THE ROLE OF THE AFRICAN ELITES AND THE UNDERDEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA: CAUSAL RE-VISITATION

Abstract

The underdevelopment of the African continent has attracted many different scholarly literatures to explicate otherwise the root causes of the monumental histo-political, economic and social condition of African backwardness. This study examines the role of the African elites and the underdevelopment of Africa: causal re-visitation. Using secondary data sources, the paper argues that imperialism, colonialism and capitalism, with their attendant effects, have been seriously blamed for African underdevelopment, with much under-representation of the dubious roles of the African elites towards the development of the African continent. The paper finds that the role African elites have played and are still playing shows that the African continent would be hardly emancipated from the control and domination of the stage-managed political, economic, social and technological dependency. However, the paper concludes that development in Africa can only be achieved by Africans themselves with their own structurally self-made institutions and resources, charged with orientational change embedded in truthful, transparent and patriotic governance from African leaders. Thus, some recommendations are given to reposition Africa and get rid of underdevelopment.