Corruption in 3rd world Countries

Corruption in Africa can be overcome. Period.  But how? Simple! By having outstanding leaders in the community. This can only be achieved if we start at the grassroots level. In other words, with our children. The right upbringing for a child brings wonders to the child themselves, family, community, country and Africa at large.

Today Africa is covered with corrupt leaders. Not a day goes by during which you don’t read something about how corrupt the continent of Africa and its leaders are, from the “little” leader at school to the “big” leader of a country. The citizens of the continent of Africa are forced to pay bribes left, right and centre in order to get by. So, with money, however little it might be, and as long as you are willing to part with it, there is very little that you can’t achieve.  If you can afford it, you can go a long way. To the poor who can’t, their fate is forever sealed. Unfortunately, the latter are the majority. With this happening each and every day of their lives, how does one expect the poor to ever develop?

Corruption in Africa has been going on for centuries, even during the slave trade when the traditional rulers would sell their own people for their own interest.  Since then nothing has really changed. It is just that, due to Western infiltration, Africans are becoming more educated and thus aware of this foul play. Most African leaders are power hungry and greedy. 

When they come into a leadership role they put themselves and their immediate family first rather than the interests of the country. They forget that they are there to serve us – the people who put them in that position in the first place and the same people who can bring them down too. I don’t have to name any names because you already know who they are.

Can it also be argued that most African leaders are bound to be corrupt because of the poor background they come from? Many steal as much wealth and plunder as many assets as they can before they are deposed from power. Whatever the case, it does not give them the right to oppress the poor by making themselves richer at the expense of everyone else.  What happened to throwing someone a little bone, or you scratch my back and I will scratch yours? (I am not encouraging this.) What about sharing? After all, that land that you are stealing from is my land too!

Corruption in Third World countries will be very difficult to eradicate if the mentality and the perception of the people and leaders does not change. A solution to this problem, I think, should be to allow every leader a maximum of two terms in office because the longer they stay in power, the more they instill fear and oppress their people.

So to reiterate, corruption in Africa can be overcome by having outstanding leaders in the community, starting with our children. Without a more rapid change, it will take Africa another century to eradicate corruption that has become so embedded within our society.