How powerful would be Africa, the continent of 54 countries, and thousands of dialects, if its people choose to speak one language and have one currency? A dream I would say. A utopia some critics may argue. Let’s have that dream!
For many years Africa has been Known as the cradle of Humanity. First it was Charles Darwin who suggests in 1871 in a book that Africa may be the birthplace of humankind. What was a speculation in 1871 becomes strongly true in 1925 when Raymond Dart, an Australian anatomist who worked at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, publishes in the journal Nature his findings after digging into a rock delivered at his house.
He coined the term “Australopithecus africanus” after studying the fossil discovered in 1924. Australopithecus africanus is the human ancestor so far although David R. Begun, a professor at the University of Toronto (Canada) challenged that assertion. Begun and his team indeed, said that Africa may not be that cradle of humanity after studying in 1944 a jawbone uncovered by German soldiers in Greece. According to Begun the bone whose scientists say is about 7 million years old, and which have some human characteristics, could represent the human ancestor. So, Africa is no longer the place where human being appears for the first time in the history of humanity. However, Begum’s claims or view suffer of adherents. So, the discourse comes quickly to its end in the earlier hour.
Why does a continent, which is known to be the area where everything seems to be originated is losing its label and categorized as “shithole countries” by some prominent people? Among a multitude of reasons, I would like to consider two of them: the myriad of languages, and diverse currencies.
Although many people believe that slavery, which has emptied Africa from its strong men and women during slavery trade, has contributed to impoverish the continent, the multitude of indigenous languages speaking in the different countries may also be factors of scatterings. Some statistics estimate between 1,500 and 2,000 languages speaking in Africa, which are not to facilitate communication between people and unity. Language is a factor of unity. According to “One World Nation Online,” “after gaining independence, many African countries, in the search for national unity, selected one language (generally the former colonial language) to be used in government and education.” Another example that depicts the power of language as a factor of unity is the story of the Babel Tower in the Bible: “Now the entire world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar.
Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” (genesis 11 verse 1 to 9).
Yes, if Africa decides to choose one language, which will be spoken, written, and taught by all Africans, nothing in the earth will be impossible to them.
Besides the language’s power, there is the monetary power. Currencies in Africa are as legion as languages. The American dollar is undoubtedly a symbol of power. People from other countries are not migrated to America to admire tall buildings and other touristic places. The dollar can be one of the reasons. The power of currency is related to the richness of mineral, and natural resources of a country. Imagine Africa where natural and mineral resources abound, with one currency. People from other continents will land massively to Africa. Just read what Dr Ravinder Rena from “Eritrea Institute of Technology” wrote regarding the richness of Africa: “Africa is rich in mineral and natural resources with large parts of its terrain teeming with wild life and magnificent plant life. It possesses 99 percent of the world’s chrome resources, 85 percent of its platinum, 70 percent of its tantalite, 68 percent of its cobalt, and 54 percent of its gold, among others. It has significant oil and gas reserves. Nigeria and Libya are two of the leading oil producing countries in the world. Further, Africa is the home to timber, diamonds, and bauxite deposits.” Woah!
Unfortunately, many great countries in Africa are governed by some “shithole” leaders. Please notice the difference.