To Tackle Poverty, Superstition & Poor Leadership
By Bertha Demah
— Ernest Morkli Komla, Author.
The Author of The Wails of an African mother, Ernest Morkli Komla has described his book as more than a literary work and a bold reflection on the systemic challenges confronting the African continent, such as poverty, superstition, and poor leadership.
Speaking at the launch of the new book, “The Wails of an African mother ” in Accra Ernest Morkli Komla said “If you read the book carefully, you will appreciate the fact that there are certain issues we try to highlight that are confronting our society largely and for that matter, the entire African continent. Issues of poverty, issues of superstition and poor leadership are the key subjects we address in this book”.
Further ,he criticized Africa’s political leadership for prioritizing resource extraction over sustainable development. “Our leaders always think about how to bring people here to take away our resources, instead of processing them and giving sustainable jobs to our youth,” Mr. Komla said.
Mr. Morkli explained that the final chapter of the book presents possible solutions to the issues mentioned through the story of two young men educated abroad who returned to Africa with the vision to transform society. “They acquired all the knowledge and skills needed. So, they come back to change the mindset of the people, they set up an NGO to educate citizens on the responsibilities of leaders what they are supposed to do. Once people know their responsibilities, they can hold their leaders accountable” he revealed.
He emphasized that true transformation begins with education, not handouts. “Many people thought they would come and build a factory, but that didn’t solve the problem. It’s education that will transform Africa” he added.
The book , also tackles the mindset of dependency and passive citizenship, particularly among the youth. “This book is seeking to provoke somebody to take action. You need to read the issues and become very angry ‘Why should this be happening? It sparks you to react. Young people are the target. They must begin to take steps to ensure these things are not repeated” Mr. Komla advised.
Referencing real events, Mr. Morkli pointed to youth unemployment and tragic incidents tied to job scarcity. “There were instances where young people were looking for jobs and there was a stampede at a job interview,So many people craving for the same job that’s not even enough” ” he stressed
According to him he believes that Africa’s solution lies in industrialization and value addition. “In Africa, we can do it. We have all the raw materials. It’s just a matter of setting up factories, Take the cocoa sector, for example. If we build cocoa processing companies, we can employ thousands of youth. Even cassava, coconut if we process them locally, we can create sustainable jobs” he highlighted.
He called for a shift in job expectations within the economy and among African youth. “It’s not only about working as accountants and secretaries. We need to go beyond those roles. We must build an economy that works for us” he added.
