It would be wrong and impossible to generalise when speaking of Africa except perhaps,
to agree that it has an enormous amount of potential. Analysts worldwide agree
that Africa is experiencing an economic boom. It is predicted to have the largest
economic growth of any continent over the next decade with all social and political
implications of the case. For a more personal and pastoral analysis Linda Bordoni
asked South African Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier, Archbishop of Durban, to look back
on the lights and shadows of this past year in his continent.
He begins by
thinking back to the momentous year of 1994 during which South Africa put its best
foot forward and became a democratic nation and a shining example to the entire world.
1994 however, Napier says, was also the year of the horrific genocide in Rwanda, making
it a year that stands out in the history of Africa. 2011 - he says - has similar reasons
for standing out.
First the bright lights beginning with the birth of the world's
newest nation: South Sudan. The South Sudanese people were finally given the chance
to rule themselves and this showed the world that Africans, when they are given the
chance, will make the right decision. Another bright light would have been in July
when the South Sudan Independence Celebrations took place, showing that the nation
had really began to stand on its own feet. Then of course the Pope's visit to Benin
to launch the Apostolic Exhortation that came out of the Sinod for Africa. And
of coure the Arab Spring all across the Northern part of Africa giving us a picture
of how even long suffering people "say enough is enough" - and "we want to be able
to determine our own future on the basis of what is good for us and not on what is
good for a small elite of leaders". On the negative side we saw what happened in
Lybia and how Gheddafi sacrificed the country in order to hold on to his own power
and position. Another aspect pointing to the changes in Africa are elections that
are won and lost and contested, and go on and on with the continuing fear of a new
outbreak of civil war. Also on a negative note, the short-sightedness of South
African leaders today, more concerned for their own priviledges than for the good
of the people. And Cardinal Napier spoke of the incredible potential of the African
continent, which he says, was picked up by Pope Benedict XVI who described Africa
as "the lung of the world, the lung of the Church". New oxygen and new life is going
to come from the Church in Africa. And the Cardinal also spoke of the effect of
the World Youth Day meeting and message on African youth and in the Pope's recognition
that it is the young people who bring hope to the future. Just as the young Church
in Africa represents hope for the future of Church. listen to the interview...