THIS COULD HAVE BEEN ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S LETTER TO AFRICA.

abraham lincolnDear Africa,

My dear Africa, you need to start a new journey towards independence, infrastructural development and economic growth. It is all going to be strange and new to you for a while and I wish you sail through successfully. It is an adventure that might take years; all adventures that probably include wars, tragedy and sorrows. To sail through this journey will require faith, love and courage.

So dear Africa, will you please take your leaders’ hands and teach them things they need to know, teaching them –but gently, if you can. Teach them that for every enemy, there is a friend. Teach your people that all men are not just, that all men are not true. But teach them also that for every scoundrel there is a hero, that for every crooked politician, there is a dedicated leader.

Teach your children, people and leaders if you can that 10 cents earned is of a far more value than a dollar found. In schools, teach your pupils and students that it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat. Teach you people; leaders, youth, the young, the old, women and men, how to gracefully loose, and enjoy winning when they do win.

Teach your people to be gentle with other people, tough with the tough people. Steer them away from envy if you can and teach them the secret of quiet laughter. Teach them if you can-how to laugh when they are sad, teach them there is no shame in tears. Teach them there can be glory in failure and despair in success. Teach them to scoff at cynics.

Teach them my dear Africa if you can the wonders of books, but also give them time to ponder the extreme mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hill. Teach them to have faith in their own ideas, even if everyone tells them that they are wrong.

Try to give your people the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone else is doing so. Teach them to listen to everyone, but teach them also to filter all they hear on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through.

Teach your youth and scientists and researchers and entrepreneurs to sell their ideas. Let all the people sell their talents and brains to the highest bidder but never to put a price tag on their hearts and souls. Let them have the courage to be impatient, let them have patient to be brave. Teach them to have sublime faith in themselves, because then they will always have sublime faith in mankind and above all in God.

This is the order Africa but see what best you can do. You are a nice continent and a good partner. I believe you can do it, I know you can achieve it.

Yours Sincerely,

Abraham Lincoln

(This is the product of the original letter Abraham Lincoln wrote to his son’s teacher)

End

Geoffrey Ndege

Geoffrey Ndege

Geoffrey Ndege is the Editor and topical contributor for the Daily Focus. He writes in the areas of Science, Manufacturing, Technology, Innovation, Governance, Management and International Emerging Issues. For featuring, promotions or support, reach out to us at info@dailyfocus.co.ke
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