The Africa rising narrative has been called into question several times. It was called a myth by former deputy governor of Nigeria’s central bank, Kingsley Moghalu and Tanzanian millionaire Ali Mufuruki called it false, as used in The Nerve Africa Yellow Wall magazine.
Although the old clichés of Africa being a continent where war and poverty reign with pestilence have not completely changed, as several parts of the continent still grapple with poverty, as well as war and terror. However, the continent has one thing going for it, which makes the hopeful ‘Africa rising’ narrative bold enough to hold on to its people.
Even though Africa is not rising as claimed by Mufuruki, Africans are rising and are impacting the continent and the world at large. Their lives inspire other Africans to follow their dreams and they are moving Africa closer to the future we all hope for, one step at a time.
In order to indicate the footsteps of the ‘Africa rising’ The Nerve Africa Yellow Wall embarked in 2015 on a mission to identify Africans, who during the year made socio-economic impact in their communities and recorded personal achievements that could inspire other Africans in the following year.
After making an extensive research, it identified and illustrated more than 20 Africans on a platform called The Africa Yellow Wall.
With Africa’s abundance of human and natural resources, the continent should be one of the world’s wealthiest regions, where citizens feel the impact of their natural wealth. However, its largest economy is also home to the highest number of poor people, while its second largest economy has the highest level of inequality in the world.
These sad realities regardless, Africa has made big leaps in different aspects of life, buoyed by the doggedness of its people in the face of everyday challenges. With a high sense of purpose and commitment to making impact, Africans lay credence to the saying that Africans are Africa’s greatest resources.
In this New Year 2019, so has the opportunity to make a fresh start or build on your past achievements. But if you ever need a nudge in the right direction, these Africans will inspire Africa and the world at large.
Dr. Abiy Ahmed, widely described as Ethiopia’s reformist leader, has presided over bold political and economic reforms in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa since his appointment in April 2018.
In the first few months of his administration, the Premier freed thousands of political prisoners and journalists, whose arrests were widely perceived as a clampdown on opposition and free press. He also reshuffled his cabinet to allow equal representation for women, appointing the first female Supreme Court President, and then an opposition leader as the Ethiopian electoral body’s chairwoman ahead of the country’s 2020 general elections.
Alongside these political reforms, the 42 years old young and of course the youngest leader in Africa, is currently leading a robust economic reform that will allow private sector participation in Ethiopia’s largely state-controlled economy.
He is also turning around the country’s disadvantageous landlocked position by acquiring stakes in the ports of neighboring coastal countries, positioning Ethiopia to have a say on how these ports are run.
Dr. Abiy Ahmed has also taken bold steps to lead the normalization of diplomatic ties in the Horn of Africa. He initiated and signed a peace deal with Eritrea […] ending a two-decade military stare-down.
The deal had since opened up commercial and diplomatic ties between the two countries and set precedence for peace agreements among other countries in the region.
Premier Abiy should write a book and title it ‘How to make a long-lasting impact in one year’, as The Africa Yellow Wall also insisted him. It would be for African leaders who ask to stay in office for several terms to make desired impact because, in their words, “change takes time”.
The Ethiopian herald February 15/2019
BY DIRRIBA TESHOME
