Globalization is the process of interaction and integration between people, companies and governments worldwide. The major causes of globalization are advances in transportation and communication technology. Globalization is driven by international trade, foreign investments (where individuals and companies expand and invest in foreign countries) and aided by information technology. Money, products, ideas and culture can be exchanged throughout the world through globalization.
While globalization has its advantages like increased profit, opening of Africa to the larger world, job creation, innovation, education, etc, it also comes with serious disadvantages to Africa which will be discussed below.
They include:
Exploitation
Dumping
Death of culture
Erasure of indigenous industries
Loss of jobs
Spread of infectious diseases
Environmental degradation
Exploitation
This occurs in two ways and is often seen together: exploitation of labour and exploitation of raw materials.
Exploitation of Labour:
As companies seek to expand to Africa and make profit while keeping costs of production low, one of the ways they achieve this is through reduced or cheap labour with cheap labour being the most preferred. Due to poor implementation of policies which protect labour and the high poverty rates in many African countries, you will find companies that make people work for hours on end in poor working conditions and measly pay all to meet up with demands and make money for themselves. There is also a growing trend made possible by increase in communication technology: outsourcing. Companies now outsource their work from all over the world to Africans at many times less than one-fifth the amount it should take to do such work.
Exploitation of resources:
Expansion of companies into Africa also leads to discovery and subsequently, exploitation of natural resources. The most glaring example of this would be Nigeria and the discovery of oil by Shell in Oloibiri, Bayelsa state. Shell has made billions of dollars from Nigeria but several documentaries show that these oil producing communities are the poorest, the resources are wasted through oil spillage, their water is ruined and no cleanup of the communities in sight. The most recent visit to Oloibiri by TVC Nigeria showed the poverty in that community and what oil spillage has done to them. This happened as a result of globalization.
Dumping
Most African countries are still developing which means there is heavy reliance on importation for many of their consumables. Through globalization, they can access some of these from other countries. The downside then is this: many countries now see Africa as a dumping ground. From edibles to electronics to cosmetics; to prevent loss of revenue to their economies where the products are either poorly made and not up to standards or they simply want to get rid of some products, Africa is their go to.
Death of Culture
This is especially important to us as Africans. Globalization opens up societies, it’s also involves exchange of culture and ideas. This exchange happens in music, language, values, eating habits and dressing. As can be seen today, African culture is gradually getting lost. We are picking up other countries’ culture and erasing ours. Our local languages are not spoken as much anymore because we speak mainly English. Our music is gradually being replaced by rap & hip-hop which frankly promotes nothing useful. The average rap song promotes drug use, premarital sex, violence and materialism which are a stark contrast to our indigenous music and our culture which promotes contentment and sharing of our resources, neighborly love, peace and chastity. Eating habits are also affected because African foods are healthy, organic and home cooked but the introduction of fast food through globalization now encourages consumption of unhealthy and fatty foods, quick eating and less family time. Dressing is of course also hit because our modest way of dressing is gradually being replaced by indecent fashion like skimpy dresses, sagging and even reduced use of our indigenous hairstyles to more expensive and garish hairstyles gotten through external influence.
Erasure of Indigenous Industries
Introduction of new industries and products into Africa threatens local companies and products. These foreign companies usually have more resources and a better marketing strategy which makes it easy to for them to gain ground quickly and subsequently, force local industries to fold. In some cases it could even lead to monopoly when other competitors close because they can’t compete with the foreigners.
Loss of Jobs
This would be a direct effect of local industries shutting down. Jobs will be lost as a result increasing unemployment. Another reason jobs are lost is that as these companies get bigger, they tilt towards more advanced means of production which would involve use of technology. Globalization is made possible through technological advancement and when technology is introduced in production, the need for human resources will be reduced. It is imperative to note that good technology in the production process can do the work of hundreds of people, which leads to loss of jobs.
Spread of Infectious Diseases
As individuals move from one place to another, they move about with whatever diseases they might have. Interaction with people will lead to the spread of the diseases. A prominent example is the introduction of Ebola into Nigeria by a Liberian man Patrick Sawyer. The disease quickly spread and if not for the intervention of the Lagos state government and the gallant Dr. Adadevoh (RIP), the whole country would have been in chaos. Due to travelling and the opening up of cities, some diseases which have been eradicated could resurface.
Environmental Degradation
Power in Africa is not yet stable and there is a global sized need for energy. While a green method of energy is advocated, it is not yet a reality. As individuals and companies come in, they have to generate power in one way or the other. The most used is generators which leads to pollution as a result of the gases produced. Also influx of people leads to increased population which further leads to increased use of cars, power generators which increases pollution which in turn affects the environment and the health of the people. Increased population also leads to increased waste, which if proper waste disposal is not practiced could lead to serious environmental implications. Also competition for space by individuals and companies leads to felling of trees to create space for use. All of these lead to environmental degradation and add up to global warming.
An Inevitable and Necessary “Evil”
Due to rapid technological advancement, globalization is inevitable as the goal is to make the world a digital village. The negative effects of globalization can be contained in Africa through improved leadership, adequate and effective implementation of labour protection laws, increased border patrols and measures put in place to regulate the activities of foreigners.
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