society
Africa Must Fix Africa: Stop Running and Start Rebuilding
Africa Must Fix Africa: Stop Running and Start Rebuilding.
George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
The greatest tragedy in Africa today is not just poverty, war, corruption or the incompetence of leadership. It is the mass exodus of the very people Africa needs most ie. teachers, doctors, nurses, engineers, thinkers, builders and reformers. The problem with Africa is not that it is irredeemable. The problem is that those who should redeem it are fleeing its shores in search of “GREENER PASTURES.” The question we must ask ourselves is brutally simple: if we all leave, who will stay to fix things?
In a report by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 2018, it was stated that Africa loses over $4 billion annually to brain drain, with skilled professionals migrating to Europe, North America and the Middle East in alarming numbers. This brain drain is not just a statistic, but a silent pandemic that has crippled our hospitals, collapsed our education systems and left our governments incapable of innovation or self-reliance.
A Continent of Runners, Not Reformers. Let’s face it: we are running. Running from bad leadership, from broken systems, from insecurity, from unemployment and from hopelessness. But we are also running from responsibility. The teachers who leave for Dubai, the doctors who relocate to Canada, the politicians who embezzle and escape to London; all of them are part of the same moral collapse. We must ask ourselves: what is our duty to the continent that gave us our names, languages and roots?
Prof. P.L.O. Lumumba said, “Those who have the ability to think, but do not think are traitors to themselves and to their continent.” We cannot all be abroad and still pretend to CARE about the FATE of Africa. Patriotism is not posting our country (African) flags on social media during crises; but the willingness to stay behind, fight for justice, build institutions and inspire the next generation.
Europe’s Fence is a Message We Misread. It is not uncommon to hear Africans lament the “unwelcoming” attitude of Europe. From Hungary’s steel border wall to Spain’s militarized fences in Ceuta and Melilla, the signal is clear: YOU ARE NOT WELCOME. Or so we think.
But perhaps we are misreading the message. The wall is not just a deterrent; it is a challenge. It says: “SOLVE YOUR OWN PROBLEMS. FIX YOUR OWN HOUSE. BUILD YOUR OWN SYSTEMS.” Unfortunately, we see the wall and think of DISCRIMINATION. What we fail to see is the deeper truth; it is not their job to carry Africa’s burdens. Na our own palava bii dat.
The British-Sudanese author Zeinab Badawi puts it, “If Africans are truly proud of their heritage and history, they should not be fleeing it; they should be fighting for it.”
Who Go Teach the Children? In Nigeria alone, over 2,000 doctors leave the country every year according to a 2019 report by the Nigerian Medical Association. In South Africa, thousands of skilled nurses have migrated to the UK in the past decade. Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe we as Africans, all suffer from this same affliction. The result? HOSPITALS with no SPECIALISTS. SCHOOLS with UNTRAINED TEACHERS. NATIONS without the capacity to BUILD or GOVERN.
According to the World Bank, sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest ratio of doctors to population; about 0.2 doctors per 1,000 people, compared to the global average of 1.6. If we continue exporting our best minds, who will remain to help the sick, educate the youth and guide the nation?
The Politics of Escape. Let’s not deceive ourselves. Our politicians are the architects of this disaster. They loot national wealth and store in Swiss banks. Their children attend Ivy LEAGUE schools while public universities at home remain shut for months due to strikes. Yet, we imitate them. We dream not of building Africa but of escaping it.
This culture of escape has created a toxic cycle: bad governance pushes citizens away; the exit of skilled minds weakens the system further; weakened systems produce worse governance. “The cycle repeats.”
Our own Chinua Achebe rightly said “The problem is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.” Today, it is not just a failure of leadership; but a failure of followership, of responsibility and of vision.
Where Are the Patriots?
Africa needs patriots. Not the flag-waving, anthem-singing kind, but real builders. People who stay when it’s HARD, speak when it’s DANGEROUS and work when it’s THANKLESS. Our continent needs thinkers who will teach in OUR universities, NOT at Harvard. We need engineers who will design OUR cities, NOT Dubai’s skyline. We need journalists who will speak TRUTH to POWER, not flee from it.
Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao, former AU Ambassador to the US, said:
“The young people of Africa are fleeing their continent. But I say to them: you are running from yourselves. Africa NEEDS you more than Europe WANTS you.”
A Call to Build, Not Blame. Yes, Europe COLONIZED major of Africa. Yes, they ROBBED, EXPLOITED and DIVIDED. That was then. Today, we are governed by our own people. We must stop blaming the PAST and start building the FUTURE. The fences they build are not chains. They are mirrors; showing us what we have FAILED to become.
It is time for African nations to invest in their people. Governments must create environments that make staying worthwhile: competitive salaries, functional healthcare, quality education and security. Even more urgently, the people must develop a sense of duty to their homeland. Running away may save you, it will not save your nation.
The Diaspora Must Return. To those in the diaspora: Africa needs you back. You are needed not just for remittances but for reform. Bring your skills, your discipline, your exposure. Help build institutions, mentor young minds and hold corrupt systems accountable. Your success abroad should not be your escape from home, but your preparation to fix it.
In 2018, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) launched the “Return of Qualified African Nationals” program to encourage skilled diaspora professionals to return. The results were promising, but it will take more than programs; it will take patriotism.
Next Steps for Africa: The Wall is a Mirror
Africa will not change until we stop fleeing and start fighting for justice, for reform and dignity. The walls Europe builds are not prisons; they are challenges. Until we take ownership of our destiny, no foreign aid, visa or migration policy will save us.
As the Quran says in Surah Ar-Ra’d (13:11):
“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.”
Africa is BLEEDING, but not BROKEN. The question is: who among us will stop RUNNING and start REBUILDING?
About the Author:
George Omagbemi Sylvester is a political analyst, columnist, and advocate for African self-reliance and democratic accountability. He writes regularly for SaharaWeeklyNG.com.
Alleged Manipulation of Defilement Case Sparks Call for Review of Legal Advice in Lagos
By Ifeoma Ikem
A legal controversy has emerged in Lagos following a petition seeking a review of a legal advice issued in a case involving two female teachers accused of negligence in a child injury incident at a nursery school in Ikorodu.
The petition, submitted by Crown Cannan Attorneys, urges the Lagos State Ministry of Justice to reconsider the legal advice issued on September 16, 2022, in the case titled Commissioner of Police vs. Ambassador Rukayat Tobiloba and Rukayat Lawal.
Addressed to the former Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, the application argues that the legal advice may have been influenced by what the petition describes as a “deliberate manipulation of facts.”
According to counsel representing the defendants, the allegations stem from an incident that allegedly occurred on October 26, 2021, at Great Kezino Nursery and Primary School located in the Adamo area of Ikorodu, Lagos.
The defendants, Ambassador Rukayat Tobiloba, 26, and Rukayat Lawal, 24, were reportedly the class teacher and assistant class teacher respectively in charge of a Nursery One class where the incident occurred.
Court documents indicate that a three-year-old pupil, identified as Victim A, was reportedly injured after another pupil allegedly pierced a pencil into her private part during school hours.
The prosecution claims the incident occurred due to the failure of the teachers to exercise adequate care and supervision over the children under their custody.
Based on this allegation, the two educators were charged with negligence under Section 252 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, which addresses acts that may cause harm through lack of proper care.
The defendants were subsequently arraigned before Magistrate Court No. 2 in Ikeja on April 19, 2022, where they faced a one-count charge relating to the incident.
During the investigation conducted at the Gender Unit of the Lagos State Police Command in Ikeja, several civil society groups reportedly monitored the proceedings.
Among them were representatives of the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) and other non-governmental organizations.
These groups reportedly raised concerns about what they described as a growing tendency to weaponise allegations of child abuse in ways that could unfairly damage reputations and careers.
In its petition, the defence team argued that the case deserves a fresh review to ensure that justice is served based on verified facts rather than assumptions or public pressure.
They urged the Ministry of Justice to carefully reassess the legal advice and the circumstances surrounding the investigation to determine whether the prosecution should proceed as currently framed.
Legal observers say the outcome of the requested review could determine the next stage of the case and may also highlight broader concerns about investigative procedures and child protection cases within the justice system.
Reacting to a viral social media post by Ambassador Rukayat Tobiloba, who claimed she might be jailed for defilement, the head teacher of Great Kezino Nursery and Primary School, Mrs. Edaolaropin Toyin, provided the school’s account of events.
According to her, the pupil identified as Victim A was enrolled in the Nursery One class on September 20, 2021, which had about 15 pupils.
She explained that on October 26, 2021, the pupil was transported home on the school bus after closing hours and handed over to her father around 4:30 p.m.
“Later that night, the pupil’s mother allegedly contacted the head teacher, claiming her daughter cried while bathing and alleged that a male classmate, Victim B, had inserted a pencil into her private part during school hours,” she said.
The school, however, rejected the allegation, maintaining that no such incident occurred while the child was in its custody.
“The following morning, the teacher visited the pupil’s home, where the father reportedly denied the mother’s account of the incident,” Toyin added.
She said the situation escalated later that day when the child’s parents arrived at the school with police officers from Imota Police Station demanding that the alleged male classmate be produced.
The head teacher further stated that the school management had supported Tobiloba throughout the legal process.
“Since the incident happened, the school management has never stopped supporting Tobiloba’s welfare until last year when she sent a WhatsApp message saying she was no longer interested in the court matter, claiming she had relocated to Ibadan,” she said.
She described the claims currently circulating on social media as “defamatory narratives.”
*GEN CG MUSA SUPPORT INITIATIVE MOURNS FALLEN HEROES AND URGES UNITY IN SECURITY SUPPORT
The Gen Christopher Gwabin Musa Support Initiative (GCGMSI) expresses its heartfelt condolences to His Excellency Gen Christopher Gwabin Musa OFR, Minister of Defence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Grand Patron of the Initiative, and the families of the fallen heroes who courageously lost their lives in a recent attack by ISWAP in Konduga, Marte, Jakana, and Dalori in Borno State, northeast Nigeria. Among the tragic losses were three senior military commanders: Major U.I. Mairiga, Lt-Col Umar Faruq, and Lt-Col S.I. Iliyasu, who dedicated their lives to the service of our nation.
The GCGMSI implores the public to continue supporting our security agencies, emphasizing that the safety and security of our nation is a collective responsibility. Every day, our security forces pay the ultimate price to safeguard our country. We urge the public to remain supportive, pray for their success, and refrain from politicizing the security challenges we face.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Convener, Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani Sadaukin Garkuwan Keffi/Betara Biu, which has been made available to the press. The statement highlights the initiative’s profound concern for the losses sustained by our security personnel and reflects on the broader security situation in Nigeria.
In his unwavering commitment to addressing the insecurity plaguing our nation, the Minister of Defence, Gen Christopher Gwabin Musa, has consistently engaged in urgent meetings with service chiefs, reinforcing strategic plans to combat threats and enhance national security. His leadership and decisive actions demonstrate a dedication to restoring peace and stability across our regions, ensuring a safer environment for all Nigerians.
society
SECURITY IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY: BACKING OUR MINISTER OF DEFENCE GEN. CHRISTOPHER GWABIN MUSA OFR
SECURITY IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY: BACKING OUR MINISTER OF DEFENCE GEN. CHRISTOPHER GWABIN MUSA OFR
By Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani
In these challenging times, it is essential for all Nigerians to rally behind our leaders, particularly His Excellency Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa OFR, the Minister of Defence. The security of our nation is not a matter to be taken lightly or politicized. Gen. Musa, recognized for his unwavering dedication and sacrifice, has served our country commendably throughout his life.
Following the recent reshuffle of service chiefs by President Asiwaju Bola Ahamed Tinubu GCFR, which resulted in Gen. Musa’s retirement as Chief of Defence Staff, many voiced their concerns. Yet, upon his appointment as Minister of Defence, there was a renewed sense of hope among the populace. Gen. Musa has embraced his role with an unwavering commitment, often sacrificing his rest to ensure the safety and security of our great nation.
While it is undeniable that Nigeria faces security challenges, we must approach these issues with unity rather than division. It is crucial to recognize that those who politicize our national security are often those who have not contributed positively to the success of our security agencies. Instead of spreading negativity, we should support Gen. Musa in his mission to restore peace and stability.
To achieve our collective goal of a secure Nigeria, we must provide Gen. Musa with the trust he deserves. His vision and determination, paired with our support and prayers, can pave the way to overcoming the challenges we face. It’s time for every Nigerian to put aside political differences and work together for the common good. Let us have faith in our leaders and trust in Gen. Musa’s ability to steer our nation towards safety and security.
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