YALF PRESIDENT'S NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO AFRICAN YOUTH

Happy New Year my fellow comrades!

It is my pleasure to write a brief letter to young African leaders who contributed so much in 2015 for the realization of sustainable development in our prestigious continent. Your ideas, works and achievements in preceding years were beyond par and deserved utmost recognition. This is why I deemed it necessary to, first of all, thank all African youth for job well done.

Amidst the instabilities, meltdowns and other unfriendly events of last year, we exhibited adequate knowledge and understanding of the pathway to African development via our numerous works, campaigns and investment procedures. After successive hobnobs with intelligent young Africans, even at the 2015 AFRICA YOUTH DAY in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, I am well convinced that a great revival is set to commence in Africa through successful implementation processes.

In this regard, I urge us all to make 2016 a historical year for the continent through our continued efforts in carrying that torch of Africa's development prospect. We must not relent in the face of challenges, but stick together to redeem our motherland from the claws of underdevelopment and poverty. In 2016, I encourage all African youth to be sources of inspiration to one another, standing tall in every moment whilst giving more than ever for the development of the continent.

Let us make 2016 a watershed year for Africa. It is the time for more work!

Give your best and inspire others to do likewise for the love of Africa...

I wish you a happy and successful 2016!

Regards,
Prince IFOH.
President, Young African Leaders Forum (YALF)

XENOPHOBIA IN SOUTH AFRICA by Pafungeyi Gore

South Africa has been experiencing xenophobia especially in parts of KwaZulu Natal, and lately Johannesburg. Many people wonder why humans butcher each other as if they are killing animals. People also wonder whether this scourge of violence has only been experienced by South Africa. For the record, not only South Africa has experienced this form of discrimination or dislike of foreigners, countries like Germany once witnessed xenophobic attacks against Turkish nationals.

Xenophobia is an unreasonable fear or hatred of foreigners (strangers), or of that which is foreign or strange. This means it is fear that has been generated by several factors emanating from various sources, be it historical, culture, economic, colonial local factors. In an article titled;South Africa must confront the roots of its xenophobic violence- which appeared in the mail and guardian, one of the major reason propounded by the writer was that of colonialism. Violence in South Africa can be traced to the days of colonialism, the way colonialists treatedSouth Africans has resulted in a culture of violence. The way ethnic groups were treated in South Africa -- during the period of apartheid -- has resulted in deep seated antagonism against foreign nationals. South Africans have a feeling that whilst attacking a foreign national, the Police’s heavy handedness will not descend on them.

High unemployment rate among local youths is one of the contributing factors. The unemployment rate is over 40% among blacks, and this is compounded by labour legislation which is inappropriate for unskilled locals. Some of the foreign nationals do not have requisite papers to stay in South Africa. As a result, they are viewed by manySouth African employers as a source of cheap labour. Illegal immigrants, if ill-treated by employers in South Africa, will not report the ill-treatment to relevant authorities because of the fear of arrest or deportation. And because of lack of papers, these foreign nationals are unable to join trade unions.Hence, the concept of we are what we are because of those around us does not apply to foreign nationals because they are fragmented. Again, because of some foreign nationals’ desperate situations, they accept low wagessince half a loaf is better than nothing. It is because of these reasons that employers prefer foreigners tolocals, and this has resulted in deep seated antagonism between locals and foreign nationals. It has led to what is being witnessed today in South Africa as Black immigrants are being mainly targeted for attack.

The South African economy is white dominated. This means the Whites dominate large businesses, and the Blacks – because of new entrants in the economy -- are mainly concentrated in small businesses. In those small businesses, they still compete with better resourceful African and Asian immigrants. The Somalians operate businesses as a group, and they are successful because of their entrepreneurial skills and the unity they have when in foreign lands. Somalians also help each other establish businesses, which will result in them dominating small businesses. This has resulted in resentment against the foreigners, and the locals believe that the foreigners are benefiting from local resources more. Remember; we are not referring to industries here, but small grocery shops which might create employment for one person who happens to be the owner. But this generally angers the locals.

One of the causes of xenophobia is the wealth distribution which is skewed in favour of a few. Most Blacks are wallowing in poverty while a few whites and some top black elites are benefitting from the economy. So Blacks feel they have been shortchanged by policy makers, and they retaliate by killing foreign nationals as they view them as part of the problem also.

The Meaning of our Goal - DEVELOPMENT

The term development has no universally accepted definition, yet it is an unavoidable datum of life. Many scholars have attempted a definition of the concept of development. Lebret, for instance, have defined development as "the ascent of man, maturation, growth and creativity of all human potentials achieved at the lowest possible cost in sacrificed values and human sufferings". 

An African philosopher, Pantaleon Iroegbu, also attempted a working definition of development. For him; “Development is the progressive unfolding of the inner potentials of a given reality. It is to de-envelop, that is, to bring out to light existential, functional and epistemic, which was enveloped, folded or hidden. As it applies to a people, development is the integration of different givens: national, physical acquired and human, of a people towards the full working out, permanently and cumulatively, of their being as persons of their community and of their real productivity.” 

Be it as it may, development is the growth or formation and change of something over a period of time.

For me, development is the gradual growth, increase and change of a particular phenomenon over a period of time. It must be about man because he is the agent and purpose of development.

What is your definition of development? How do you judge if a thing or a place is developing?

Lagos, Agberos and Politics

Lagos, Nigeria's mega city, is synonymous with thugs. These thugs are locally called agberos by the Yoruba folks in Nigeria. The agberos are authorities in the commercial sector of the coastal city. Under the auspices of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), they control the transportation sector of the city - by merely sitting at bus stops and forcefully collecting (extorting) money from commercial bus drivers.

Anyone may be quick to ask why the money is paid, but for commercial drivers in Lagos, such question is unnecessary. Daring to ask such question could result into the vandalisation of your bus and other personal valuables. It could also result in physical assault or even death. No one - even the Police - can question their methods and decisions. And this simply shows the depth of authority exercised by a 'legalised' set of hoodlums in a supposed developed Lagos

You might be asking, how can hoodlums and touts be legalised in a society like Lagos? Well, that's where politics come in. Politicians have great need for these agberos as they are utilised during electoral periods - either to run campaigns or to manipulate election results. When these politicians eventually come into power, it becomes difficult to oust these thugs. But rather than employ them directly, our leaders allow these agberos excess liberty to raise money for themselves - using any method. The thugs - in turn - exploit the commoners to satisfy their whims. Even if a death case is recorded during extortion, the government turns a blind eye to it. This is why it is said that in Nigeria, playing politics with security isn't frowned upon.  Continue...