{UAH} SYNOPSIS OF THE AFRICAN PSYCHE

 Unknown Author

Let me attempt to answer your mother of questions: 

 "WHAT IS FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG WITH BLACKS/AFRICAN POLITICS WHICH RENDER THEIR COUNTRIES  BACKWARD ALMOST EVERYWHERE?"

There  is  no one easy Answer !!  

I will just endeavour from my point of view based on my personal experiences , perceptions, observation and undestanding.

Generally speaking:

1.1 BLACKS/AFRICANS  are  very selfish, greedy and envious. They care more about their own private property than public property and much less for the common good for that matter. That's why u will see splendid/palatial personal mansions but poor public Roads/(including the access roads to their homes), Bridges, Hospitals, Schools etc.

1.2 Indeed you will observe that many affluent Africans ( at least in Uganda) even build in Road Reserves. They will not adhere to planned order. In their residential areas they maximize the acreage of their homes leaving hardly enough space for 2 cars from opposite directions pass each other!!! They unwittingly devalue their properties with such poor and congested access. That's a clear tell tale sign of this *selfishness* . Does this ring a bell?😄

1.3 They tend to be negatively envious of other people's achievements and consequently waste a lot of their time and other resources in useless **Rat *Races* to the detriment of national development!! 

1.4 Because they are selfish and greedy they often fail to differentiate between  personal money and Government or public funds hence the rampant and almost unrestrained  Corruption ( Embezzlement etc).

1.5 Because of the failure to appreciate the *Concept of Common* *Good* even when entrusted with Assignments/Projects they will perform the tasks haphazardly and also steal or pilfer the materials, equipment , tools and the money thereof.

2. They tend not to trust outsiders namely those who are not of their own especially from other communities like tribes, political parties and even religions. This sense of insecurity and perennial suspicion undermines their sharing and embracing new ideas some of which might be very developmental and even for their  own good. Consequently they will bloat their governments with tribesmen or close relatives whom they trust more and with whom they can relate easily ( *NEPOTISM)** .

3. The situation is exercebated by the fact the vast majority of African countries are not homogeneous Nation States  but rather artificial States consisting of diverse Nations indifferently cobbled together by the Colonialists ( without due regard to their cultures, values etc). So you basically have artificial States with an interplay or rivalry of the Nations ( tribes) therein each trying to outdo the other with disastrous consequences such as Palace  and  Military Coups .

4.1 African communities, maybe because they were the last to get rid  of  absolute  rulers  like Chiefs and Kings and to embrace democratic principles, still seriously suffer from the *Big Man*Syndrome* whereby even elected leaders at all levels fail to appreciate that they are mere *Trustees* of their people  and that they are *Accountable* to them by obligation and not by favour!!

4.2 Because of this BIG MAN Syndrome the African politician fervently believes in the *WINNER TAKES ALL* . Even where that politician:

a) won by the narrowest  of margins

b) 60% of the Electorate didn't register to vote

c) only 50% of those who registered actually voted.

The net result may translate into governing with less than 20% of population's express consent to be governed. 

d) in such a scenario that politician might categorically decline the Notion of a *Coalition* *Government* or a *Representative* *Government* ( where all participating parties are included and given positions each according to the numbers of votes it garnered in the General Elections) again for the sake of the Common Good like Stability and Development.

5. The idea of honouring a Gentleman's Agreement and even written Contractual Agreements ( **Pacta Sunt Servanda* ) appears to be alien so that these understandings are often  breached with abandon, without an iota of care or second thought as to the likely repercussions. 

6. The African politician's  Vision is normally limited to the *Contemporary* . Because he's basically selfish he rarely plans for the Future in which he will not directly benefit ( no stake in the future). They care more about their *Daily Bread* because they will not be alive anyway to benefit from that distant future!!🤔

Etc etc. 

*At the beginning I used the  word " generally " advisedly because there are obviously exceptions.  There are some very very patriotic and development oriented Black/African politicians albeit far and between. 

Am sorry for any typing errors. 

Etc etc.

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