As Africa navigates its development journey, the question lingers: should the continent emulate the Western model of industrialization; follow the Eastern model pioneered by the Asian Tigers (Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan), or carve out a path that is uniquely African?
Joseph Nyasani, in Philosophy of Development: An African Perspective, argued compellingly for the latter. Nyasani believed that Africa’s rich cultural heritage, its historical context, and its socio-economic realities demanded a distinct approach. While the successes of West and East offered lessons, Africa’s development must address its own internal challenges and capitalize on its own strengths. It must forge a path that reflected its unique identity and aspirations.
Historical Baggage and the Case Against Imitation
Africa’s colonial legacy presents a profound obstacle to any mimicking of the Western model. Unlike Western nations, which built their economic systems through centuries of self-directed growth and resource accumulation, Africa was subjected to exploitation, resource extraction, and systems designed to serve foreign interests. This historical disruption left African nations grappling with fractured institutions and economies ill-equipped for self-sustained growth.
Similarly, the Eastern model, exemplified by the Asian Tigers’ rapid industrialization, arose from unique conditions — strong central governance, cultural homogeneity, and significant geopolitical investment during the Cold War.
Africa, with its diverse cultures and histories, cannot assume that replicating these conditions will lead to comparable results. Moreover, the state-led industrialization of the Asian Tigers often came at the cost of human rights and environmental degradation, lessons Africa cannot afford to ignore.
Nyasani’s critique of external models highlights an essential truth: Africa’s development must begin with healing the wounds of colonialism, building institutions that serve its people, and avoiding the pitfalls of external dependency.
Progress cannot be about catching up with the metrics of others but about crafting systems that address the continent’s own history and challenges.
Corruption and Negative Ethnicity
While Africa’s potential is vast, internal barriers such as corruption and negative ethnicity pose significant hurdles.
Corruption drains public resources, erodes trust in institutions, and perpetuates inequality. It creates a development paradox where nations rich in natural resources struggle with poverty due to mismanagement and self-serving leadership.
Negative ethnicity, on the other hand, fosters division, undermining the collective spirit Nyasani identified as a cornerstone of African culture.
These issues are not insurmountable, but they demand intentional effort to overcome. Nyasani’s philosophy emphasizes the need for development rooted in values such as integrity, accountability, and communal unity.
Addressing corruption requires robust institutions, transparent systems, and a shift in societal attitudes toward public service.
Confronting negative ethnicity calls for leadership that prioritizes unity and equity, and rejects divisive politics in favour of inclusive governance.
Without tackling these internal barriers, even the most well-intentioned development strategies risk being derailed.
Cultural Values as a Guiding Compass
Both the Western and Eastern models celebrate individualism and competition, albeit in different ways. The West prizes personal wealth and autonomy, while the East emphasizes disciplined, state-driven growth. Neither fully aligns with Africa’s cultural ethos, which often values community, mutual support, and collective well-being.
Nyasani’s insistence on grounding development in African values offers a compelling alternative. For instance, Africa’s communal approach can inspire economic models that prioritize shared prosperity over individual gain. Policies supporting cooperatives, community-driven healthcare, and local education initiatives can foster growth that uplifts entire communities.
The Asian Tigers’ success in leveraging cultural identity for economic progress serves as an important lesson: Africa’s development should similarly reflect its diverse cultural heritage rather than eroding it in the name of modernization.
Sustainability and the African Advantage
Both the Western and Eastern paths to industrialization came at significant environmental costs. From the environmental degradation of the West’s industrial revolution to the pollution-driven growth of the Asian Tigers, these models prioritized economic expansion over ecological preservation. Africa has the opportunity to learn from these mistakes.
Nyasani’s emphasis on sustainability aligns with traditional African practices that respect nature and prioritize balance. For example, indigenous agricultural methods often nurture ecosystems rather than depleting them. By integrating modern technology with these practices, Africa can champion a development model that protects its natural resources while fostering economic growth.
Renewable energy, eco-tourism, and conservation-focused industries present opportunities to align economic progress with environmental stewardship. In this way, Africa can redefine progress, emphasizing harmony with nature as an integral part of development.
A Balanced Path: Learning Without Imitation
While Africa can and should learn from the successes of the West and East, it must adapt these lessons to its own realities.
From the West, Africa can embrace advancements in healthcare, education, and technology, but without adopting the unchecked capitalism that widens inequalities.
From the East, Africa can take inspiration from the Asian Tigers’ focus on education, infrastructure, and disciplined governance, but without replicating the authoritarianism that stifles individual freedoms.
Ultimately, Nyasani’s vision is a call for introspection. Africa’s development must be rooted in its own strengths, values, and aspirations. Addressing internal challenges like corruption and ethnic division is as vital as learning from external successes.
The path forward requires balance — adapting useful ideas from others while rejecting those that do not serve Africa’s unique context.
A Distinctly African Future
For Africa, development is not a race to replicate the West or the East. It is an opportunity to define progress on its own terms.
This means rejecting the simplistic notion of “catching up” and instead focusing on creating systems that prioritize equity, sustainability, and cultural identity. The continent’s diversity is both its strength and its challenge, demanding solutions that are as varied as its people.
Nyasani’s philosophy challenges us to rethink what progress means. Africa’s success will not be measured by its ability to mirror others but by its ability to lead with authenticity and purpose.
By addressing internal barriers, learning selectively from external models, and embracing its cultural values, Africa can craft a development path that uplifts its people, honours its heritage, and safeguards its future.
The question is not whether Africa should follow the West or East, but how it can lead the world in creating a model of development that is ethical, inclusive, and uniquely African.
By Kevin Matundura Ong ́era