Nosa Aituamen
A Commonwealth Scholar and public policy analyst, Mr. Magnus Onyibe, says, Africans should not rely on America to provide solutions to the continent’s problems, but rather look inward and take responsibility for its own development.
In a brief on the topic “Trump 2.0 and Africa: Dangers and Prospects,” at the roundtable of the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies, CIAPS, in Lagos, he argued that Africans have no reason to expect America to provide aid, healthcare, or other forms of assistance.
Instead, he posited that African leaders should prioritize the needs of their citizens and provide for them.
The Commonwealth scholar also criticized African leaders for their extravagance, citing the example of the African Union meetings in Ethiopia, where leaders arrived in private jets, while the people suffer from lack of basic necessities.
He emphasized that it is unfair to blame President Trump for withdrawing aid when African leaders are not doing enough to help their citizens.
“Africans don’t have any reason to be relying on America to protect them, to give them good health care of everything, if we had good leaders, so it’s not our right. If the United States of America, under Trump, is rolling back aid from USAID, it is not our right, it’s a privilege. Our leaders, in the first instance, should be giving us all of this but our leaders are living in profligacy”.
On a broader scale, Mr. Onyibe identified unfair trade practices as a major obstacle to Africa’s development.
He noted that the continent is relegated to producing raw materials, while other countries reap the benefits of processing and exporting finished goods.
For instance, he cited the example of Nigeria earning 400 million from exporting cocoa seeds, while Germany, which does not grow cocoa, earned 6 billion from chocolate exports.
In light of a potential Trump 2.0 administration, the public policy analyst, urged Africa to position itself for a new world order.
He argued that the current global order is handicapping Africa’s growth and that a change in the global landscape presents an opportunity for the continent to break free from its role as a producer of raw materials and become a producer of processed products.
“Africa is not benefiting from the old world order.
We have been made to be producers of raw material, which Trump 2.0 is changing the world order and I’m saying that Africa should position itself”.
While urging self-reliance and proactive positioning, he encouraged Africa to take control of its own destiny and create prosperity for its people, rather than relying on external actors.
Director, CIAPS, Prof. Anthony Kila in his opening remarks, emphasized the significance of the theme, noting that the policies of Donald Trump have undoubtedly been a major factor shaping the world today.
“I think Nigerian leaders should take cognizance that the world is changing with the new world order and they have three major steps to take. One is definitely there’s a need to strengthen their own positions internally
and then to decide how they want to act with America, if they’re going to negotiate directly or together with Africa, and also to consider the possibility of a new alignment to review relationships with China, Singapore, the EU and the UK and know that the America of pre-Trump is not the America of Trump now.
It’s a different ballgame”.
The event brought together experts and stakeholders to examine the implications of a potential second term for Donald Trump and its potential impact on Africa.
The aim was to provide a platform for experts to share their insights and perspectives on the evolving global landscape and its implications for Africa.
The discussion was structured in three parts, starting with Prof. Kile’s address, followed by the keynote speech, and concluding with a panel discussion and an open Q&A session moderated by Mrs. Vimbai Mutinhiri, an international broadcaster and journalist.