For far too long, Africa has not fully owned its post-independence transformation agenda. Yes, our founding fathers fought for freedom from colonialism and other forms of institutionalised oppression. But beyond that, there can be somewhat a second-tier being rise to the selfishness.
Many noble liberation goals have now been substituted by something quite different: the quest to promote post-independence Tanzania with a social orientation (ujamaa), development through self-reliance (kujitegemea), human brotherhood and solidarity (ushirikiano) and a national foundation for its freedom and independence.
This substitution of original ideals for selfish and individual interests has now taken a radical turn and is giving a clear reading of the change in course.
Looking beyond the surface, the beginning of the change may have had to do with the beginning of Ujamaa’s demise as a socio-economic model and ideology.
With the end of the Cold War and the fall of communism—it had faded long before. Mwami Nyerere was never a Marxist or a communist. He was, at heart, an African nationalist.
Though Africa was weak at independence, Mwalimu Nyerere never dwelled on weaknesses, which, many have identified today as the “condition of Tanzania.”
Instead, he focused on strengths. He categorically said: “Poverty is not stupidity. It is a condition of marginality not a vehicle for oppression,” to which he added that he had declared from the start, his Ujamaa model would succeed and be different from the West.
With that—in my special opinion—Mwami’s genius challenge was not to “export failure,” a judgment that Africa should not blame others for asserting their ideas boldly and effectively.
And much of Africa today, there is a great difference to be seen in a proud home-grown future to home-cultivated progress.
If you want to have a strong foundation—ideologies are necessary.
In his book Go Put Your Strengths to Work: Six Outstanding Performance, Marcus Buckingham writes: “If you are a pessimistic student suffering from weight problems and juvenile issues with mental disorders, you will be asked to read Charles Rapp’s 1997 classic, The Strengths Model, revised.”
He paraphrases, reflect on it. Decades later, this piece has become a classic. Now, let that be a guide for not only success, but for a whole country’s strength, and the “persistent pursuit” of the African condition’s hidden focus.
It is a discovery long since missed in Africa’s post-colonial generation.
The key takeaway here for Africans today remains this: Transformational strategies come from a culture of strength, not one that forces consent from its weaknesses or poverty.
In 1997—ironically, 30 years after Mwalimu Nyerere wrote the Arusha Declaration, Rapp’s book became one of the top-referenced texts on social work and strength-based outcomes.
Was Mwalimu Nyerere ahead of his time? Did we ever give that thought? Why not choose that which affirms and reasserts?
Other African countries too—whether in West or South—must not only acknowledge their weaknesses but affirm their strength as well. It is a paradox we live in. And it is also the reason Africa still thrives despite massive shortcomings in the economic, leadership, and bureaucratic sectors.
