By David Onimisi Lawani
The former Chief of staff to Edo state government who also dubbed as Chairman, Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, Abuja Chapter has asserted that Africa was never a beggarly continent.
He made this disclosure in a zoom conference, titled, “Debt Profile of African countries” organized by Village Square Africa stating that the continent has always been self-sufficient despite its low productivity.
Akerele noted that 400 to 500 years ago, Africa was a beehive of activities as Europeans who visited earlier can readily attest to their findings. He said policymakers must sit back and identify the gap as much as possible.
According to him: “In Borrow right Africa, we have identified a major challenge, which is Africa’s share of world trade standing at 3% for a continent with 1.3 billion population is abysmally low.
“It shows and it appears that we are one of the most unproductive continents on planet earth. Africa’s estimated 400 billion debt portfolio as a proportion of our GDP and export earnings is the highest in the world.
” Let me state emphatically that Africa was never like this. I am happy that Dr. Ogunyemi is here with us. When you look at Africa’s past, we were never a beggarly continent”, he noted.
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He reiterated the need for African countries to reposition themselves so that they can sustain the productive economic records of the past that can add value to lives and the World economy.
He said: “We were one of the most productive continents, 400 to 500 years ago. And the records are there. Are you going to talk about the Songhai empire, where people like King Mansa Musa reign supreme? You talk of Kanem Borno, the Benin Empire and then you talk of Egypt. How about Queen Sheba who went to see Solomon all the way from Ethiopia and gave Solomon 120 talents of gold?
“So Africa was never a beggarly continent and therefore we need to sit back and identify the gap. Then position ourselves to become a productive economy and a continent that adds value to the world economy, ‘ he stated.
