Africa challenged to localise ideas
Africa has been urged to localise positive influences that have the potential to change the continent often described as the bedrock of poverty.
International studies expert Professor Yiwei Wang of School of International Studies, Renmin University of China, believes Africa’s sad tale of lack of development and poverty, among other challenges, is a result of countries failing to take advantage of external influences and iron them into models that suit the continent’s needs.
He said: “It is sad to note that after so many years, Africa is still poor. China changed in 40 years, but you have 400 years, what happened? You have a conducive environment—plenty of resources and good terrain—actually, better than China among other advantages, but little change.
China has internalised influences, ideas and cultural ideology from abroad, but they have been localised into models that not just fit, but are successful to us.
While acknowledging that he has not travelled much in Africa, Wang believes his knowledge has the potential of changing African countries.
And while approving that Malawi and Africa in general have failed to take advantage of what they have, political commentator Boniface Dulani cautioned against blaming others for that.
“It is true that most of the Asian Tiger economies and now China have showed that there are many paths to development. However, I am not persuaded by the argument that China is refusing to cut and paste simply because it has developed its own versions of Facebook or Twitter; among others,” he said.
