Interesting piece.

I agree with number 1.

But I'd largely fault number2 and 3 on the grounds of historical context.

.......

Africa has also been the victim of international agreements and conventions (backed by WTO) which clearly declared it a source of raw material for the techologically advanced West, and a buyer of the finished products.



The funny thing about Africa is that the foreign miners exporting raw materials are the companies or subsidiaries of the manufacturing companies in Europe. If they wanted to, they would make the finished products right here, but that is exactly what they have no intention of ever doing. Even China had to join WTO before being allowed to trade with Africa, to make sure that the status quo remains.

Read about the Structural Adjustment Programs
http://www.globalissues.org/article/3/structural-adjustment-a-major-cause-of-poverty

Tolexander:
USA is better than Mexico and Canada, but these two latter countries are relaxing. How come?

Or better rephrased, Mexico and Canada aren't competing with the US, how come US isn't relaxing?

quoting Otto Von Bismarck: " The Americans are truly a lucky people. They are bordered to the north and south by weak neighbors and to the east and west by fish".

Who told you that USA is better than Canada?

Pharaoh9:

Who told you that USA is better than Canada?

Mr Who!
You had better kept quiet if you know nothing!

Tolexander:
But Ethiopia also fought Italians in second italo-abyssinian war in one of the series of events leading to the second world war.
How come Ethiopia has learnt something similar to nothing?

Even though Ethiopia is fairly homogeneous, the lack of winter made sure their overall unity for technological advancement was zero. Each individual Ethiopian can survive as an individual.

PapaBrowne:
Interesting piece.

I agree with number 1.

But I'd largely fault number2 and 3 on the grounds of historical context.

.......

Why?
Colonization was made possible because the whites had to contend with individual small communities at a time. The Yorubas have over 40 dialects among them, its easy to pitch one against another.

And like I said, if Cameroon acquires a submarine today, within the next 18 months, Nigeria will attempt to also have hers.

Muafrika2:
Africa has also been the victim of international agreements and conventions (backed by WTO) which clearly declared it a source of raw material for the techologically advanced West, and a buyer of the finished products.



The funny thing about Africa is that the foreign miners exporting raw materials are the companies or subsidiaries of the manufacturing companies in Europe. If they wanted to, they would make the finished products right here, but that is exactly what they have no intention of ever doing. Even China had to join WTO before being allowed to trade with Africa, to make sure that the status quo remains.

Read about the Structural Adjustment Programs
http://www.globalissues.org/article/3/structural-adjustment-a-major-cause-of-poverty

Exactly!
But our complete disunity has not allowed us to work together a gained this economic enslavement policy.

Until we work together recognizing the external enemy as such, our poverty continues.

Muafrika2:
Africa has also been the victim of international agreements and conventions (backed by WTO) which clearly declared it a source of raw material for the techologically advanced West, and a buyer of the finished products.



The funny thing about Africa is that the foreign miners exporting raw materials are the companies or subsidiaries of the manufacturing companies in Europe. If they wanted to, they would make the finished products right here, but that is exactly what they have no intention of ever doing. Even China had to join WTO before being allowed to trade with Africa, to make sure that the status quo remains.

Read about the Structural Adjustment Programs
http://www.globalissues.org/article/3/structural-adjustment-a-major-cause-of-poverty

Exactly!
But our complete disunity has not allowed us to work together a gained this economic enslavement policy.

Until we work together recognizing the external enemy as such, our poverty continues..

Pharaoh9:


Who told you that USA is better than Canada?

They are BOTH developed!

Attempts to blame Africa's technological backwardness on environmental factors or "leaders" are nothing more than blame-shifting, and betray a lack of understanding of how those technological advances came about in the Western world in the first place. The real difference between Africa and other parts of the world which are moving forward is in the mindset of the African masses themselves, not just a few select leaders, and it comes down to this: most Africans have at best a shallow understanding of scientific thinking, and no grasp of Enlightenment principles whatsoever.

Until the Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, Europe was just as full of backwardness as Africa is today, and the people of Europe were just as obsessed with religion and the supernatural, burning witches, blaming spirits and "evil eyes" for their personal problems, etc. The key breakthrough was the realization that the natural world is something that can be rationally understood through study, and that knowledge is accumulated through asking questions and putting cherished hypotheses to rigorous, careful testing, not by unquestioningly memorizing handed-down materials, or asking pastors, "prophets" and priests for the secrets of "heavenly" kingdoms no one had ever laid eyes on. For the first time in 1500 years, people began to actually test their theories about the world, rather than simply taking things as true because "Aristotle" or "The Bible" said so.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Enlightenment

The question the OP and everyone else here needs to ask themselves is whether any of you really understand the intellectual movements I've mentioned, assuming you've heard of them at all. Do you really know how the scientific method works, or are you simply envious of technological developments you have no understanding of? If the latter, then you're really no better than the other Africans you criticize, and no different to Melanesian "cargo culters" who thought they could reap the benefits of the white man's technology by making wooden imitations of planes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult

TLDR: Africans are technologically backward because they don't understand even the basic principles of scientific thinking, even if they are able to memorize solutions to physics and chemistry problems from textbooks. If more Africans truly understand such principles, the front-page of Nairaland wouldn't be continuously full of ridiculous stories about witches, spirits, "mammy water" and other such superstitious rubbish.

Tolexander:
But Ethiopia also fought Italians in second italo-abyssinian war in one of the series of events leading to the second world war.
How come Ethiopia has learnt something similar to nothing?

After the battle of Adwa, the Ethiopia government didn't modernize much the military at it should be, because of the confident they felt about their military at the battle of Adwa. There were much moderation on other sectors, but not much on the military.

omohayek:
Attempts to blame Africa's technological backwardness on environmental factors or "leaders" are nothing more than blame-shifting, and betray a lack of understanding of how those technological advances came about in the Western world in the first place. The real difference between Africa and other parts of the world which are moving forward is in the mindset of the African masses themselves, not just a few select leaders, and it comes down to this: most Africans have at best a shallow understanding of scientific thinking, and no grasp of Enlightenment principles whatsoever.

Until the Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, Europe was just as full of backwardness as Africa is today, and the people of Europe were just as obsessed with religion and the supernatural, burning witches, blaming spirits and "evil eyes" for their personal problems, etc. The key breakthrough was the realization that the natural world is something that can be rationally understood through study, and that knowledge is accumulated through asking questions and putting cherished hypotheses to rigorous, careful testing, not by unquestioningly memorizing handed-down materials, or asking pastors, "prophets" and priests for the secrets of "heavenly" kingdoms no one had ever laid eyes on. For the first time in 1500 years, people began to actually test their theories about the world, rather than simply taking things as true because "Aristotle" or "The Bible" said so.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Enlightenment

The question the OP and everyone else here needs to ask themselves is whether any of you really understand the intellectual movements I've mentioned, assuming you've heard of them at all. Do you really know how the scientific method works, or are you simply envious of technological developments you have no understanding of? If the latter, then you're really no better than the other Africans you criticize, and no different to Melanesian "cargo culters" who thought they could reap the benefits of the white man's technology by making wooden imitations of planes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult

TLDR: Africans are technologically backward because they don't understand even the basic principles of scientific thinking, even if they are able to memorize solutions to physics and chemistry problems from textbooks. If more Africans truly understand such principles, the front-page of Nairaland wouldn't be continuously full of ridiculous stories about witches, spirits, "mammy water" and other such superstitious rubbish.

I understand your disdain for religion and its effect in Africa. However, religion isnt really the problem...the problem is the kind of culture we have unknowingly adopted.

The OP, was about asking the questions:
Why we dont think scientifically? Could it be that we are less intelligent?

Why is it that we don't value perfections? Why are we still using mortar and pestles in the year 2017: no addition to what had been given to us by our predecessors.

Scientific development isn't anti religion, it is a complement. Apollo mission didn't succeed because of lack of religion. No! India is religious but they are developed (even though not as much as the west).

The points were for us to recognize issues that will never change around us and deliberately use them to our advantage rather than a disadvantage.

shadeyinka:


Exactly!
But our complete disunity has not allowed us to work together a gained this economic enslavement policy.

Until we work together recognizing the external enemy as such, our poverty continues..

I agree with that. Its easy to be targeted individually. There are countries in Africa that would fight their neighbour just to make their former colonial powers happy and protect their interests. Were easily isolated and pressurized into unfair international market deals.

Muafrika2:


I agree with that. Its easy to be targeted individually. There are countries in Africa that would fight their neighbour just to make their former colonial powers happy and protect their interests. Were easily isolated and pressurized into unfair international market deals.

Very Serious issue:

Are there strategies we can use to relegate our differences to the background while we work as a team?

How can we vote without sectionalism taking center stage?
How to we give admission/appointments without quoter system?
How can Chike Obi become the Governor of Oyo State and Shehu Musa be the Governor of Abia?

Is this problem solvable?

Hati13:

After the battle of Adwa, the Ethiopia government didn't modernize much the military at it should be, because of the confident they felt about their military at the battle of Adwa. There were much moderation on other sectors, but not much on the military.

We should not also undermine the effect of the Two world wars. All the countries that participated learnt a great deal from each other. The wars spurred a kind of competition amongst them and the result is what we see now.

shadeyinka:

Very Serious issue:

Are there strategies we can use to relegate our differences to the background while we work as a team?

How can we vote without sectionalism taking center stage?
How to we give admission/appointments without quoter system?
How can Chike Obi become the Governor of Oyo State and Shehu Musa be the Governor of Abia?

Is this problem solvable?

Maybe the current urbanization is going to result to cooperation in future. The people I knew since childhood in the city are more open minded than those who grew up isolated from other tribes. Its a slow process but its the only hope I see.

shadeyinka:


I understand your disdain for religion and its effect in Africa. However, religion isnt really the problem...the problem is the kind of culture we have unknowingly adopted.

The OP, was about asking the questions:
Why we dont think scientifically? Could it be that we are less intelligent?

Why is it that we don't value perfections? Why are we still using mortar and pestles in the year 2017: no addition to what had been given to us by our predecessors.

Scientific development isn't anti religion, it is a complement. Apollo mission didn't succeed because of lack of religion. No! India is religious but they are developed (even though not as much as the west).

The points were for us to recognize issues that will never change around us and deliberately use them to our advantage rather than a disadvantage.

All you are doing here is revealing that I'm right: you don't understand the scientific method or the principles of the enlightenment, as if you did, you'd be well aware that the unquestioning emphasis on "faith" is the direct antithesis of how scientists and enlightenment thinkers reason about the world: by doubting and scrutinizing everything, even the most "obvious", and leaving no "sacred cows" untouched. You simply cannot reconcile such a mindset with the religious worldview in which man is a helpless agent of supernatural forces. Do you know the significance of Immanuel Kant's slogan "Sapere Aude"? It means "Dare to know", and what he meant was that men should be willing to dare to question even in areas which politicians, kings, priests and preachers have ruled "off limits" to laymen.

As for your comments about the Apollo mission, do you actually understand any of the science involved, or know anything about the history behind those scientific developments? Do you know a Hamiltonian from a Jacobian? Can you state the importance of the Michelson-Morley experiment? Do you have any idea of what the special theory of relativity says about simultaneity? Mind you, these are relatively simple questions I'm asking you, so if you can't answer them, on what basis can you use the Apollo missions ( not "mission" ) to attempt to buttress your argument? Reaching for random notions you are only superficially acquainted with is exactly the "cargo cult" mentality I was criticizing; you mistake the surface of a thing for its substance, and then wonder why you can't replicate it.

For some strange reason, the idea that science and religion are so easily reconciled is one that the vast majority of top scientists in the United States have trouble swallowing. 97% of the members of the US National Academy of Science do not believe in God, despite the fact that they live in the most religiously observant country in the Western world, and the comparable figure I've seen for the UK's Royal Society is 94%. Perhaps these eminent scientists know something you don't?

Then there's another difficulty for you to handle, which is how strongly religious observance correlates with economic backwardness.
http://www.preposterousuniverse.com/blog/2007/10/30/american-exceptionalism/
If you think it's an accident that the least observant countries are precisely the richest ones, while the most religion-obsessed are the destitute Africans, I have a bridge to sell to you.

Finally, your claim that India is "advanced" is simply absurd. India remains a massively backward, third-world country, even if its economy is now growing faster than it used to under the old License Raj days - and even then, India's ~7% annual growth rate is nothing to write home about compared to China or any of the East Asian "Tiger" countries, which grew as fast as 10-11% annually at their peak.

The bottom line is really very simple: if you believe that the world operates on the basis of binding laws which can be understood on the basis of experiment, you will have no mental room for "miracles", "curses", "witchcraft", "spirits" or any other such gibberish. The only reason men turn to prayer to beg for supernatural intercession is that they don't believe in such a logically-ordered world, otherwise they would consider prayer a useless diversion from the hard work of learning how the world actually operates. Africans' religious fanaticism and their technological backwardness are two sides of the same coin.

Muafrika2:


Maybe the current urbanization is going to result to cooperation in future. The people I knew since childhood in the city are more open minded than those who grew up isolated from other tribes. Its a slow process but its the only hope I see.

You are right, but it will take forever.

In will probably recommend a situation especially in Nigeria where citizenship is not determined by who your parents are but where you were born and where you have lived for a period of say 7 years straight. Unfortunately, our traditional institutions will also be destroyed in the process.

shadeyinka:


You are right, but it will take forever.

In will probably recommend a situation especially in Nigeria where citizenship is not determined by who your parents are but where you were born and where you have lived for a period of say 7 years straight. Unfortunately, our traditional institutions will also be destroyed in the process.

And also freedom of movement or migration.

That's the sad part. It seems our traditional systems will have to die for unity.

shadeyinka:


I understand your disdain for religion and its effect in Africa. However, religion isnt really the problem...the problem is the kind of culture we have unknowingly adopted.

The OP, was about asking the questions:
Why we dont think scientifically? Could it be that we are less intelligent?

Why is it that we don't value perfections? Why are we still using mortar and pestles in the year 2017: no addition to what had been given to us by our predecessors.

Scientific development isn't anti religion, it is a complement. Apollo mission didn't succeed because of lack of religion. No! India is religious but they are developed (even though not as much as the west).

The points were for us to recognize issues that will never change around us and deliberately use them to our advantage rather than a disadvantage.

Wrong sir.

Spirituality gave birth to science. The modern technological development today tends to be borrowed from ancient spiritual thoughts. A very quick example is astrology which stem from ancient astolatry. Another is chemistry which stem from alchemy. Another is Geography and earth science which come from ancient spirituality called Geomancy. Agriculture as it is known tends to come from spirituality. Almost all the knowledge today is woven into ancient knowledge which was later developed.

I want you to understand the fact that the first learning house is from spiritual temples. The formal education of today, writings, broadening knowledge starts from temple. The first university in the world was a temple. The Mathematics and physics of today have it cradle in the templesl of Gods. I hope you are familiar with patheogoras and how he came to Egypt to learn and develop his theory.

Have you ever wondered why scientific dicoveries are named after Greek, Egypt and Roman Gods? I can state many examples. Before advent of telescope, ancient men who worship Mars knew it was red. They knew venus and identify the farther stars. Modern grew in knowledge to discover that these things were truth.

Now, India practise majorly Hinduism which is spirituality. Alot of people mistaken religion for spirituality. They are far different things. Spirituality tends to connect one with nature. Religion tends to glorify mumbo jumbo. That is where the problem comes from. Spirituality is nature bond while religon is founded by a person or group of persons. Spirituality is not mostly organised and with no code or conducts. Religion is organised, has set of rules. ethics, codes and conducts.

Spirituality unites person. Religion cause enmity. Christian hating on pagans and muslim. Christians hate themselves. Catholic against pentecostal among others. In spirituality, an Ogun worshipper does not care if you worship Amahodia or Thor.

African havr thrown away the spiritual gift they had and adopted a foreign religion which they do not understand. The greek gift we call religion has beclouded us and changed who we are to savage and puppets. We changed our way of life. We demonized our life. Some Christians claimed they are the cursed decendant of Ham. Some black muslims agree that they are slaves. All because their religion teach them that. Out religion makes us hate ourselves more. We have growing number of churches and mosques than schools and research centers. We have lost our identity. We have forgetton our history and who we are.

You might ask why we didnt develop anything. The tradional medicine is a thing. I have seen medical scientists researching on trdo medicine and found it potent. How do you think our parent know this without going to school?

I wish you are Yoruba or know the knowledge of Ogun. In Yoruba, we believe Ogun moulded bone. Ogun is the God of Iron. It is everything know as iron. In science, calcium makes bone. Calcium is a yellow metalic element. Now tell.......Is the thought of our parents not correct? Is Ogun in this case not Calcium? Try to read up more about Yoruba Gods. You will see how they relate with science. It is just obvious.

Africans must return to her root of it want to grow. India takes unto Hinduism, China takes onto Shintoism, Japan takes unto Buddahism, Europe takes unto Christianity. Israel takes unto Judaism. Arab takes unto Islam. Why cant we return to our own root? Why cant we seek the knowledge of our fathers?

The root of Africa problem is religion. Religion has taken away our thinking faculty. We look toward heaven and forget our environment. We care about sins rather than advancement. Nigeria is exporting religion which the world have long thrown out of the window. Christianity and Islam has killed more Africans than AIDs. Can you tell us one medicine that is in the bible or quran? Can you tell us one scientific development in Africa that is driven by Chrisyianity and Islam? I will give you more than a thousands evil plagues both religioj brought on us. We are blindfolded. We need serious emancipation

Muafrika2:

And also freedom of movement or migration.

That's the sad part. It seems our traditional systems will have to die for unity.

What unity has Christianity and Islam brought?

The traditional system is the best thing that ever happen to Africans. We threw the golden opportunity away and choose to embrace a junk sold to us by foreigners.

omohayek:

All you are doing here is revealing that I'm right: you don't understand the scientific method or the principles of the enlightenment, as if you did, you'd be well aware that the unquestioning emphasis on "faith" is the direct antithesis of how scientists and enlightenment thinkers reason about the world: by doubting and scrutinizing everything, even the most "obvious", and leaving no "sacred cows" untouched. You simply cannot reconcile such a mindset with the religious worldview in which man is a helpless agent of supernatural forces. Do you know the significance of Immanuel Kant's slogan "Sapere Aude"? It means "Dare to know", and what he meant was that men should be willing to dare to question even in areas which politicians, kings, priests and preachers have ruled "off limits" to laymen.

As for your comments about the Apollo mission, do you actually understand any of the science involved, or know anything about the history behind those scientific developments? Do you know a Hamiltonian from a Jacobian? Can you state the importance of the Michelson-Morley experiment? Do you have any idea of what the special theory of relativity says about simultaneity? Mind you, these are relatively simple questions I'm asking you, so if you can't answer them, on what basis can you use the Apollo missions ( not "mission" ) to attempt to buttress your argument? Reaching for random notions you are only superficially acquainted with is exactly the "cargo cult" mentality I was criticizing; you mistake the surface of a thing for its substance, and then wonder why you can't replicate it.

For some strange reason, the idea that science and religion are so easily reconciled is one that the vast majority of top scientists in the United States have trouble swallowing. 97% of the members of the US National Academy of Science do not believe in God, despite the fact that they live in the most religiously observant country in the Western world, and the comparable figure I've seen for the UK's Royal Society is 94%. Perhaps these eminent scientists know something you don't?

Then there's another difficulty for you to handle, which is how strongly religious observance correlates with economic backwardness.
http://www.preposterousuniverse.com/blog/2007/10/30/american-exceptionalism/
If you think it's an accident that the least observant countries are precisely the richest ones, while the most religion-obsessed are the destitute Africans, I have a bridge to sell to you.

Finally, your claim that India is "advanced" is simply absurd. India remains a massively backward, third-world country, even if its economy is now growing faster than it used to under the old License Raj days - and even then, India's ~7% annual growth rate is nothing to write home about compared to China or any of the East Asian "Tiger" countries, which grew as fast as 10-11% annually at their peak.

The question posted was: Why Africa is underdeveloped Technologically.

I wish you will watch the video below: it shows brain surgery done by primitive local medicine. Now the problem is why this didn't develop further than this?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJZzC-j-MKY

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PJZzC-j-MKY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYG293HcIJE

True or False: Most developed counties are fairly Homogenous in language, culture and religion?

True or False: Most developed countries have snowy winter?

True or False: Most developed countries had reasons to compete with neighboring counties ( in war, exhibitions, etc)

Can we conclude that the Africans brain is the least developed in the world? If this particular answer isn't negative, then what gave rise to our "culture of technological backwardness"? Religion!

Interestingly, Nigeria is the most religious country in Africa: hence we should be the least developed if religion is the major factor and Cameroon and CôtedeVoire should be more developed (relatively).

How many countries in the Tropics are Developed in the whole world? (I know of Malaysia and Korea) why are these countries far in between?

Do you know a single developed country that has the kind of cultural and language diversity like Nigeria? Compared with countries like France, Germany, Britain, Russia, Korea, Japan etc.

That's the point with a rider question: What is the way out even if we cannot change our environment.

The only other alternative is the conclusion that Africans are less intelligent and dumb.

FOLYKAZE:


Wrong sir.

Spirituality gave birth to science. The modern technological development today tends to be borrowed from ancient spiritual thoughts. A very quick example is astrology which stem from ancient astolatry. Another is chemistry which stem from alchemy. Another is Geography and earth science which come from ancient spirituality called Geomancy. Agriculture as it is known tends to come from spirituality. Almost all the knowledge today is woven into ancient knowledge which was later developed.

I want you to understand the fact that the first learning house is from spiritual temples. The formal education of today, writings, broadening knowledge starts from temple. The first university in the world was a temple. The Mathematics and physics of today have it cradle in the templesl of Gods. I hope you are familiar with patheogoras and how he came to Egypt to learn and develop his theory.

Have you ever wondered why scientific dicoveries are named after Greek, Egypt and Roman Gods? I can state many examples. Before advent of telescope, ancient men who worship Mars knew it was red. They knew venus and identify the farther stars. Modern grew in knowledge to discover that these things were truth.

Now, India practise majorly Hinduism which is spirituality. Alot of people mistaken religion for spirituality. They are far different things. Spirituality tends to connect one with nature. Religion tends to glorify mumbo jumbo. That is where the problem comes from. Spirituality is nature bond while religon is founded by a person or group of persons. Spirituality is not mostly organised and with no code or conducts. Religion is organised, has set of rules. ethics, codes and conducts.

Spirituality unites person. Religion cause enmity. Christian hating on pagans and muslim. Christians hate themselves. Catholic against pentecostal among others. In spirituality, an Ogun worshipper does not care if you worship Amahodia or Thor.

African havr thrown away the spiritual gift they had and adopted a foreign religion which they do not understand. The greek gift we call religion has beclouded us and changed who we are to savage and puppets. We changed our way of life. We demonized our life. Some Christians claimed they are the cursed decendant of Ham. Some black muslims agree that they are slaves. All because their religion teach them that. Out religion makes us hate ourselves more. We have growing number of churches and mosques than schools and research centers. We have lost our identity. We have forgetton our history and who we are.

You might ask why we didnt develop anything. The tradional medicine is a thing. I have seen medical scientists researching on trdo medicine and found it potent. How do you think our parent know this without going to school?

I wish you are Yoruba or know the knowledge of Ogun. In Yoruba, we believe Ogun moulded bone. Ogun is the God of Iron. It is everything know as iron. In science, calcium makes bone. Calcium is a yellow metalic element. Now tell.......Is the thought of our parents not correct? Is Ogun in this case not Calcium? Try to read up more about Yoruba Gods. You will see how they relate with science. It is just obvious.

Africans must return to her root of it want to grow. India takes unto Hinduism, China takes onto Shintoism, Japan takes unto Buddahism, Europe takes unto Christianity. Israel takes unto Judaism. Arab takes unto Islam. Why cant we return to our own root? Why cant we seek the knowledge of our fathers?

The root of Africa problem is religion. Religion has taken away our thinking faculty. We look toward heaven and forget our environment. We care about sins rather than advancement. Nigeria is exporting religion which the world have long thrown out of the window. Christianity and Islam has killed more Africans than AIDs. Can you tell us one medicine that is in the bible or quran? Can you tell us one scientific development in Africa that is driven by Chrisyianity and Islam? I will give you more than a thousands evil plagues both religioj brought on us. We are blindfolded. We need serious emancipation

I am glad you separated spirituality fro religion. I agree with all you have said except for your conclusion in the last paragraph. Where you said that the root of African problem is religion. I don't think so!

Check out Politics in Western Nigeria.
Voting is usually not based on religion but on sentiments which end up limiting the whole area.

The question is, if in Nigeria, we are ALL Muslims, is that singular factor enough to cause an underdevelopment? We need to look at countries like Malaysia, India and Pakistan. They are highly religious but developed. Why? Because they were homogeneous.

Religion /Spirituality becomes a problem only when it becomes the central focus at the expense of technological development or a source of infighting.

Up to the 70s, UK, USA was religious (on the average).

Get me right: Religion isn't needed for Technological Development AND Technological Development is not required for Spirituality.

Muafrika2:

And also freedom of movement or migration.

That's the sad part. It seems our traditional systems will have to die for unity.

Yes and that is very sad. Our traditional system will have to die for unity.

I wish there is another way out.

If our several communities are large enough then it would have been possible to maintain our traditional institution at the cost of breaking up from others but unfortunately, we are all small communities.

Imagine that we have a country as big as France or Italy with just one culture and language. Even Libya couldn't achieve that feat.

FOLYKAZE:


What unity has Christianity and Islam brought?

The traditional system is the best thing that ever happen to Africans. We threw the golden opportunity away and choose to embrace a junk sold to us by foreigners.

The fact that we are not religiously homogeneous like Malaysia or Pakistan is the problem

shadeyinka:


The question posted was: Why Africa is underdeveloped Technologically.

I wish you will watch the video below: it shows brain surgery done by primitive local medicine. Now the problem is why this didn't develop further than this?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJZzC-j-MKY

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PJZzC-j-MKY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYG293HcIJE

True or False: Most developed counties are fairly Homogenous in language, culture and religion?

True or False: Most developed countries have snowy winter?

True or False: Most developed countries had reasons to compete with neighboring counties ( in war, exhibitions, etc)

Can we conclude that the Africans brain is the least developed in the world? If this particular answer isn't negative, then what gave rise to our "culture of technological backwardness"? Religion!

Interestingly, Nigeria is the most religious country in Africa: hence we should be the least developed if religion is the major factor and Cameroon and CôtedeVoire should be more developed (relatively).

How many countries in the Tropics are Developed in the whole world? (I know of Malaysia and Korea) why are these countries far in between?

Do you know a single developed country that has the kind of cultural and language diversity like Nigeria? Compared with countries like France, Germany, Britain, Russia, Korea, Japan etc.

That's the point with a rider question: What is the way out even if we cannot change our environment.

The only other alternative is the conclusion that Africans are less intelligent and dumb.

As I said, your own comments are illustrative of why Africa is technologically backward. Rather than engage seriously with the comments I've made, or even admit that you don't know but would like to learn more, you retreat back to the safety of the same nonsensical arguments about environment and linguistic diversity that you favor - ignoring the fact that the India you think so "advanced" also suffers from the same "problems" of tropical climates* and diversity!

No group of people which refuses to question all assumptions, and assess proposed answers on the basis of careful rational argument, will ever come close to replicating the technological advances of the Western world. At best they'll be temporarily able to import the fruits of such advances, just like Nigerians used to in the 1970s, and the Gulf Arabs still do today, but without importing the mindset that enabled such wonders to be created, they will remain nothing more than dumb consumers of what might as well be magic, as far as they are concerned.

*What kind of climate do you think Singapore and Taiwan have?

omohayek:

As I said, your own comments are illustrative of why Africa is technologically backward. Rather than engage seriously with the comments I've made, or even admit that you don't know but would like tog learn more, you retreat back to the safety of the same nonsensical arguments about environment and linguistic diversity that you favor - ignoring the fact that the India you think so "advanced" also suffers from the same "problems" of tropical climates* and diversity!

No group of people which refuses to question all assumptions, and assess proposed answers on the basis of careful rational argument, will ever come close to replicating the technological advances of the Western world. At best they'll be temporarily able to import the fruits of such advances, just like Nigerians used to in the 1970s, and the Gulf Arabs still do today, but without importing the mindset that enabled such wonders to be created, they will remain nothing more than dumb consumers of what might as well be magic, as far as they are concerned.

*What kind of climate do you think Singapore and Taiwan have?

I didn't react to some of your points because the aim of the original post wasn't to win an argument.

What to you suppose are the solutions to the backward technological state we find ourselves?

You have talked about us having a wrong mindset: the OP was just about exposing the reasons why we have such negative mindset.

I know that your number one point will be to do away with religion. I hear you. (Someone above clarified the difference between spirituality and religiosity)

How about other points?

shadeyinka:


The question posted was: Why Africa is underdeveloped Technologically.

I wish you will watch the video below: it shows brain surgery done by primitive local medicine. Now the problem is why this didn't develop further than this?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJZzC-j-MKY

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PJZzC-j-MKY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYG293HcIJE

True or False: Most developed counties are fairly Homogenous in language, culture and religion?

True or False: Most developed countries have snowy winter?

True or False: Most developed countries had reasons to compete with neighboring counties ( in war, exhibitions, etc)

Can we conclude that the Africans brain is the least developed in the world? If this particular answer isn't negative, then what gave rise to our "culture of technological backwardness"? Religion!

Interestingly, Nigeria is the most religious country in Africa: hence we should be the least developed if religion is the major factor and Cameroon and CôtedeVoire should be more developed (relatively).

How many countries in the Tropics are Developed in the whole world? (I know of Malaysia and Korea) why are these countries far in between?

Do you know a single developed country that has the kind of cultural and language diversity like Nigeria? Compared with countries like France, Germany, Britain, Russia, Korea, Japan etc.

That's the point with a rider question: What is the way out even if we cannot change our environment.

The only other alternative is the conclusion that Africans are less intelligent and dumb.

Africa had its own economic and social systems - including specialization in various crafts. What we are taught as primitive in school today. For the modern systems and developments to take root, a lot of our traditional systems were destroyed by forced movement of populations, be it into smaller, restricted reserves, urban centres or foreign lands oversees. Life was disrupted and useful resources taken away, leaving most Africans dependent on the European economic system.

It was not by accident. It was a conquest.

Which is why the promise of African greatness does not lie in the European systems - economic, political or social. That is why the west will fund the ousting of any leaders or governments that does not support their systems. It is why we are taught from a young age that western social systems are better than ours, because that is where the secret of their power over us lie.

Destroy those systems, replace them with African philosophy and our communities will be empowered again. And free.

anotherydz:
The best word is Africa is 'underdeveloping' we are not developing at all.

YOU ARE WRONG. Where and where have you been in Africa? You people just watch CNN and think everyone in Africa is eating shit. The continent is developing. Travel around. You will be shocked. The other day I was researching Mozambique, only to come across pictures of their capital, Maputo. I had to rub my eyes, wondering if I had mistakenly clicked on a picture of Los Angeles or New York City. But no. It was Maputo, Mozambique. This is a country recovering from over 20 years of civil war, yet.....

Look, If you people are messing up in Nigeria, don't extend it automatically to the rest of Africa, please. Others are moving forward.

shadeyinka:


I am glad you separated spirituality fro religion. I agree with all you have said except for your conclusion in the last paragraph. Where you said that the root of African problem is religion. I don't think so!

Check out Politics in Western Nigeria.
Voting is usually not based on religion but on sentiments which end up limiting the whole area.

The question is, if in Nigeria, we are ALL Muslims, is that singular factor enough to cause an underdevelopment? We need to look at countries like Malaysia, India and Pakistan. They are highly religious but developed. Why? Because they were homogeneous.

Religion /Spirituality becomes a problem only when it becomes the central focus at the expense of technological development or a source of infighting.

Up to the 70s, UK, USA was religious (on the average).

Get me right: Religion isn't needed for Technological Development AND Technological Development is not required for Spirituality.

Pakistan and India are not more developed than Africa. In many ways they're worse.

Muafrika2:


Africa had its own economic and social systems - including specialization in various crafts. What we are taught as primitive in school today. For the modern systems and developments to take root, a lot of our traditional systems were destroyed by forced movement of populations, be it into smaller, restricted reserves, urban centres or foreign lands oversees. Life was disrupted and useful resources taken away, leaving most Africans dependent on the European economic system.

It was not by accident. It was a conquest.

Which is why the promise of African greatness does not lie in the European systems - economic, political or social. That is why the west will fund the ousting of any leaders or governments that does not support their systems. It is why we are taught from a young age that western social systems are better than ours, because that is where the secret of their power over us lie.

Destroy those systems, replace them with African philosophy and our communities will be empowered again. And free.

I love your response.
I perfectly agree with you, Africa was conquered by the west.

When the Ife Bronze heads were exhumed, the whites couldn't believe that they were made by Africans. This showed that at a time in our past, we were at par if not greater than the Europeans.

Unfortunately, our infighting made it easy for them to enslave several millions of our kinsmen with our full approval. We were the slave traders who brought our "enemies" from the hinterland to the sea coast.

Like you said unless we stop seeing the "Whites " as our saviour and deliverer, and fight for our mental freedom, we shall forever remain backward.

I love China: who used to be backward, both they fought for their independence technologically and they achieved it.

Rossikk:
Pakistan and India are not more developed than Africa. In many ways they're worse.

I know of India. They are light years away in terms of technological development compared to the best of Africa.

1. They have Nuclear power
2. They produce 100% their own cars
3. They manufactured their own clothes
4. They have Rocket and Missile Technologies
5. They built their own Armored Tanks etc

Yes, they still have poverty raging, but they are light years ahead of us.