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I have long maintained that it requires only a limited amount of talent to frame a problem writes Craig Kensley, director of #GrowZA
Offering solutions build frameworks and implementation know-how is much harder (and a more worthy cerebral pursuit in my opinion).
We should be weary of commentators who only have a problem definition to offer.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good doomsday narrative as much as the next citizen and of course, the media is fuelled by this. Failed State sound bites are the soundtrack to which we live our lives in Africa and there are those that feed, others that flourish and the majority that flounder as a result.
When drinking the proverbial Kool-Aid, negativity has an infinite upside. One may be heralded as a soothsayer or even "analyst" and offer strategic narrative building insights (60 seconds at a time). The only thing is, it doesn't WORK, it doesn't achieve anything bar the inflation of the originator's ego and a prematurely crescendoing overture (be assured that this is not the main act).
The marketplace for negativity is well established and the peddlers are adept and skilled. Other markets have been toppled, this one can be too.
As we build a development state, we need seeds, not weeds. Let's invest in conversations that drive a response rather than a reaction and partner deliberately to get the work done.
This article is a rallying call to the voices in development who have chosen to remain silent amidst the noise. To those who are getting the work done and partnering for change. We see you, reclaim the narrative. We need your seeds.