Renowned American TV host and Hollywood icon Steve Harvey has sparked global attention with his emphatic praise of Africa’s natural wealth and potential for complete self-reliance.
In a widely circulated post reposted by African Hub on X (formerly Twitter), Harvey noted: “Africa is the only continent that doesn’t have to import anything. They don’t need your oil, your gold, your food, or your cattle… because they have everything.”
Harvey’s remarks resonate strongly with a growing pan-African sentiments aimed at breaking the continent’s historical dependency on the West.
He called for Western nations to “let Africa be,” underscoring how external interference has stifled the continent’s ability to reach its full potential.
Africa’s inherent Wealth
Africa is home to over 30% of the world’s mineral resources, including vast reserves of gold, oil, diamonds, bauxite, cobalt, and rare earth elements, many of which are essential to modern technologies like smartphones and electric vehicles.
The continent also boasts some of the world’s largest tracts of arable land, expansive freshwater sources, and a youthful population poised to drive innovation and economic growth.
Despite these advantages, historical exploitation, colonial legacies, and ongoing neocolonial economic structures have prevented many African nations from fully benefiting from their own resources.
The conversation about Africa’s independence from foreign control is gaining renewed energy, especially as several leaders champion a more assertive and self-determined future for the continent.
Burkina Faso’s transitional President, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has emerged as a powerful symbol of this movement.
Since assuming office in 2022 at the age of just 34, Traoré has implemented sweeping reforms aimed at reclaiming national control over the country’s economy and infrastructure.
Burkina Faso has halted the export of raw minerals, prioritizing local processing and value addition, and have opted to pay off the foreign contractors, cutting ties with exploitative agreements.
Unlike before, childbirth is now free in public hospitals, a deeply personal policy for Traoré, who recounted how his mother nearly lost her life due to unaffordable delivery costs.
He has also banned colonial-era British-style barrister wigs, removed French colonial names from streets, and is pushing for African languages over French.
These actions, while controversial in Western capitals, have earned him widespread admiration across Africa, where many see him as a modern liberator fighting imperialism and neocolonialism.
“Together, in solidarity, we will defeat imperialism and neo-colonialism for a free, dignified and sovereign Africa,” Traoré declared in a national address on April 30, 2025.
Infrastructure and economic revitalization
Despite having just 3,642 km of paved roads as of 2022, 62 years after independence, Burkina Faso under Traoré has launched an ambitious plan to construct 5,000 km of roads annually. To support this, his administration procured 900 machines for local contractors, empowering domestic workers and industries.
In another major move, Traoré has invested in urban transportation, adding 115 brand-new buses to the public fleet. This initiative is part of a broader nationalization strategy to reduce transport costs, ensure passenger safety, and create sustainable jobs.
Harvey’s comments come at a time when several African leaders, both past and present, have called for continental unity and independence, from Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame to historical figures like the late Robert Mugabe, Col. Muammar Gaddafi, and Nelson Mandela.
In fact, President Yoweri Museveni and Kagame have also deliberately stopped the exportation of raw materials and minerals.
As African nations continue to grapple with foreign influence and internal challenges, a growing chorus of voices, both from within the continent and the diaspora, is insisting that the future of Africa must be determined by Africans themselves.
