The Ruin Of A Nation Begins In The Home Of Its People

BY DEAN N ONYAMBU

Beneath the vast skies of Africa lies a land rich with promise. Its soil holds the potential for abundance, but its fate rests in the hands of those who nurture or neglect it. Progress does not arrive by chance; it emerges from within, shaped by its people’s choices, values, and actions. While partnerships may water the soil, they yield the best results when rooted in the realities of the land and nurtured by those who call it home.

In a vast and bountiful savannah, six animals lived—each reflecting truths about the soil they shared. Like all ruins, the ruin of their homeland began in the homes of its creatures. The greatest threat to the savannah was not external but the creatures’ unwillingness to confront their own reflection and embrace the changes needed to thrive.

The Eagle soared high above the savannah, perched on distant cliffs. From his lofty height, he condemned the lion who ruled the land he had left behind. He called the lion’s leadership flawed, even as others saw the pride of lions growing stronger. Yet, when another pride of lions in a faraway land faced the same struggles—strength on the surface but weakness within—the Eagle sang their praises. “You cannot climb a tree from the top,” the ancestors would say. But the Eagle, detached from the soil, believed he could judge both trees and roots from the sky, blind to the complexities below. His arrogance symbolized the danger of critique without connection and judgment without understanding.

The Peacock strutted in the heart of the savannah, dazzling in his plumes of privilege. He lived on the riches of the soil but ignored the lesser creatures—the Antelope, the Hare, and the Warthog—who struggled to find enough to eat. He basked in his beauty, convinced that his comfort absolved him of responsibility. “The house of a loud talker leaks,” says the proverb. Without compassion, privilege becomes hollow. Yet, privilege must not be condemned outright. Like rain, it can nourish the soil when channelled thoughtfully, but left unchecked, it pools in places, leaving the rest of the land parched.

The Chameleon lived among the creatures of the savannah but borrowed his colours from distant lands. He believed these borrowed hues made him superior. He claimed liberation, but the creatures around him saw his arrogance and knew he was blind to the soil beneath his feet. “A man who uses a borrowed axe will not cut deep,” the elders warned. The Chameleon’s shifting colours revealed the cost of forsaking local knowledge and identity for shallow imitations. Yet, the chameleon’s adaptability could be a gift if it embraced the hues of the land—adjusting but never forgetting its roots.

The Parrot perched on the savannah’s edge, never flying far. He mimicked the songs of the distant cliffs, convinced that every problem of the savannah was of its own making and that every solution must come from beyond. “Even the best cooking pot will not produce food,” the creatures would say. The Parrot’s mimicry reflected dependency—a failure to think independently or innovate within the realities of the land. His voice, though loud, lacked the authenticity the soil demanded. The parrot’s mimicry need not be a curse, for partnerships and foreign wisdom can inspire, but only if they harmonize with the rhythms of the soil they serve.

The Herd, vast and unyielding, trampled the soil with thoughtless repetition. It moved in circles, following the same paths year after year. The Herd clung to its old ways, choosing leaders not by wisdom or promise but by tradition, fear, and familiarity. “If the cattle do not listen, they will follow the path to slaughter.” Their resistance to change exposed the cultural inertia that kept the savannah bound to cycles of stagnation and decline. Yet, the strength of the herd lay in its unity—a force that, with vision and purpose, could plough new paths and restore the soil.

The Old Elephant, mighty but weary, clung to his place at the head of the herd. He remembered the glories of his youth but could no longer carry the weight of progress. Yet, he refused to step aside, blocking the younger, stronger creatures from rising. “The forest cannot renew itself if the old tree refuses to fall,” the ancestors said. His stubbornness symbolized the cost of resisting generational change and renewal. But even the oldest tree, when it falls with grace, nourishes the earth, making way for a forest to flourish anew.

The lessons of the savannah reveal that no external force can replace the transformation that begins within. The savannah’s ruin grew in the shadow of these creatures. They ignored the soil’s cries, the wind’s whispers, and the ancestors’ wisdom. The ruin of the savannah began not on distant cliffs, nor in dazzling feathers, nor in shifting hues, nor in foreign songs—it began in the hearts and minds of its creatures. No external threat posed a greater danger than the internal failure to confront stagnation, apathy, and fear.

The animals of the savannah reflect the choices of leaders, communities, and nations, where every action shapes the soil’s future. Their stories remind us that Africa’s path forward will not be built on imitation or critique alone but on the courage to innovate and embrace solutions grounded in the realities of the land. Dependency, whether on foreign ideas or outdated traditions, stifles progress, while self-awareness and unity light the path to transformation.

Africa’s renewal depends on values, self-awareness, and courage—a transformation that empowers future generations while honouring the wisdom of the past. “Nosce te ipsum,” the ancients remind us—know thyself. “When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot harm you.” Progress will not rise from the Eagle’s height, the Peacock’s pride, the Chameleon’s colours, the Parrot’s mimicry, the Herd’s repetition, or the Old Elephant’s stubbornness. It will rise when the creatures of the savannah embrace unity, self-awareness, and the courage to transform their ways of thinking: “When spiders unite, they can tie up a lion.” The revolution of a nation begins in the home of its people. And so does its salvation.

Dean N Onyambu is the Founder and Chief Editor of Canary Compass, a co-author of Unlocking African Prosperity, and the Executive Head of Treasury and Trading at Opportunik Global Fund (OGF), a CIMA-licensed fund for Africans and diasporans (Opportunik). Passion and mentorship have fueled his 15-year journey in financial markets. He is a proud former VP of ACI Zambia FMA (@ACIZambiaFMA) and founder of mentorship programs that have shaped and continue to shape 63 financial pros and counting! When he is not knee-deep in charts, he is all about rugby. His motto is exceeding limits, abounding in opportunities, and achieving greatness. #ExceedAboundAchieve

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