ATTITUDE: EITHER BLACK IS BAD OR AFRICA IS CURSED. DO YOU AGREE
In the next few writings, I intend to explore the possible reasons Zambia and indeed many African countries do not do well relative to many developed countries. After over 40 years of political independence, we are still struggling as a nation. Most international assessments have concluded that the average citizen lives on less than a dollar a day. Are we willing to continue living like this? Is it as Nathan Nyirenda puts it in his song Mwemakufi (Knees) “because of the black skin or is it that intellectual capabilities are inferior or low?”
The answer is obviously no. However, let us not comfort each other the situation is very bad and needs to be changed. We do not use our intellectual capabilities to the maximum and have accepted mediocrity for way too long. There is one aspect of an African’s whose effects are highly underrated by the Africans themselves.
To begin with, I would like to share something I came across as I was doing my leisure time reading. I can not quiet remember who wrote it but it was a power point presentation which stated that if the letters of the alphabet were represented by the numbers 1,2,3,4,5 to 26 where; 1 is for A, 2 for B, 3 for C and so on up to Z for 26, then words could be added up to find their value and different aspects of life could be analyzed for their value. For instance
M + O + N + E + Y =13+ 15 + 14 + 5 + 25 = 72
S +U + C + C + E + S = 19 + 21 + 3 + 3 + 5 + 19 = 70
HARD WORK = 8 + 1 + 18 + 4 +23 + 15 + 18 + 11 = 98
The presentation then went on to argue that only one aspect of life would add to 100. That aspect is ATTITUTE. That is what I want to address today. Michael Bonnell (1997) argues that attitude is the “…difference between poor countries and the rich ones.” Bonnell further asserts that studies have shown that a majority of people in ‘rich countries’ follow the following principles in their lives while their counterparts in poor countries only follow a minority of these basic principles in their daily lives.
1. Ethics as a basic principle.
2. Integrity.
3. Responsibility.
4. Respect to the laws and rules.
5. Respect to the rights of other citizens.
6. Work loving.
7. Strive for saving and Investment.
8. Will of super action.
9. Punctuality.
It is my intention to expand and give an in depth explanation on each one of these basic principles in my next few writings. Suggestions of things to be included in each of these are welcome from every one. You can send them to byrnek09@gmail.com Remember ‘Economy building is development in prospect’ Let us all make it a reality.
REFERENCES:
Michael Bonnell (1997). The difference between poor and rich countries-Power point presentation.
Primapanama.blogs.com/_panama_residential_devel/2007/11/why-does-panama.html
economy building 