African Mentality.
Everyone should read this piece by Tokunbo Akintola.
When you see people who grew up in a similar environment, and under similar circumstances, but are able to look at things differently, then you should pay attention to them.
Africa hasn't made giant strides, not because of anything else other than the people's way of thinking, as influenced by their way of life and worldview.
Listen, drop that empty pride that has no bearing on real issues. The Yoruba culture, for instance, doesn't have much respect for children and youths.
Write out all your much-loved Yoruba proverbs for instance and see how they glorify old people over children. Everyone is conditioned to glorify old people and not question them in any way. This is also true for most, if not all, Nigerian cultures.
The youth are seen as assets for the old.
It shows at the parties, where children are served last or in some families, where parents who have been half-murdered by cholesterol will still serve themselves four huge chunks of beef, and have their two children -- who need the protein more -- share one small chunk.
It's the reason the Ministry of Youth Development is seen as a back-office that can be handled by just about anybody.
Your culture doesn't like young people that much. It, by default, disrespects the youth and newness of thoughts
This is the reason fresh ideas aren't allowed; why many young people don't have the confidence to share their ideas where it matters, and why the country hasn't grown.
You think it's about crude oil and leadership alone? No, it all stems from the people's way of thinking.
Stop squirming when we say these things. They are the truth. A culture should be for advancing society in real issues, and not only for language, costume and food.
Look for the video of Mark Zuckerberg appearing before old congressmen, and see the old men's faces light up in admiration. It was as though they thought: "Look at one product of what we do here."
The countries you like to run to love their youth and have modified their culture to encourage exploits by them. This is why they can make giant strides because they are continually injected with fresh ideas from the young people they've groomed and conditioned to make exploits and share their ideas confidently...
...while you still have to call your eighty-year-old mummy to give advice on how to treat your wife or interact with your boss.
Listen, when we say these things, and stop squirming: the African culture isn't all that. Everyone is only interested in looking for who will greet "ekaaro sir, ekaaro ma", with a dozen trumpets in tow, but no real thinking going on.
Now, read the first paragraph again.
