1.
AFRICA
AND THE WORLDWIDE WEB
“The time comes in the life of
any nation when there remains only two choices – submit or fight. That time has
come now to South Africa. We shall not submit and we have no choice but to hit
back by all means in our power in defense of our people...”
Nelson Mandela
Africa,
the continent of the largely black and mixed race, has been the sleeping giant
for decades but in recent times, certain events have led to the awakening of
the giant. It is interesting to note that for centuries, Africa and indeed
Africans have been lulled to sleep by patronizing persons, both foreigners and natives
who come with promises of a better life and future, and once they are given the
opportunity to serve have tended to dominate and oppress the people to a point
where they accept their fate. I agree
completely with this observation;
“When
the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They
said, 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible
and they had the land”
Bishop
Desmond Tutu
However, as it is in every human society, the
oppressed have their day and they always insist on being heard. Indeed, the time has come for Africans to
decide to be Africa’s voice as done in times past, even though then it was
against foreigners, today it is against fathers and brothers who want to be
Africa, all by themselves.
A
society has never been about one man, it is about a group of people that share
the same values and beliefs and traditions and culture. In Africa it is
generally about respect and hospitality and brotherhood. The opportunity to
demonstrate these values was given when the FIFA World Cup was brought to
Africa. It wasn’t about South Africa 2010; it was indeed a thing of Pride for
all Africans. It did not matter that no African country came first; it mattered
that we could show the world that we too can. It was another moment of pride
and indeed every African walked taller when this historical feat was achieved and
facilitating these historic event is technology.
We,
the young people of Africa, would never be exposed to these revolutionary
moments without the technology available in the age we live: The satellite,
that allows us access to media houses reporting issues around the world and the
internet, which has turned the world into a global village. With just one
click, one is exposed to the billions of opinions and views available online.
It is incredible that one can connect and exchange views and ideas in matters
of seconds with someone a thousand seas away – the social media secures for us
this grand opportunity.
To
be young in Africa today is a great opportunity because we have been offered the
potency to create change where we see fit – The World wide web. Access to it is
a right and one we must guard jealously. We cannot afford to sit by anymore and
allow people, foreign or native, alien or related to lie to us and oppress us
and keep us from the opportunities that are available to the rest of the world
which we too can have and do have.
There
is so much potential in Africa and yet we agree to submit to corrupt leaders
who sell us short in the bid to gain absolute power and reign like monarchs in
our hard-won democracy. We have the web and we must indeed use this medium to
bring about the much needed revolution in our societies. We must oust
corruption and live to build a better society for the next generation.
Words
have power and we have the web, we must put this power to the web and see the
wind of change blow across our land.
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