'Enough of the complaints, let’s contribute to the change we want to see' - M.anifest

Popular Ghanaian creative personality, Kwame Ametepee Tsikata known professionally as M.anifest has urged African citizens to contribute to the change they want to see in their communities.

“Africans Ghanaians, Ghanaians seem to always complain about the challenges they are facing but contribute little to solving these problems,” the musician said at Howard University in the United States of America.

According to him, many Africans, particularly those who live or have lived abroad, feel entitled and complain about almost everything while contributing nothing or very little to the improvement of lives in this part of the world.

“If you move to a place with colonial agenda you will be disappointed,…. there’s something about living in the west — when you come back to Africa, you start to have colonial gaze, the sense of entitlement, you are always upset with with everything [less development] — you have to check yourself, what have you contributed”

He said it is true that many African countries are underdeveloped and going through lots of challenges, but instead of always complaining and throwing more light on the problems, citizens should rather focus on what they can contribute to improve lives and change the narrative.

The prolific rap artist believes that Africa can only be a better place if there is togetherness with ideas and investment to ensure that an enabling environment is created for black people to feel comfortable in their respective countries.

He gave a scenario of the change he has seen in Ghana since he returned from the United States over a decade ago.

“When i came to Ghana, there were a lot of younger people who went to school overseas, and anytime we wished to see or have something, one of us would make it happen—from festivals, big restaurants, etc., so it has been incredible what has been built within the past decade—both culturally and physically. “That’s the possibility I am talking about,” he said.

He therefore urged young Africans to focus on the contributions they can make towards making tomorrow better—those are the legacies they leave behind.