By Stanley Ochuko OMADOGHO

INTRODUCTION
Corruption is rife in many nations, present in every political administration, potentially inherent in every human. We have seen this play out in South Korea in recent times, in America in times past (Watergate), in Europe with Hitler. While Western leaders are sometimes motivated by selfishness and greed to act corruptly, what makes that of Africa uniquely different is the live and let die approach adopted by its leaders, making their corruption nothing but fantastic (in the words of David Cameron), or cruel, beastly and wicked (in the words of many Africans). What in the world has given rise to this continent-enslaving phenomenon?

THE PSYCHOLOGY BREEDING CORRUPTION IN AFRICA
Pointedly, the negative perception of the sub-Saharan African race, and the resulting lack of admiration and respect shown to them by themselves and everyone else, has over time led many Africans to evolve materialistic traits to counter this unfavorable view of their persona. Many have developed a warped view of self-worth and what is needed to build it. How some view and treat members of their own race is sometimes fueled by a total absence of compassion and empathy, leading to gross disregard and disrespect for human life. Allow me to explain.

Uncelebrated Intelligence
The sub-Saharan African race is mostly not recognized or celebrated for their intelligence. This fact is demonstrated in the movie, "Hidden Figures", depicting the true life story of three fantastically intelligent black women whose mathematical prowess and achievements remain to this day an indelible part of NASA's success story, their stories never celebrated until recently. (Note: In this point, as with others to follow, caution must be exercised to avoid extreme generalizations)

Unappreciated Beauty
Sub-Saharan Africans are also not largely praised for their beauty. Black is beauty, Africans would say. But others hesitate to equate pigmentation with beauty.

Does Wealth Compensate?
To counter this rather unfortunate and blind view of their worth, many Africans, and unknowingly, even unwittingly, most Africans, think to themselves:
If I am not admired for my beauty, or honored for my intelligence, or appreciated for my strength, perhaps I would get the recognition I desire and deserve from wealth. With wealth comes honor and respect. Wealth is an upgrade, a validation and confirmation of a person's worth.

Let the Show-Off Begin
Many will stop at nothing to make sure their acquired wealth is noticed, through frivolous spendings and various forms of showing-off, even evolving the bling, bling culture (mostly common in America) - the golden teeth along with that wry smile, the necklaces and chains, the wrist watches. Then there are the exotic cars and mansions. And they would brag about this wealth with every opportunity they get. Even celebrities would show off until they go broke. (Definitely most common in America) It appears that many of sub Saharan African descent believe they have a point to prove - that people of their ethnic or racial persuasion can make it as well as others can.

The resounding message of, "from-rags-to-riches," that is becoming the dominant theme in black music videos and lyrics, extolling wealth and the "good life", is too glaring to be labeled a simple coincidence, too ubiquitous to be unconnected with this trend of showing off.

But this is even the good part, because people the world over acquire wealth and show it off in many ways. Why is that of sub-Saharan Africa uniquely different? While citizens of wealthy nations desire wealth the same way many Africans do, it is never at the forfeit of infrastructural development, to the detriment of their own people.

Monopoly on Wealth Guarantees Recognition
In sharp contrast to the Western mindset of collective advancement, many in sub-Saharan Africa believe they only stand out when they hold the monopoly on wealth. If others are as wealthy as they are, where's the fun in that? But if they possess wealth and others do not, then they stand out. If every home in the neighborhood is enveloped in darkness while theirs is lit by solar power or massive generators, then they stand out. If they alone drive the most expensive cars, then they stand out. If they can make trips abroad and others can't, then on arrival back home the red carpet awaits them. If you can build a palace in the jungle, you will be the Lion King. So they don't mind preserving the jungle so it can host their palaces.

Many sub-Saharan Africans want wealth beyond merely lifting themselves above poverty. They want wealth to adorn themselves with honor and prestige above everyone else, above their peers. Wealth becomes the only true currency that confirms their worth to others.

Put another way, being equal with others cannot project greatness. How does equality distinguish them from the pack? Being at par with others is not enough to convince those who look down on them that they are simply the best, better than all the rest. When they have and others of their own race have not, they can put themselves on a pedestal, on super elevated heights.

INDIVIDUALISM AND THE DESTRUCTIVE IDEOLOGY OF WEALTH-GRABBING
Sub Saharan Africans with a "me-and-no-one-else" attitude fail to realize that even though they're rich as individuals, as long as the region is impoverished, ravaged by wars and diseases, the failure of the continent will reverberate into every corner of the globe where their race exists. They can only be kings in their jungle and not outside of it. But when Africa rises, their race will fair better in every part of the globe.

Sadly, the competition to outwit and outsmart, to supersede and surpass in wealth, at the expense of everyone else, is too extreme to support and promote any meaningful economic cooperation and development.

WHY AFRICAN CIVILISATION IS A CENTURY BEHIND
Many of Sub saharan African descent do well living amongst other races, for then they compete less with themselves and are more content. They achieve their full potential, like Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, or Tyler Perry. But when put together in the same community, as a group, wherever in the world, many would compete for supremacy and recognition, and do unimaginable things to themselves like some do in Africa, or even in Chicago, where they wrongly blame the high murder rate amongst blacks on neglectful government policies and an unemployment rate that is even low at 5.5%.

If you are African and have seen opportunities and privileges available to others blocked deliberately by someone, the reason is not farfetched. You have simply witnessed victims falling prey to someone's morbid desire to stand out from others, to achieve a class meant only for the privileged few, a class for the league of extraordinary ladies and gentlemen. And the desire to stand out has also meant that when the activities of an individual is sensed to be intended at outshining others, the individual will face the most covetous of jealousies. His plans will be met with a stiff and vehement opposition, leading to an unhealthy and destructive competition that only hinders growth and development.

Africa can hardly stomach an egalitarian society, for most define success based on individual prosperity rather than societal advancement.

AFRICA'S PROBLEM - IN A NUTSHELL
Here is sub-Saharan Africa's problem. From amongst people who think and act this way, leaders are chosen. While many in the continent accuse their leaders of being corrupt and selfish, if given the same opportunities at governance, they would do worse. The problem is therefore not with the leaders per say.

The current government of Africa's most populous country, Nigeria, campaigned on an anti-corruption ticket. It launched an unprecedented fight against corruption. But guess what? Corruption is fighting back, not from Western nations, but from the people - her own people.

THE AFTERMATH OF AFRICA'S WEALTH
Having acquired wealth, rather than respect what they actually acquire is mere adulation, servile flattery, exaggerated and hypocritical praise. Those who acquire wealth end up being surrounded by fawny, kowtowing, toadyish, obsequious and lackey bootlickers. Even when they know they are in the company of ass-kissers, they seem content basking in the glory that sycophancy offers, having human pets as fans. This defines the dominant culture in Africa - not respect, but sycophancy - the same culture that has led many to kill those they should celebrate, and celebrate those they should get rid off, thereby hindering development.

The fast and furious get the wealth in Africa. But then it hits them, the ever mounting pressure to give to an insatiable swarm of needy ones. The rich are forced into an antisocial behavior. They become isolationists. In an attempt to lower the "pressure and noise" from an increasingly impoverished mass, they close off themselves from old friends and extended family members, not to mention innocent strangers who just want to have a friendly conversation. They simply change phone numbers from time to time to be one step ahead of those in need.

How can sub-Saharan Africans who are consumed by this poisonous mindset rise above the desire to get recognition from wealth?

THE GREATEST EXAMPLE OF SELFLESSNESS IN AFRICA
And the winner is... you'll never guess: Dr Stella Ameyo Adadevoh. I wasn't going to mention Mandela. By far hers is the greatest example of altruism in sub-Saharan Africa, seen in her single act of heroism, selflessness and sacrifice. In 2014, her heroism helped prevent the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in Nigeria, sacrificing her life to save countless lives in a split-second decision.

What motivated her? She was probably inspired by something greater than our base desire, an idealogy that resonated with her deep seated values, a knowledge that true greatness comes, not from a golden necklace, not from bling-blings, but from sacrifice.

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT AFRICA'S CORRUPTION
Many will say Africa's problems are multifaceted. They would point to the interplay of poverty, a lack of education, colonialism, the Devil, etc.

Poverty: Some of Africa's leaders who embezzle public funds were born with a silver spoon. Others who have lifted themselves out of poverty by embezzling enough to last several lifetimes continue to loot and feast like there's no tomorrow.

Lack of Education: Even the educated ones who acquire power only look for smarter ways to embezzle in order to cover up their tracks.
So the truth is, poverty and a lack of education are not the culprits. These are only secondary factors that ensure the deadly cycle of corruption and underdevelopment remain in place.

Colonialism: Many with the benefit of hindsight now believe that Africa's best chance at development was actually presented to the continent during the colonial era, sad as that may sound.

The Devil: And then there's the devil, who many claim has allowed infrastructural development in America, Europe, Australia, even in the Middle East, but not in Africa. Is the devil a racist, or has Africans of their own free-will adopted cruel policies that has hindered infrastructural development? The devil makes the world corrupt, but some Africans have made Africa fantastically corrupt beyond even the devil's wildest dreams.

CONCLUSION
If only a quarter of what many Africans do to themselves is done to them by other races, if only a quarter of the money they steal from themselves is stolen by other races, if only half of the people gunned down by their trigger-happy policemen are gunned down by other races, they'll cry racism, hatred, oppression, for they alone should hold the monopoly on discrimination against their own race. Africa's problems are the result of African leaders and much of their people being fantastically corrupt, a corruption stemming from a desire to stand out and rise above the rest, to be the one and only true achiever, a corruption created by the little worth many of them attach to their own people, a total absence of compassion and empathy for the plight of their own race, leading to gross underdevelopment and one of the worst decisions ever in humanity - to live and let die in the jungle. But if it is of any solace to them, they can rest assured by the fact that if the races were flipped and every skin color reversed, for obvious reasons the developed world would, in a generation or two, gradually degenerate into a jungle. Why? Because much of humanity haven't yet found the formula to define true beauty and self-worth.