society
Building Bridges in Africa, Not Walls: A Path to Stronger Systems and Stable Currencies
Building Bridges in Africa, Not Walls: A Path to Stronger Systems and Stable Currencies
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | For Sahara Weekly Nigeria
Across the vast and culturally rich continent of Africa, the future hangs delicately on one critical choice: DO WE BUILD BRIDGES THAT UNITE US OR WALLS THAT DIVIDE? At a time when the global economy is transforming through cooperation, trade integration and digital innovation, Africa must reject the retrogressive politics of xenophobia, protectionism and border hostility. The African Union’s agenda for 2063 and the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) are powerful testaments to this path. Yet, for these ambitions to translate into transformative realities, African nations must discard internal divisions, political bigotry and economic selfishness.
Let it be said without apology; BUILDING FENCES BETWEEN AFRICAN COUNTRIES, CLOSING BORDERS TO NEIGHBORS AND CRIMINALIZING MIGRATION WITHIN OUR OWN CONTINENT ARE ACTS OF BETRAYAL TO THE PAN-AFRICAN DREAM. Instead, building economic, diplomatic, cultural and technological bridges is not only morally right but strategically essential for strengthening African systems and stabilizing our weakened currencies.
The Cost of Building Walls: Economic Isolation and Currency Devaluation
When South Africa shuts down its borders to Zimbabwean, Nigerian, or Malawian workers under the guise of protecting local jobs or when xenophobic rhetoric is normalized in political campaigns, it is not just human rights that are violated (it is economic logic that is INSULTED. African ECONOMIES are not COMPETITORS) they are interdependent allies. The idea that foreign African workers “STEAL JOBS” is not backed by empirical data. In fact, research by the African Centre for Migration & Society (ACMS) at the
University of the Witwatersrand finds that immigrant communities in South Africa are more likely to create informal employment
opportunities and pay
taxes than they are to take jobs from locals.
Moreover, protectionist policies and internal border closures inhibit
the very trade and free movement of labor that could stabilize local
currencies. As it stands, 41 of Africa’s 54 countries are facing exchange rate volatility,
many of them severely weakened against the
U.S. dollar. Nigeria’s naira, Ghana’s cedi and the South African rand have all been depreciating at alarming rates, partly because of dependency on imports, low regional trade and political instability.
According to the World Bank, intra-African trade accounts for only 17% of total African exports, compared to 59% in Asia and 68% in Europe. Why? Because instead of facilitating trade routes and visa-free movement, many African states still erect bureaucratic walls that delay commerce and undermine regional trust.
Bridges Bring Growth: Economic and Systemic Strength
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), launched in January 2021, is one of the boldest attempts to reverse this failure. With 54 signatories and a potential combined GDP of $3.4 trillion, it aims to boost intra-African trade by 52% by 2030, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa(UNECA). But treaties alone are not enough; we need the political will to honor them.
A study by McKinsey & Company reports that full AfCFTA implementation could lift 30 million Africans out of extreme poverty and increase the income of the continent by $450 billion by 2035. That is the POWER of BUILDING BRIDGES. It means creating policies that make it easier for a Nigerian startup to scale operations in Rwanda, or for a Ghanaian cocoa producer to collaborate with a Kenyan packaging company.
It means embracing regional banking integration, as seen with Ecobank and UBA, which now operate in multiple African countries. Cross-border investments like Dangote’s cement factories in Tanzania, Senegal and Ethiopia provide regional stability and job creation. It also means strengthening institutions such as Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), which are pioneering innovative ways to reduce dependency on the dollar and encourage intra-African transactions in local currencies.
Human Rights Activists Speak: Reject Xenophobia, Embrace Unity
Modern human rights leaders have been vocal about the need for Africa to unite not divide. Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao, former African Union Ambassador to the United States warned, “The colonizers left but their walls remain. Until we remove the mental borders between us, we are not free.”
In the same vein, Kumi Naidoo, former Secretary-General of Amnesty International and ex-Executive Director of Greenpeace International declared:
“Our liberation is incomplete if Africans are still seen as foreigners in Africa. We must fight xenophobia with the same urgency as we fight colonialism. An injury to one African is an injury to all.”
These words are not sentimental they are strategic. Africa will not rise through insular nationalism but through continental solidarity. The struggle of African migrants in Libya, the discrimination faced by Congolese in Angola or the systemic scapegoating of Nigerians in South Africa are not isolated injustices, they are structural cracks in the foundation of African unity.
Borderlessness: A Continental Vision from Nkrumah to the AU
The notion of an open Africa is not new. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president prophetically stated:
“The independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of Africa.”
He understood that no African nation can stand alone. It is this Pan-African ideology that inspired regional blocs like ECOWAS, SADC and EAC. Today, their survival depends on how quickly they move from paper protocols to tangible integration.
Take ECOWAS for example, it has already adopted a passport that enables visa-free movement among 15 West African countries. But enforcement remains patchy. Political leaders must now match rhetoric with action; tearing down remaining bureaucratic barriers and harmonizing trade laws.
Currency Stability Through Regional Unity
A stronger African currency system is within reach but only through integration. The West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) has been flirting with a common currency, the ECO for over a decade. Though delayed by inflation targets and political mistrust, the goal remains valid. A unified monetary policy could curb reliance on the dollar, improve trade balance and shield economies from external shocks.
As Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the WTO, pointed out:
“Trade is the lifeline of development, but it thrives on trust, infrastructure and policy coherence. Africa needs to invest in all three.”
By building digital and financial bridges; like the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS). Africa can conduct trade in LOCAL CURRENCIES and reduce dollar scarcity that weakens exchange rates.
The Youth Factor: A Continental Renaissance Waiting to Happen
Africa has the world’s youngest population with over 60% of its 1.4 billion people under the age of 25. They are more digitally connected, culturally aware and entrepreneurial than any generation before. But their future is suffocated by closed borders, restrictive visa regimes and petty nationalism.
Young Africans don’t want to be labeled “foreigners” for speaking Swahili in Malawi or Yoruba in Ghana. They want a unified digital economy where a developer in Rwanda can work remotely for a fintech firm in Lagos. They want scholarships that don’t discriminate by passport and airlines that fly from Gaborone to Yaoundé without four stopovers in Europe.
Unity or Decline: The Decision Ahead. A Call to Conscience and Strategy
Africa must make a choice…build bridges or perish behind walls. The time has come for African leaders to stop playing to xenophobic fears and start
cultivating a Pan-African vision rooted in mutual respect, open borders, economic integration and shared progress.
Fences may provide temporary political capital, but they offer no solution to poverty, currency collapse or youth unemployment. Only bridges (economic, social and cultural) will carry us across this divide.
Let the words of the late Wangari Maathai, Kenyan Nobel laureate and environmentalist guide our hearts:
“You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people, you inform them and you help them understand that these resources are their own.”
Likewise, you cannot protect African sovereignty without uniting Africans.
The walls must fall and the bridges must rise.
Today’s Effort, Tomorrow’s Triumph: The Undeniable Power of Doing Your Best Today.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
“D best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” ~ H. Jackson Brown Jr.
In a world addicted to shortcuts and obsessed with quick wins, the timeless wisdom behind the quote above cuts through the noise like a sharpened sword. The idea that tomorrow’s success depends entirely on today’s actions is not a cliché, it is an irrefutable truth. Whether in faith, science, economics or personal development, one law stands firm: today’s SEED is tomorrow’s HARVEST.
We can not continue to fold our hands in laziness today and expect miracles tomorrow. A nation can not waste time, bury talent and ignore responsibility today and then complain about failure tomorrow. Life does not reward intentions; it rewards actions.
Faith Speaks: Christianity and Islam Agree on the Power of Today. This principle is not just motivational; it is deeply spiritual. Across the world’s major religions, the doctrine of intentional daily action is clear.
In the Bible
Proverbs 6:6-8 teaches:
“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.”
The lesson here is blunt: the time to prepare is now, not later.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 further reinforces this:
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…”
In the Quran
Islam emphasizes the same responsibility of living intentionally and working righteously each day. In Surah Al-Zalzalah (99:7-8), the Holy Qur’an declares:
“So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.”
This verse reminds believers that nothing is wasted; every small effort counts and will show its result, either today or tomorrow. It is a divine call to mindfulness and proactive living.
Also, in Surah Ar-Ra’d (13:11), Allah says:
“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.”
Change does not fall from the sky. God helps those who help themselves; today, not when it is convenient.
Procrastination is the Poison of Purpose
Dr. Timothy Pychyl, a psychology professor at Carleton University, states that:
“Procrastination is not a time management problem, it is an emotion regulation problem.”
We put off effort not because we lack time, but because we avoid discomfort. Yet nothing of value has ever been built in comfort. From Moses to Muhammad (PBUH), from Mandela to Martin Luther King Jr., progress has always come from people who embraced struggle today to secure peace tomorrow.
From Nations to Individuals: A Pattern of Success. Japan, South Korea and Singapore, these countries did not wait for the future to be great. They built it. After war and poverty, they chose to invest in education, discipline, innovation and daily excellence. The results? Economic prosperity, global respect and technological advancement.
Compare that with many African nations, where politics, procrastination and misplaced priorities have crippled development. Nigeria, for instance, continues to grapple with the consequences of poor preparation. We cannot talk about transformation if we do not first talk about intentional effort; daily, consistent and focused.
The Economy of Today. Economists describe something called the Law of Diminishing Intent: the longer you delay action, the less likely you are to do it at all. In business, delaying a product launch or avoiding staff training today often leads to loss of competitive edge tomorrow.
Brian Tracy, in his bestselling book Eat That Frog, emphasizes:
“Your ability to discipline yourself to set clear goals and then work on them every day will do more to guarantee your success than any other single factor.”
In other words, daily action beats monthly inspiration.
Talent is Nothing Without Today’s Discipline. Too many young people have talents buried in the coffin of laziness. Dreams without daily action are hallucinations. The Bible says in Proverbs 14:23:
“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”
Success is not a gift; it is a product. You cannot wish your way into greatness. You must work your way into it—step by step, day by day.
The Quran also teaches in Surah An-Najm (53:39):
“And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives.”
It doesn’t get clearer than that. You get only what you strive for.
Global Voices That Support the Principle. Great minds from various backgrounds have echoed this truth:
Angela Duckworth (Author of Grit): “Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare.”
Daily effort is the dividing line between the average and the great.
Jim Rohn: “Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals.”
Barack Obama: “The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something.”
Malcolm X: “The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
When both Eastern and Western wisdom align, when scriptures and scholars agree, then it is no longer a theory; it is a law.
Time is the Most Precious Currency. Unlike money, time cannot be earned back. Once gone, it is gone forever. Every second wasted is a blessing buried. The Quran calls mankind to account for their time. In Surah Al-Asr (103:1-3), Allah says:
“By Time, verily man is in loss, except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and enjoin each other to truth and patience.”
Even belief must be accompanied by action, otherwise it results in loss. Believing in your future without acting today is self-deception.
A Message to Nigeria’s Youth and Leaders. Let us be brutally honest. Nigeria will not change through slogans. Africa will not rise through hashtags. Real transformation begins with action; by the citizens, by the youth and most critically, by the leaders.
Our failure to plan, our tendency to delay reforms, our endless “we’ll do it later” mindset; this is what chains our future. We must kill procrastination before it kills our potential.
Instead of wishing for a better Nigeria, wake up and become the better Nigerian. Apply for the course. Register the business. Clean the streets. Learn the skill. Fight corruption. Demand accountability. Do your best today.
Final Thoughts: The Time is Now. The truth is simple: You will not rise tomorrow if you sit today.
Yes, life is unfair. Yes, circumstances can be hard; but you must never give the excuse of tomorrow for what you can perfect today. Success does not belong to the most privileged. It belongs to the most prepared.
Let us leave you with the words of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who said:
“If the Hour (the end of the world) is about to be established and one of you was holding a palm shoot, let him take advantage of even one second before it happens and plant it.” (Musnad Ahmad)
That is how powerful the present moment is even if the world is ending, still do your best now.
The Closing Reflections.
Tomorrow is not a miracle waiting to happen. It is the fruit of today’s labor. If you want to succeed, begin today. If you want to change your story, act now. If you want a better nation, do not just hope; build it.
The best preparation for tomorrow is not luck. It is doing your best today without excuse, without delay and without fear.
Written by George Omagbemi Sylvester
Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
NDA Cadets to Conduct Live Firing Exercises, Residents Advised to Take Precautions
The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) is set to conduct a Range Classification Exercise for Cadets of the 73 Regular Course from July 14 to 18, 2025, at the NDA Open Range.
According to Major Mohammed Maidawa, Academy Public Relations Officer, the four-day exercise is designed to enhance the Cadets’ skills in live firing scenarios and will be instrumental in their training and preparedness.
Major Maidawa urged local residents and communities to be aware of the exercise schedule and not to be alarmed by the sounds associated with live firing activities during this period.
He also advised farmers, herders, and residents to avoid entering or trespassing into the NDA Open Range and surrounding areas from July 14 to 18, 2025, citing public safety as a priority.
“Public safety is our priority, and adhering to these guidelines will help prevent any accidents,” he said.
The NDA appeals to the public to cooperate and disseminate the information to ensure awareness and safety.
Politics
Amosun declares support for cultural legacy as Abeokuta Film Festival decorates him as Patron
Amosun declares support for cultural legacy as Abeokuta Film Festival decorates him as Patron
Former Governor of Ogun State and Senator representing Ogun Central, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has expressed heartfelt appreciation to the organizers of the Abeokuta Film Festival, who recently honored him with an award and decorated him as Patron of the Festival.
Receiving the award personally at his residence in Abeokuta, Senator Amosun emphasized that legacy and service should outweigh the pursuit of recognition. He commended the organizers for promoting local achievements but noted that true leadership lies in quiet, impactful service rather than self-promotion.
“I’ve never been the type to chase awards or honors,” he said. “If you’re in a position of authority or leadership, just do your work. That’s what you’re there for. Let the impact speak for itself.”
Referencing historical figures such as Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Amosun remarked that their legacies endure not because of awards, but because of the depth of their contributions. While he acknowledged the motivational power of recognition, he reiterated that real reward lies in meaningful impact.
Senator Amosun praised the Abeokuta Film Festival as a vital cultural platform and called for its expansion across Ogun State and the Southwest region. He proposed greater collaboration and suggested a regional brand identity such as “KAARO OJIRE,” which he said could showcase the diversity of languages and stories from the area.
Pledging continued support for the initiative, he assured the organizers of his availability whenever needed. “Even without this award, I’ve always been ready to contribute. Now, with this recognition, I’m even more inspired to do more,” he stated.
In conclusion, he dedicated the award to the pioneers and legends of Nigeria’s film industry, including Hubert Ogunde and Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, whose timeless contributions, he said, continue to inspire generations.
Among those who were on the entourage to do the honour was the National President, Association of Nigerian Theatre Practitioners, Popular Nollywood Actor, Dr. Hafiz Oyetoro, Popularly known as Saka, and Convener, Abeokuta Film Festival, Hon. Kehinde Soaga (dgn)
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