Why Trump’s Election May Signal Even Harder Times Ahead for Africa

 In August 2016, I wrote an article advising my fellow African Americans to dump the Dems and elect Donald Trump.

Most Black voters probably ignored my actual advice, but many sided with me by default. Yes, Donald Trump took the so-called blue wall states of North Carolina and Pennsylvania. But I think more people opted to stay home rather than play an active role in electing Hillary Clinton, thereby denying her most sought after life ambition- the honor of being called “Madame President.”

Still, for the first time in my adult life living in America, I was forced to see just how many Americans were willing to compromise their own values to vote a party ticket, even if it meant electing someone they claimed not to trust.

The C-Word

In America, whenever a public figure is under investigation for corruption, other high-profile individuals know to keep their distance. Associations are meaningful in the eyes of the public and no one wants to be affiliated with a corrupt politician.

But in Mrs. Clinton’s case, the Democrats had already put all their “political eggs” in the her basket. So, despite the looming investigation for alleged corruption – the mishandling of resources at the Clinton Foundation and utter disregard for national security with that entire private email debacle – the Democrats had no choice but to continue to throw their support behind a candidate whose credibility was quickly diminishing amongst voters.

Donald Trump abhors corruption. He said of Hillary Clinton several times that "the Democratic candidate is corrupt, and the DNC is shielding her.”

Trump has also called out African leaders, labeling them as corrupt. "They steal their people's money and come to Western countries to hide and squander the money.”

There is truth to his accusation, which is why I believe African nations are in for a rude wake up call.

How (and Why) African Leaders Powered Africa’s Massive Failure

African leaders do not want progress for their people. It’s easier to control people when they can barely eat three square meals a day and are fully dependent on the generosity of the few elites who control the government apparatus (not to mention the government purse). Yes, that’s my personal opinion, but it’s an informed opinion based on my direct experience lobbying the US government on behalf of the Nigerian government.

From 2010 to 2011, I lobbied the US government for Nigeria, my country of origin. My goal was to get the US to assist in helping the Nigerian government install the infrastructure needed to generate electricity for all of Nigeria.

In September 2011, the US government approved $1.5 billion in funding to help generate power in Nigeria. That should have been a huge win, and I was excited to see the tide finally turning in Nigeria’s favor. But there was one problem: Nigeria never actually accepted the money. Not one penny of it.

Why not?

Well, because Nigerian leaders know they must use that money for its intended purpose. I didn’t realize during my lobbying days that Nigerian leaders aren’t interested in having access to funds they can’t steal.

In 2014, President Obama initiated his Power Africa Program; the results have not been favorable. The Financial Times reported, “Barack Obama’s power program makes slow progress,” and a Bloomberg headline was even worse: “Obama’s African power plan falls short, leaving continent in the dark.”

Africa was in the dark long before Obama thought to help them. And my fear is that Africa will remain in the dark for years to come.

I learned the hard way, if you cannot show Nigerian governors and ministers how they will personally benefit from your humanitarian efforts, the best interest of the Nigerian people alone is not enough to incentivize them.

These days, I think back on all my efforts, going back and forth to Nigeria; I truly believed I could help. Of course, now I know the proverbial saying that “you can only help someone who wants to be helped” is as true for one person, as it is of an entire government.

Eventually, I gave up. And Nigeria is still in darkness.

Corrupt African Leaders Stifle Economic Growth Across the Continent

In the last three to four years, most world economies grew by one, two or even three percent. Africa's economy shrank by three to eight percent, depending on the African country in question.

There is only one reason for that: Corrupt and despotic leaders have failed the African people year after year. The only difference is, this time they will not be able to look to the West for rescue.

There is a new Sheriff in town and he hates corrupt leaders.

For President-Elect Trump to help Africans would mean pandering to their corrupt leaders. The truth is, he will probably choose to ignore Africa rather than engage its leaders.

In the past, Western policies specifically ignored corrupt African leaders for one simple reason – it’s easier to ignore them than to change them. The mission was to foster East-West policies and contain the so-called socialists and communists threats of the world. In a very real sense, Western countries who chose to do business with African countries had to pick their battles.

Today, we operate in a global economy where there is neither East or West. There is only the Market. You would think with that being the case, African nations would have a distinct advantage over other nations.

Here’s a smart fact for your thoughtful review: Africa controls over thirty percent of the world's natural resources. These are the same resources that created the wealth of nations like the US, Russia, Australia, and China, to name a few. Even countries that have no resources, like Japan, Singapore and South Korea - which Nigeria should most certainly be wealthier than - have managed to get their hands on these natural resources to develop their economies.

So, how is Africa overflowing with third world countries and only a handful of developing nations? I will refer you back to poor leadership. Too many African leaders simply prefer a life of stealing, and hiding their stolen money in Western countries for frivolous enjoyment.

Donald Trump's foreign policy was obvious the day he announced his candidacy:No No more unnecessary wars. No more underwriting of NATO countries that cannot contribute to their own defense.

No propping up corrupt regimes in the Arab world.

Our days of policing the world are nearing their close. As Trump said, “We will stop looking to topple regimes and overthrow governments.” According to his count, the US government has wasted trillions of dollars in the Middle East and “enough is enough.”

The candidacy and election of Donald Trump signals to the world that Americans are tired of fighting everyone's war but their own. Our middle class is decimated; the Chinese are eating our lunch every day. We need our money working for us here if we’re to ever make America great again.

Consider This The Official Wakeup Call: The End Has Arrived

Eight years ago, I wrote an article about how Nigeria will lose once America becomes energy independent. "Obama's dream is Nigeria's nightmare" that prediction has come to pass and I followed up my initial piece with "Obama's dream realized, Nigeria's nightmare just began."

In the first article, I echoed the words of Raul Pal of Global Macro Investor, who predicted that oil could go down to $30 dollars per barrel. That article was written two years before oil took a dive in world markets.

For the next four years (at least), I believe African countries will be left to their own devices. They should no longer look for foreign aid. But if aid should arrive, they should consider it an anomaly.

Oil is a commodity upholding the economies of several African nations, and it may well go down to $20 a barrel when America unleashes its new energy policy under President-Elect Donald Trump. One look at the new Trump Administration lineup will quickly reveal Trump’s intentions.

Trump has pegged Rex Tillerson, Exxon Mobil CEO as Secretary of State. Tillerson knows where every barrel of oil is hidden in every well across the globe. The Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has stated that the US will unleash its oil technology to create more wealth and more jobs for the American people.

Who can forget the Tea Party’s mantra of yester years, “Drill, baby. Drill!” Coincidentally, Trump’s new Energy Secretary and former Texas governor, Rick Perry,  is a Tea Party stalworth.

America has already begun dismantling the barriers and regulations preventing drilling. Oil is on the verge of dropping to prices we have not seen in decades. At $10 per barrel, some African country will probably cease to exist.

So, then. What will happen to Africa?

One thing is clear. Don't look up to Trump for rescue. It’s back to the business of running America. No corrupt politicians in his administration. No lifelong politicians. Just great business minds.

So, good luck Africans.

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TO FISH- Don't just give them fish

Ade's fist catch. 

The Wilmot House Before

When  my son was six years old, I taught him how to fish.

When he caught his first fish, it was bigger than any fish I ever caught. That is life. We always want out children to go to greater heights than we have been. Now that my son is twenty years old, I am teaching him how to catch even bigger fish.


So far, he is on his third house rehab project. This is an opportunity that very few children get with their parents. Every time I look at my son, I just remember my dad's words to me since I was a little boy. "I will see you to where you have no fear of man" That meant, I will give you the support, the education, and the means to stand on your own once you become of age.

I think every father or mother owes it to their child, boy or girl, to see them through where they have no fear of man, except God.  Last week, at 8pm, I told my eleven year old daughter that we needed go to one of the properties I just bought. She did not understand why. So I explained it to her. I said, Pumpkin, (my pet name for my daughter Kemi) you have to know where the money comes from. I just got this house, the grass is all dry there, I need to water it at night so that the water can soak in the ground before the sun comes out the next day.

Therefore, it gives me great pleasure that I can bring my children into my world and prepare them for the future that goes beyond regular schooling. Yes, everyone needs an education, but being an entrepreneur is a skill and a passion that comes with some form of indoctrination. I learned it from my mom and dad.

The Wilmot House After

I remember when I had to wake up at 5am and walk with my dad to his business office while carrying his briefcase at age ten. I remember when I had to walk a few miles with my uncle every month when I was twelve to collect rent from my dad's tenants.

I remember those days I had to wake up at 5am every Saturday when I was only eight years old to follow my mom to the market to sell her goods. We usually catch two or three buses with heavy loads hauled between bus stations to get to the market. We usually don't get back home till 6 or 7pm at night.

That is 12 hours straight of me standing in front of my mom's stall trying to persuade everyone that passes by to buy my mom's  fabrics compared to the marketer in the next stall.

That is where I honed my entrepreneurial skills. It is now ingrained in me and I owe it to my children to give them the same skills.

Whether they use it or  not, does not matter. But I must give them the skill. What they do with it is left to them.

As parents, it's our duty to pass on to our children any skill that can help them survive and or thrive in the future.

So I am glad my son is very enthusiastic about my real estate business.

As to Pumpkin, she does not know yet. She said to me the other day, "I don't like the Wilmot house. I asked her why and she said, "it's only one story dad, if you buy a two story, you can sell it for more".  At least she is starting to relate in terms of space and volume. Two stories, twice as much money. Way to go Pumpkin. So now I am looking for a two story house so Pumpkin can run up and down and imagine twice the return.

My message here is that what ever you do, you should try to get you children involved or at least introduce them to how things work.

How they relate and what they can expect as they move into adulthood.

Pumpkin at the Wilmot House

I am proud of what my son has achieved in the last four months handling three real estate flips. Most veteran investors don't even get a chance to do a flip in their first three years, let alone three in four months.

For that I am grateful and thankful that I am fulfilling
my role as a dad. I hope every father or mother out there can do the same for their children. Here are some of the flips my son recently worked on.. Before and after...

Black Folks Need to Stop Blindly Voting Dum-o-crat and Put Trump In Office

Donald J. Trump

Black Folks Need to Stop Blindly Voting Dum-o-crat and Put Trump In Office

When will black folks stop kowtowing to the great and mighty Democratic Party? Every election, it’s the same thing: Droves of African Americans head to their respective polling places and sacrifice our futures on the altar of a party ticket. Democrat. Democrat. Democrat. Democrat. All the way down the line.

Occasionally, you may stop to read the names when two Dems are vying for a single category and you have to remember, of the two who showed up at your church to “worship” which one you liked more.  But other than that... Democrat. Democrat. Democrat.

Today, I pose to you the question I ask every four years: For all of our loyalty and undying allegiance, what is it that the Democrats have actually done for the black community, let alone for America?

Now, if you happen to be a member of the LGBT community, I can understand why you may be voting Democrat this election. I think we can all run down a pretty impressive list of what Obama did for the gay community. In fact,  The Human Rights Campaign has a fantastic download available that outlines what the Obama Administration has done specifically for the LGBT community year-by-year since he took office.  Here are a few of the more memorable Obama wins for the LGBT community:

●     Repealed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (which was instituted by Bill Clinton’s Administration in the 1990s, by the way)

●     Nominated and/or appointed a talented list of officials who are openly gay, openly transgender, or otherwise recognized members of the LGBT community.

●     Instituted laws that allow same-sex couples to legally take advantage employment and federal benefits such as survivor benefits, long-term care insurance and time off for Family and Medical Leave Act

●     Legalize same-sex marriage nationwide

Heck, the president even took a trip to Kenya during which he attempted to persuade the Kenyan president to do more to protect gay Kenyans. And who can forget the rainbow White House? The Dems certainly seem to push adamantly for the LGBT community.

I’d also like to point out that if you happen to be Syrian or Afghan, you may also feel a certain appreciation for Obama and the Dems. Afterall, he spent billions of our tax dollars to prevent Syrian President Assad and the Taliban from killing their own people. The president sent US soldiers into Syria after saying he wouldn’t. So, we can easily celebrate Obama’s commitment to Syria.

But what about African Americans?

The Trouble with Letting Well-Enough Alone

The Washington Post reports that since 1972, 85% of black voters have voted Democrat in presidential elections. The problem here is I think most of us would be hard-pressed to run down a similar list of changes the Democrats have  made over the last decade or so that have so positively and directly impacted the black community like the ongoing and persistent changes made to help the LGBT community.

Why is that? Without being able to readily identify what the Democrats have done for us, why are 85% of black Americans consistently voting Democrat?

I can only guess that black folks are patiently waiting their turn (as many have been conditioned to do), anticipating change in the sweet by-and-by.  Well, I’ve got news for you: Change ain’t coming. Not through a Democrat.

Forgive me if I sound irreverent, but no reverence is due here. Thank you for Obamacare and thanks for helping the country to get back on its feet (or knees, depending on where you happen to live) after the financial crisis. While Wall Street has been steadily rebounding, Main Street is still hurting. And the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevards of this nation are still in a downward spiral.

So, I want to provoke black voters to think and seriously weigh the consequences of voting Democrat this election. There are always consequences when electing a new leader. As you head to the polls, consider these points:

●     If we have billions available to fight ISIS, we at least had millions that could have been used to calm the violence that has plagued Chicago over the past eight years. Between 2005 and 2015 a total of 71 Americans were killed in terrorist attacks on U.S. soil while 301,797 were killed by gun violence during the same period.

●     If there was a bailout for big banks (who are still dabbling in subprime loans, only now the lending is for auto loans), there damn sure was money to create tax incentives to compel businesses to invest in inner cities and employ blacks, therefore strengthening urban communities, curbing unemployment, and reducing crime. But time and again in predominantly black cities like Detroit, and Washington DC, blacks are systematically moved out of the city and young whites are recruited to move in to “revitalize” the area

●     If the Obama Administration can sit down with members of the LGBT community to organize a strategy to fight for equality in the LGBT community, how is it acceptable for Hillary Clinton to dismiss Black Lives Matter by telling them they need to be more strategic, offer no practical assistance, then turn around months later and want to leverage the Black Lives Matter movement (and by leverage I mean mentioning the movement in public speeches and smiling for photo ops) to court the black vote?

●     And where were the Democrats when Flint’s water system was being poisoned for years? Where are they now? Every child in Flint who drank that water had lead-contaminated blood. Every single child. Obama’s pep talk to Flint residents in May of this year and his symbolic drinking of the filthy water doesn’t compare to the years and years of contamination residents have had to endure. That’s not help!

I will admit Obama has used his executive powers to commute the sentences of hundreds of nonviolent prisoners who received overly harsh penalties or who were jailed under outdated laws that no longer exist. But many of the thousands of African American men and women who still remain in prison after already serving years and even decades for nonviolent drug offenses are there because of the Clinton Administration, and you better believe Hillary had her say.

Former Federal Judge Nancy Gertner

To quote Former Federal Judge Nancy Gertner, "We as a society destroyed the lives of a generation of Black folks by the draconian drug and minimum mandatory laws we enacted in the nineties,” she said. “It eliminated a generation of African American men, covered our racism in ostensibly neutral guidelines and mandatory minimums… and created an inter-generational problem…”

I hope she dropped the mic after her speech.

In a justice system that’s already broken and far more likely to disproportionately punish blacks more severely, Clinton’s decision to make the drug penalties stiffer could hardly be considered a win for African Americans. Thousands were imprisoned and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 that Clinton signed into existence prevented prison inmates from using grant money to earn a college degree to help re-integrate them into society.

Now weigh the hundreds freed decades later by one Democrat against the thousands still incarcerated at the hands of another Democrat.

After 44 years of voting Democrat, let me remind you of what we have to show for it:

●     Black unemployment rates top 11%

●         Black youth unemployment rate swings between 25-50%

●     Black homeownership rate is 45% versus 70% for whites

●     Black household wealth $6,446 vs $91,405 for Whites

●     Black median household income $35,416, versus the median household income for whites, which is $59,754

●     Black poverty rate is one in four , while fewer than one in 10 whites live in poverty

Source: CNN Money

In a previous post, I asked Americans to truly ponder whether the president can use his office to solve some of the above problems that plague African Americans. Today, I’m asking you to ponder what the Democratic Party as a whole has done to effect positive change in the African American community in the last 50 years.

The NAACP organized a network of national boycotts that directly led to the elimination of institutionalized segregation. The Black Panthers fed families and provided supplies for poor mothers on a local, grassroots level. The government adopted that program and now calls it WIC.  What have the Dems done for African Americans? For America?

What Say You?

In another 12 weeks, we will elect a new president, quite possibly doing the same things we’ve always done but hoping for a new outcome. Insanity. I imagine no political relationship makes this statement ring truer than the love affair black people have with the Democratic Party.

Some would say it’s better to deal with a devil you know than one you don’t know. That is called passivity. And it’s counter-productive. We know the outcome of electing another Democrat to office is going to be little to no change. In spite of the fact that experts are bracing for another financial crisis, many voters truck on as if what has happened yesterday is what will be tomorrow. Not so.

Every presidential candidate makes promises; some the new president will keep, some he will not. But one thing all of us have to remember in this tumultuous time in America where the media is intentionally broadcasting controversies and atrocities in order to provoke (and perhaps distract) masses of Americans:

No American president is all-powerful. That’s not how we run our government.

As much as you may love Obama, you saw time and again that his policies were halted when he couldn’t get them through the Senate. Heck, we’re still waiting on a ninth supreme court justice to replace Justice Scalia, who died in February 2016.

The media tries to make Donald Trump out to be the most ignorant, self-interested bigot in the world. But if he wins, he will still have his administration advising him, his party calling the shots, and Congress with which to contend.

In short, forget about the wall. Forget about testing Muslims and barring them from the country. Forget about the other shenanigans Trump has said just to stay on your TV screen during every single 30-minute news cycle. Vote the party that will keep America the land of opportunity it has been for the past 150 years.

Vote for the party that will create jobs, tighten our fiscal belt (so we stay off the fiscal cliff), reduce taxes, and help grow our economy.

I believe that party is the Republican Party. What say you?

Toyin Dawodu, former Republican, free-thinking Independent  (Reprints permission generously granted)