Edward wilmot blyden and the african problem : case study of africa of the twenty-first century

الملخص EN

Though many African nations gained independence, peoples of these regionsare still struggling for survival.

As succeeding governments promised a change inthe economic and social conditions of the people, the situation did not offer muchchange as former colonial rulers run the economies and education systems.

Manyobservers attributed present situation not only to ill governance and corruption butalso to neo-colonial tactics of control and subjugation.

Edward Wilmot Blyden'sprognostications of the African problem reflected current state of affairs as he wasahead of his time and expected a worst-case scenario for Africa.

For Blyden, Africahad been involved in a protracted battle for existence where colonialism underminedthe very sense of people's needs.

He envisioned a future of socio-economic andeducational excellence for Africans in case they understood these problems and theirretarding effects on their progress.

This article tries to contextualize Blyden'sbroader ideas and intellect within twenty-first century Africa as to reveal the failureof peoples and governments to make a change to their situation and remained baffledtoward a real and concrete realization of development and progress.