries and continue to do. The last century saw the split of the atom, invented the radar, the computer, atomic bomb was built, airplanes, rockets, satellites, trains and the many inventions and creations of the human mind.

Our inherited ideas about logic, language, learning, mathematics, labour and economics and even that of time and space were overthrown. Behind each of these great ideas , inventions, creations and discoveries in most cases was an extraordinary great mind, which I believe you have them in abundance. Our deliberations here in the underworld found out that there is massive underutilizing, misuse, abuse, misdirection and waste of this precious mental resources.

It is high time these wits and whims become African development minded and be put to proper use. These great minds are wallowing and wasting in asylum homes in Europe and elsewhere, in the villages of Africa, and more surprisingly in mental homes and the streets. How to restore and create a beautiful garden in Africa is our maiden concern here in the underworld .

The time for a massive hunt for these minds has come. These minds will have to to be hunted and retrieved and put to profitable use. For over five decades, Africa has taken care of other peoples' vineyard. Europe and America are grateful. Time to take care of your own garden. Restoration of the garden of Africa to its original state is the prime concern here in the underworld.

UNDERWORLD TASK FORCE. A seven member task force for Africa was set up at the end of the conference. They were charged among other things to mobilize more folks in the underworld to address our declared African human project.

They were charged with the responsibility of helping a new generation of Africans on world changing mechanisms, driving force behind great minds and be introduced to traits of great minds that ensure their accomplishment and the ultimate transformation of our world.

Leonardo da Vinci was extremely excited for the opportunity so that he can share and introduce you to his sharp imaginations which are alive today. He alone figured and built our modern world some centuries ago. Africa need to learn a lot from him.

Isaac Newton , my good friend , will tell you the secret behind his gravitational law. How that many saw the apple fall but none asked-Why? He will elaborate on that question and explain how through divine revelation, wisdom, guidance and assistance he found the answer. Likewise millions see DIVINE PROVISIONS all over Africa, but, none is asking ; WHY? For these reasons and many more I endorse the ICNAG, for their initiative and bringing these issue on board and asking Africans- Why live in misery in the midst of plenty?

Your great son Kwame Nkrumah is also here. Being an insider, he is best placed and informed about your plight and concerns.Through private discussions we have had, he told me of introducing and alternative to his O.A.U brainchild. It was part of his unfinished job.

The reformists and protestants , Martin Luther and Martin Luther King will also write, inspire and help shape your thoughts, on how to deal with the established order for social justice and human progress.

There are a host of minds here in the underworld who will also write from time to time . Let me remind you, that history is not chaos or chance, but a degree of observable order and pattern of partial regularity exist in human behaviour. If Africa will pay heed to some of the ideas and suggestions that will emanate from these great minds; I can predict how Africa will look like by the turn of the century-ECONOMIC SHOWPIECE OF THE 21ST CENTURY.

LISTEN TO ME NOW.

I have taken taken a great while of time to introduce this great agenda.I will now use the time left to speak on my exploits. I was chosen to begin this process, because I could identify myself with your part of the world due to my background and physical features which I never allowed to hinder my purpose while I was here on earth. My life was a search for order in disorder, scientifically and for social progress so that humanity will be raised on to a higher art. For no great discovery was ever made in science or human affairs except by those who lifted their nose above the grindstone of details and venture into a more comprehensive vision. My desire for Africa this century is that, it must do all that it can within its powers to push knowledge forward. Africa could have been the birth place of the industrial and scientific revolution but for a culture that perceived new technologies as a threat. My scientific work was motivated by irresistible longing to understand the secrets of nature , my love for justice and to contribute towards human improvements. You can still build a a garden in your desert and wilderness if these human elements- 1) Useful Curiosity 2) Great Creativity 3) Non-Logical Jumps Forward 4) Hard facts, 5) Wild Imaginations are placed on your mental menu. These require a creative minority who are ready to defy all odds imposed on the African and go beyond the limit.

I was often accused of being a rebellious, which was not the case.It came from gross misunderstanding of my thought life and of course my physical features which were unacceptable to my childhood friends and my native country. I dropped out of school at the age of 15, renounced my citizenship, lived on margins socially, economically and morally. I was called a Gypsy. As a Jew, a liberal, a humanist, an internationalist and of course a believer in the power of the underdog, I was a target of hatred and discrimination but never allowed any of these to affect my mission here on earth. The result was my famous; energy-mass theory. (E=mc 2). I did not only believed it was theoretically possible but also practically doable. Useful curiosity and great creativity remains unsatisfied until they have attained their goals. I can assure you that, if they are strong enough, they can move mountains, make crooked paths straight, make way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert and unveil the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of the secret places to splash your face of the earth.

I end with the words of one of your great sons-Thomas Sankara- who is also with us here. " There can be no fundamental changes without certain amount of craziness. So with my wavy, afro black hair, I wish you a better century and believe Africa will live again. Sincerely, Einstein Albert.

Francis Boafo
Coordinating Director,
International Crusade for a New African Generation. (ICNAG)

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