Don calls for radical shift in Africa’s economic policies

A renowned expert in international relations and strategic studies at Nile University of Nigeria, Prof. Chigozie Enwere, has advocated for a paradigm shift in Africa’s economic policies.

He underscored the need for African leaders, ministers, and policymakers to abandon Euro-centric approaches and adopt Afro-centric policies that prioritise the continent’s unique needs and aspirations.

Enwere, who made a case for the creation of a Pan-African School of Thought to empower African leaders with a deeper understanding of the continent’s unique challenges, said the proposed institution would foster a culture of self-sufficiency, enabling leaders to develop innovative solutions to African problems, rather than relying on foreign aid, loans, and grants.

The don stated this at the Third Inaugural Lecture of the Nile University of Nigeria in Abuja. Delivering a lecture on the topic, ‘Modern trends, and issues in African revolution: a new perspective in African politics,’ Enwere said African leaders must rethink their approach to economic development and governance, shifting away from colonial-era models that have hindered the continent’s progress.

He said: “This change in attitude would help to tune them up for the challenge of giving functional application to the theory of social constructivism, intra-regional collaboration and self-reliance to reduce the sudden occurrence of revolution in Africa.

“Extremely conservative African political leaders, who always use the principle of liberal democracy and its electoral process to capture state power, win elections and promote authoritarian governance, should take pain to create an empirical and problem-solving political system to avoid the caprices of revolution. Governments should be working out modalities for a more interactive multilateral allocation of values to enhance the greatest happiness to the greater number of African people. Outlines of a written development plan by countries of Africa, including plans for economic engagements and resource industrialisation should be encouraged and implemented timely to build the confidence of Africa and African peoples in the contemporary world order.

“There is a need for us to develop a new Afrocentric model which we call structural reconfiguration of Africa to emancipate from neo-colonialism. If emancipation could redirect our course, Africa stands to develop; if not today, tomorrow.”

Prof. Enwere said the African revolution aims to reclaim the continent’s autonomy and self-determination by eliminating the remnants of colonialism, neo-colonialism, and exploitative economic systems that have hindered Africa’s growth and development.

He added that through this revolution, Africans seek to transform the continent from a passive recipient of international policies to an active participant in global affairs, ultimately achieving freedom, emancipation, and a more equitable distribution of resources.

On his part, the Vice-Chancellor, Nile University of Nigeria, Prof. Dilli Dogo, said Africa’s relevance in the fourth industrial revolution hinges on its ability to unite, innovate, and break free from neocolonialism to achieve development that benefits Africans.

The academic said: “We all believe that if Africa has to approximate and be relevant in the fourth industrial revolution, this Africa must be a developed community. Then all of us must come together, be creative, be innovative and get emancipated with a common focus of moving away from the forces of neo-colonialism and come together with a common focus of developing Africa for Africans”.