AFRICAN SOLUTIONS FOR AFRICAN PROBLEMS

There has been a common belief for quite sometime time that ICTs are a solution to ALL Africa’s problems and from a realistic point of view, this is surely an overstatement.

One of the largest problems in Africa today is illiteracy which basically means that people cannot read or write. Much as there are tutorials on how to use whatever on internet, not many African people can read them because computers do not give an option for local languages.

The effects of these ICTs are very minute since they are only accessible to specific areas on the continent especially the urban areas leaving out the rural areas which are the most affected.

Poverty, also is upon Africans like a shadow moving with them every where, this means that no matter how advanced technology gets, in Africa, it will be of no great importance unless it is free or very cheap. Making advanced technology is not very cheap to be affordable by majority of Africans is very difficult because making and assembling of these devices is expensive depending on the device.

Even if it were in terms of politics and governance, ICTs would surely provide a platform for the people as it has already done but cannot change the system of governance which is not at all connected to a technological background or foundation.

It is very true that technology provides alternatives to the lives and lifestyles of the African people but cannot be a cure to ALL its problems.

LIKE NON BEFORE

On the 25^th November 2011, Cavendish University Uganda held its first of the kind graduation ceremony at Speke resort munyonyo. The celebrations were opened officially with the arrival of the former president of Zambia Dr. Kenneth Kawunda who arrived at approximately 12 noon.

Several other influential officials such as Lt. Col Jessica Alupo – the minister for education and sports, opposition leader Dr.Kizza Besigye and Hon. Tumusiime Mutebire the governor Bank Of Uganda.

A total number of 974 students were awarded degrees, diplomas and certificate sin over 13 different disciplines.

Speaking to a number of graduands about how they felt about coming this in their lives, they all expressed how elated and a one Namubiru Sharifah said she was so confident about her degree and was not worried about employment. “It’s good that I have been awarded this degree today but the best thing about it is that I have attained practical skills that will take me as far as my dream,” she said

After the officially awarding the students, Dr. Kawunda gave a brief speech in which he urged the young graduands to work hard and not waste their lives and the skills they have obtained.

The occasion was then concluded in style later in the evening with a dinner. The Director for Academics who was also the chairman for the organizing committee encouraged us to eagerly wait for the next graduation which will be held in November 2012 saying, this is only the beginning.

SELF ACTUALIZATION

I don’t know much about nirvana; I hear it’s a state of complete happiness and peace and is achieved by being kind and good. I’m nowhere near reaching that state, but in the meantime I’ve reached a place that isn’t too bad if I may say so myself. Lest I come across as blowing my own trumpet, let me hasten to say that I didn’t come to this realization myself; rather I got it from an article written by one of my favorite writers Catherine Awuor: apparently I have reached a state of self actualization.

I don’t know about you all who’ve achieved nirvana, but I think self-actualization does sound sane, if only for the simple reason even I don’t fully understand what it means. What lecture would you prefer, “How to achieve nirvana” (yawn) or “The path to self- actualization”- pretty cool choice, isn’t it?

Let me tell this story better: my friend recently dumped her boyfriend who they have been through think and thin, in the dumping speech she told him the relationship was not working for her anymore he was becoming to obsessive, unreliable, unromantic and just not worth it and as their conversation soured, the boyfriend turned tables and took credit for the dumping scene and told her he didn’t feel her to and wanted to end it before( which of cause was a lie his ego was just bruised, and men don’t know how to deal with break –ups or being dumped for that matter). Isn’t that what they call defamation of character? Now, I wouldn’t mind having some girlfriend somewhere tell his boyfriend, “I love you because you are like Faisal Ssali,” or “Why don’t you become more like Faisal.”

I never imagined that the time my name made it into a conversation between lovers would be, “I am ending the relationship because you are like Faisal.” That is just cruel, especially as I’ve never dated her, so what does she know?

I did, however, quickly recover from my hurt when I discovered why he was being compared to me. Apparently he is also almost reaching a state of self-actualization. In becoming more like me he had become less dependent, spent a lot more time and money on things that mattered (if I made him like that, then I think am approaching sainthood) and he was no longer impressed by flashy cars and big houses probably bought on loans that are barely being repaid.(At this point I would like to say if a movie is made about the change I made in his life, I would like to have my part played by Michael Scorfield).

Seriously though, how utterly divine that something meant for an insult would end up making me feel good about myself?

I haven’t been able to get a good definition of self-actualization which suits me just fine because I get to make up my own:

~ Reaching a point where you can walk into a Chicken Tonight with the same grace you would a five star hotel, knowing full well where you eat doesn’t define you;

~ Taking the bus or taxi until you can afford to buy a car, rather than rushing to take a car loan that you can barely repay; and

~ Being comfortable with an inexpensive phone that is more about function than extras and aesthetics.

Isn’t it amazing how the same problems plague us regardless of how old we are?

The best thing about self-actualization (now that I am a self declared expert) is that it doesn’t matter what age you are, as long as you know where you are headed, you are set to go.

You know the best part about my new revelation of self-actualization? I could have the whole definition backwards, it probably means something different but that’s the beauty of MY self-actualization –it doesn’t really matter: it will mean what I want it to mean.