IMPERIALISM AND THE ROLE OF AFRICA AS RAW MATERIAL PRODUCER FOR GLOBAL PROSPERITY TO THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

Abstract

Colonization and imperialism are two exploiting double barrel schemes Europe and few advanced countries uses on Africa. The order of events, starting from colonial and post colonial eras, one may assume that the West does not mean well for Africa as long as she continue to deploy these two exploitative mechanisms on Africa. But the pertinent question remains, is the West really the anchor force that pushes Africa to play this role or is Africa the primary factor that willingly opened the door for the aforementioned and yet cries wolf? But somehow, there have been claims that providence has placed the West ahead to determine the guiding policies, economic structure and how they should be navigated. If such claims are true and the claimants are not being bias over what they’re reporting, then Africa is doomed if she does not break away from this chain of Western imperialism. That means, achieving sustainable development, making good policies, good governance and achieving complete political and economic freedom will be a herculean task. The reality of the Western extraction of raw materials from African soil is an undeniable fact, yet some people still ask, why has it remained after all the African nations have gained their independence? On a normal, common sense teaches us that imperialism is politically driven hence they favour the extractors and exposes the countries where the extractions are taking place to abject poverty. Based on past experiences and now, the West by influence has shown with practical example how this imperialist activity works and have ensured that repressive regimes are kept in power in Africa so that they can still have access to the raw materials; the African wealth. What Africa need to do first is to cut-of the rope of neocolonialism and imperialism off her neck. One of the ways to do that is to resist every political influence and role the West always play in electing African leaders. If that is achieved, it will become a big plus to African continent. If disciplined and competent people with integrity are elected, then, it will enhance development and Africa will get better. Because, Europe and some developed countries are aware that any day Africa escape from the aforesaid hook of imperialism and their natural resources extraction in Africa continent, the living condition in their continent will fall. One of the aims of this paper is to interpret how Western influence and extraction of raw materials has impoverished Africa and have reduced Africa to a mere raw material producer for global prosperity to the advanced countries. A Hermeneutical approach was devised as a tool in pursuance of this aim. The only way the living condition in Africa can change in the nearest future is if Africa can shun Western economic imposition and reject every policy that does not improve the growth of Africa’s economy and politics. For African continent to move forward, Africa must be practically independent of the Western impositions and dictates. Africa must come out of its enclave of being a consumption continent and to become a production continent so as to stop relaying on aids and foreign products for survival. Good governance and Industrialization will push Africa forward to achieving this goal.