The Future of Africa is Bright

By

Jacob Ntuntu

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 “Africa changes invaders more than invaders change Africa” is a lamentation made by Otieno (2005: 17). However, Otieno has produced some echoes of hope for Africa when he writes that

New African leaders are weaning their countries from addiction to foreign aid and foreign- designed development. Africa is an emerging market entirely capable of profiting through its own energy and efforts from global trade, provided they have a level playing field (2005: 17).

In Chapter 13 of his book From Liberation to Reconstruction, J.N.K. Mugambi has identified four time periods which the African continent has passed through since the 1960s. These time periods have witnessed an evolution from constitutional independence to dependence syndrome and now to attempts of promoting partnership by the year 2000.  1960 to 1970 was a decolonization decade, then followed the Bilateral Aid decade from 1970 to 1980, which culminated into the NGO decade in 1980 to 1990, and finally the Partnership decade between 1990 and 2000 (1995: 212-220). The lessons learnt during these time periods are beginning to provoke and inspire the African peoples to begin to engage themselves for solutions to the problems of the continent. Africans are becoming more and more assertive about engaging African solutions to African problems. Africans have reached a stage of ‘enough is enough.’ As Oduyoye puts it “Never again shall we walk on tiptoe. Never again shall we suffer humiliation” (1998: XXVII).

According to Mugambi, “In Africa, the church remains the most influential and the most sustainable social institution” (1995: 225). This is so because no other social institution in Africa is as close to the people and as permanent with the people as the church. The church evidently has more authority and influence in influencing behavior patterns of the  people more than any other institution in Africa. The church is more strategically placed to develop leaders, inculcate vision in leaders, build integrity and call leaders to accountability in case of any malpractices. Through the pulpit, the clergy can transmit new ideas, and influence change of attitude among the people. The colonizers used the pulpit to undermine and denounce our continent’s cultural values. The same stage will be effective in re-affirming the ubuntu of the African peoples and inspiring them to create positive change in Africa.

The church is tasked with the responsibility to spell out hope for Africa. In an interview with Bread of Life Church Presiding Bishop, Joe Imakando on 19th  July, 2007 he emphatically stated that there is hope for Africa. He added that the church in Africa is playing an important role in redefining the destiny of Africa through the messages preached and through prayer. Meanwhile, Bishop of Winners Chapel Church International- Nigeria, David Oyedepo  a few years ago declared that “the church is the only and last hope for Africa; if the church fails Africa is doomed.” This and many other statements that are coming from the clergy both in Evangelical and Catholic circles are a sure sign that the future of Africa is bright.

The greatest challenge of the church, especially the Evangelicals and the Pentecostals currently is to develop a theology within the African context that will address ethical issues, and deal with the continent’s challenges of good governance, poverty reduction, health care and sustainable development.