SECOND LOST GENERATION OF AFRICAN PEOPLE: THE SECOND LOST GENERATION OF AFRICA

By Jonathan Chigozie Udoji

The book talk about encouraging Africans to unite, come back home and develop their land with their untapped abilities. Telling the leaders to change from clueless idea. Stop stealing public fund, tribalism and religious fanatism to focuses on development. AaAfricanland. land and its people or caring to develop

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9798369419588

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SECOND LOST

GENERATION OF

African People

THE SECOND LOST

GENERATION OF AFRICA

Jonathan Chigozie Udoji

Copyright © 2024 by Jonathan Chigozie Udoji. 858101

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024908080

Rev. date: 04/23/2024

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to Paul Kagame, Thomas Sankara, Ibrahim Traore, Marcus Garvey, Kwame Nkrumah, all indomitable spirits and Julius Nyerere’s exemplary leaders who forged a new path for their nations and people. Through their visionary leadership and tireless efforts, they cultivated a nurturing homeland where citizens found solace and fulfillment, diminishing the allure of seeking greener pastures abroad. May their legacies inspire future generations with like minds to build prosperous and harmonious societies, anchoring Africa’s potential within its borders and fostering a collective spirit of progress among Black people’s re-development of themselves.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICATION

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

The Wanderlust of the Modern African Generation

The Diaspora and the Second Lost Generation: The Impact of Migration on African Culture, Generational Gap, and the Decision to Stay Abroad

CHAPTER TWO

A BEACON OF JUSTICE

Empowering the African Diaspora: Uniting Communities and Strengthening Legal Systems for Positive Impact

CHAPTER THREE

THREADS OF REMEMBRANCE

The Influence of Migration and Assimilation on the Loss of Cultural Ties in the African Diaspora

CHAPTER FOUR

RECLAIMING CROWNS

The Deterioration of Traditional African Royalty: Implications for Cultural Heritage and Family Ties

CHAPTER FIVE

SHADOWS OF PROGRESS

From the First Lost Generation to the Second Lost Generation: The Impact of Slavery on African Intellectual Capital

CHAPTER SIX

A JOURNEY THROUGH AFRICAN WEALTH

African Wealth Disparity: Historical Figures, Present-Day Inequalities, Leadership Critique, and Empowering Symbols

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE UNCHARTED JOURNEY BACK HOME

The Factors Preventing THE lost generation of africa from Returning to Invest in Their Ancestral Homeland

CHAPTER EIGHT

BREAKING THE CHAINS

The Impact of Corruption on African Economic Growth and Development: The Role of Visionary Leadership in Ensuring Effective Governance

CHAPTER NINE

BREAKING THE CHAINS OF DIVISION

Religious and Tribal Manipulation: Hindrance to African Unity and Development, advocating for Secular Laws for Equality and Progress

CHAPTER TEN

A JOURNEY TO FREEDOM AND ENLIGHTENMENT

The relationship Between Religion and Governance in African Societies

CHAPTER ELEVEN

UNLEASHING THE POWER WITHIN AFRICA

Sustainable Development Approaches for Africa: Leveraging Local Resources for Economic Growth.

CHAPTER TWELVE

A GLIMMER OF OPTIMISM

Leadership Approaches and Lessons for African Development: The Exemplary Cases of Rwanda under Kagame and Ghana under Kwame Nkrumah

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

EMBERS OF TRANSFORMATION

Transformative Leadership and Development Strategies: INSIGHTS FROM Sankara and Mandela

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

TRAILBLAZERS OF AFRICAN LEADERSHIP

Leadership and Development in Africa: INSIGHTS FROM Sirleaf, Nyerere, and Rawlings

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

AFRICA’S LEADERSHIP LEGACY

Leadership and Development in Africa: INSIGHTS FROM KHAMA, Magufuli and Lessons for African Leaders

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

ECHOES OF GREATNESS

Leadership and Transformation in Africa: INSIGHTS FROM Jomo kenyatta, Mugabe, and sékou touré

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

BENEATH THE BAOBAB

Leadership and Development in Africa: Samora Machel, Amlcar Cabral, and Patrice Lumumba’s Perspectives

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

EMBRACING THE CALL

Returning to Roots: Encouraging African professionals abroad to contribute to their home countries

CONCLUSION

ABSTRACT

The Second Lost Generation of Africa delves into Africans migrating abroad and their subsequent disconnection from their homeland. Rather than facing challenges directly, many Africans lack the motivation to return to their home countries due to various circumstances. This book explores the multifaceted implications of migration, encompassing cultural erosion, generational gaps, and socio-economic consequences. It emphasizes the urgent need for African unity, revitalization of cultural heritage, and sustainable development.

The book begins by examining the motivations behind African migration, acknowledging the allure of greener pastures and better opportunities. However, it highlights the unintended consequences of this phenomenon, particularly the loss of connection to African roots and traditions. Migration has led to a widening generational gap within African communities. The book explores how the younger generation, growing up in foreign lands, often finds it challenging to maintain a strong connection with their African heritage. This generational divide poses a significant threat to cultural preservation and continuity.

Furthermore, the erosion of cultural ties is examined, emphasizing the importance of preserving and reviving African traditions, languages, and customs. The book explores Africans’ challenges in maintaining their cultural identity while assimilating into foreign societies. It underscores the need for proactive measures to ensure the transmission of cultural knowledge and values across generations. The decline of traditional African royalty is another aspect addressed in this book, which investigates the implications of this decline on cultural heritage and family ties. The erosion of royal authority and ancestral customs has weakened the fabric of African societies, further exacerbating the loss of cultural cohesion.

Historical factors such as slavery and the slave trade have impacted Africa’s intellectual capital and technological advancement. The book analyzes the suppression of African knowledge and innovation from these dark historical periods. It advocates for recreating African intellectual capital to fuel technological advances and sustainable development.

Wealth disparities within Africa are also explored in depth. The book uncovers the historical and contemporary factors contributing to these inequalities, including uneven resource distribution and limited access to opportunities. It critiques existing leadership practices and calls for the empowerment of symbols that inspire unity, equality, and progress. The factors preventing the second lost generation of Africa from returning to invest in their ancestral homeland are thoroughly examined. Economic, social, and political challenges are identified, ranging from limited job opportunities and infrastructure deficiencies to corrupt governance systems. The book advocates for creating an enabling environment that entices Africans abroad to contribute to developing their home countries.

Corruption is highlighted as a significant obstacle to African economic growth and development. The book emphasizes the critical role of visionary leadership in ensuring effective governance and combating corruption. Transparent and accountable systems are essential for fostering an environment conducive to sustainable development.

Religious and tribal manipulation are also scrutinized as hindering African unity and progress. The book advocates for implementing secular laws that promote equality and social cohesion. By transcending religious and tribal divides, Africans can work towards a shared vision of development and inclusivity.

The book analyzes notable African leaders such as Paul Kagame, President Magufuli, and Thomas Sankara for their contributions to African progress or challenges. Their leadership styles, policies, and legacies are examined to extract valuable lessons for African development, so as to stop Africans from their exodus from their continent to develop other people’s continents with zero appreciation for their contributions. Instead, they are looked down on everywhere they go, wandering like children with no parents, and no home of their own.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

An African adage says that a bachelor who runs away from his house chore will see the house chore waiting for him when he comes back. From a geographical location called Uga in Anambra State of Nigeria, I traveled thousands of miles to a city called San Jose, in Santa Clara County, in the state of California, in the USA—a country famous for welcoming foreigners.

I was born in a Christian family because my parents were converted to Christianity. They lived in a town where almost all their neighbors and relatives were Christians, predominantly divided between the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England, the Anglican Church. Due to this environment, Christianity was enshrined in me from an early age. Now, here in San Jose, California, my new home, going to church has become my mind and soul’s nourishment. This happened because none of my childhood friends or relatives live anywhere close to me in San Jose. Going to church has become like putting a traditional body lotion on your skin when it is dry. There is no way I could last one month without stepping into a house of God, a Christian church. This time, denomination means nothing because I see all churches as supposed to form one Christian body and family. In my imagination, I do not see the reason for many Christian denominations since they believe in one Christ, one resurrection. They also run the same race, encouraging one another to gain eternal life. It is the same attitude I had even before leaving the shore of Nigeria; I often used to attend services at any church that was close to me, depending on my time and location.

One day, after one of the services in a very family-oriented church called Cathedral of Faith in San Jose California, I ran into Mr. Michael. Like me, his parents came from eastern Nigeria, which gave him and me the ability to speak in a common eastern Nigerian root language, Igbo. He and his parents have been in America since he was a teenager many years ago. He has been unable to return to his ancestral homeland since he stepped foot in this sweet milk and honey country, as some people call it, without even knowing the other part of being in that country, the United States of America. When we discussed why he has never looked back or made it an important task to visit his parents’ home, he stated that his parents had never taken him back when he was young. As a result, he is not attached to any of his cousins and has no strong attachment to his homeland or motivation to return to it. Yet he also said something like, I miss there, I want to go and visit. I began to wonder why he misses his parents’ home, which is also his birthplace. If he had never gone home since he came to the USA as a teenager, that would imply that other young Africans have also never returned to their ancestral home since they arrived in the USA. I refer to these young Africans as the Second Lost Generation of Africa. Such children of Africa are scattered across the globe. What are the profits and losses of this unknown and colossal number of people? In England, there is something called royalty or royal family. I was told that the idea originated in Africa and blossomed in Europe. Britain had the most celebrated royal family due to the British Empire’s domination of the entire world at one time. The British Empire dominated other royal families from Asia to the Americas and Europe and Africa.

THE WANDERLUST OF THE MODERN AFRICAN GENERATION

When negative history repeats itself, its negative effects are also repeated. Human beings are migratory or restless by nature. Even when sitting in a cozy office chair made with the world’s most comfortable foam, you will still want to get up, stretch, and look at cars and trains passing within your view. Young and outgoing people crave going to different places at a different times, to test their choices, to listen to unique music selection of a superb DJ, to see how a certain bar attendant mixes and serves a drink in a particular bar or club. To be with different groups of people, to admire the attractive bouncer’s face and smile, to obtain a cheaper drink, or simply for the fun of going where a friend wants them to go for that evening or that night—it might not even be because of any of these interests or reasons that people move from place to place, searching for fun.

People are always searching for different things that interest them in their everyday lives. From the time of the nomad age to the horse age, then to the age of steam and locomotives, and to this present time when we are flying faster to more distant places than a bar-tailed godwit bird, people have loved motion and to chase dreams or goals. That facet of human behavior is intrinsic to the human character. Educational acquisition of the highest degree, or great wealth, does not alter this characteristic. One thing has changed, however: the wandering life of the nomad is different from our present-day lifestyle, where we claim ownership of a particular place. We establish in that geographical area and keep it as our domain/home that we return to after toiling for food and fame. We always return to that place we have been developing and protecting to be the place of our permanent residence. It could be in Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, South America, or Australasia, depending on our ancestral home and what is rightly available for our lineage to claim at birth. In today’s divided world, we call this our village, town, state, and country of origin. Our job remains to protect, develop, and make that place livable, comfortable and, for the most part, we take pride in what we have done to keep that area to a good standard; a better standard when compared to other people’s homes. If this is true, it creates a sense of nativity, so that when a person travels far away, there will be a native gravitational force that will always pull individuals back to their cultural place of origin. Culture is the glue that molds people with certain unique attributes together, and it varies from place to place.

THE DIASPORA AND THE SECOND LOST GENERATION: THE IMPACT OF MIGRATION ON AFRICAN CULTURE, GENERATIONAL GAP, AND THE DECISION TO STAY ABROAD

The Second Lost Generation of Africa refers to a specific group of Africans and their children, who have chosen to permanently reside abroad, displaying no intention of returning to their home countries. This decision is driven by the allure of a better life, enhanced opportunities, and personal fulfillment that they believe are lacking in their countries of origin. Economic conditions, political instability, limited job prospects, and unfavorable living conditions in their original home country make them choose to stay overseas.

This phenomenon holds significant implications for African culture as it widens the generational gap between these migrants and their home countries. The lack of connection to their cultural roots and distant family members often leads to a diminished sense of attachment and understanding of African traditions. Consequently, they require additional motivation to return. Sometimes, they marry and settle in their adopted countries, further distancing themselves from their African heritage.

The impact of the Second Lost Generation of Africa extends beyond individual choices and has broader implications for African societies. The loss of these individuals, mainly the young and skilled, contributes to the brain drain phenomenon. African countries experience a significant outflow of human capital as educated and talented youth utilize their skills and knowledge in foreign lands instead of contributing to the development of their home countries. Just as mineral resources in African countries are being sent abroad for foreigners’ use, so are African talents and vital y0uth abilities taken as well. This brain drain hinders local growth and innovation, obstructing economic progress.

From a humanitarian standpoint, the rise in African migrants raises concerns regarding exploitation, abuse, and human trafficking. Providing legal protection and proper care for these vulnerable populations is crucial; tasks which many African governments have failed to notice. Moreover, the lack of engagement and integration of African migrants in their home countries lead to social and cultural fragmentation within communities and families. Rather, the importation of foreign behaviors corrupts those good pure African heritages.

African governments and communities must create an environment that offers attractive opportunities, fostering conditions that promote economic growth, political stability, and social well-being. Efforts should be made to strengthen educational systems, increase job prospects, and improve living conditions to incentivize Africans abroad to consider returning. Furthermore, initiatives that promote cultural exchange, preserve African traditions, and reconnect diaspora communities with their homelands can help bridge the generational gap and foster a sense of belonging and identity among the younger generation. By valuing and promoting African heritage, countries can encourage a renewed interest in homecoming and strengthen the connection between the Second Lost Generation and their African roots. Addressing the challenges faced by this generation of Africans requires a comprehensive approach encompassing economic development, cultural preservation, and community engagement. Only through concerted efforts can African countries hope to bridge the gap, retain their talented youth, and create a brighter future that inspires Africans abroad to return and contribute to the growth and prosperity of their homelands. The decision of Africans already living abroad to refrain from returning home is driven by various factors related to personal and economic imbalances in advancement. These individuals often choose to remain in their host countries due to limited job prospects, economic inequalities, political instability, and a desire for access to education, healthcare, and improved living conditions.

Economic considerations play a crucial role in the decision of Africans abroad to not return home. Many African countries continue to face poverty created/sustained by crooked politicians, unemployment, and income inequality. These factors make it difficult for genuine individuals to secure stable and well-paying jobs or create technology start-ups with their own private, local inventions. Most governments in Africa speak of creating jobs but take little or no action to make this happen. They do not use the resources and funds available to improve society’s living standards or to invest in technology. Thus, the higher wages and better living conditions that African citizens have in their host countries becomes a strong incentive for these people, as they hope to support their families back home in Africa. They try to improve their immediate family’s needs and economic prospects, since government leaders in their home country are crooks and often clueless about the fact that better governance will benefit all citizens. Popular destinations for African migrants are countries in Europe, North America, and the Gulf region. These places offer different types of opportunities in sectors such as construction, innovation, healthcare, sports, and hospitality. Domestic workers and construction workers sometimes work at hard labor with less pay, or with zero freedom in the case of African domestic and construction worker in places like the United Arab Emirate, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and others, because the African governments do not care.

Political instability and armed conflicts are significant factors that discourage Africans abroad from returning to their home countries. Nations like Somalia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Libya, and lately Nigeria have experienced prolonged conflicts and high insecurity, leading to displacement and exodus. Nigeria, with its population base and financial ability to make life better, has the greatest number of citizens scattered across the globe, searching for what they have in abundance at home. This is simply because their system, and shameless and clueless leaders have deprived them of all those qualities of life back home at gunpoint and by risk of imprisonment. The lack of safety and stability makes many Africans reluctant to return, as they fear for their well-being and that of their loved ones. Traumatic experiences, loss of livelihoods, and separation from family members often accompany the decision to stay abroad. Unemployment remains a persistent challenge in many African countries, particularly among the youth. Limited job opportunities and a rapidly growing population creates a mismatch between the number of available jobs and the labor supply. This situation leads many Africans already abroad, especially those with valuable skills, to refrain from returning home in search of employment opportunities. The departure of highly educated professionals from their home countries causes a significant loss of skilled individuals for Africa, hindering its economic and social development.

Access to quality education and training also plays a role in the decision of Africans abroad to remain in their host countries. Many seek opportunities to pursue higher education, specialized training, or research programs outside their home countries. Scholarships, grants, and exchange programs offered by foreign institutions are attractive to African students who aspire to acquire knowledge and skills that can contribute to their personal and professional growth. Their native government could provide those opportunities if they were visionary leaders. However, the outflow of educated individuals creates a shortage of skilled workers and hinders the development of institutions and industries in their home countries. When some Africans choose not to return home, there is a risk of losing their cultural practices over time. Traditions, such as ceremonies, rituals, storytelling, and artistic expressions, once passed down from generation to generation, may start to fade away and be