Liberian ambassador discusses the past, present and future of Africa

Africa has come a long way, Liberian Ambassador to the U.S. Milton Nathaniel Barnes said in a lecture yesterday, but still has a long way to go.

Barnes spoke yesterday in McKeldin Library to more than 30 students and faculty members about how a new “African Renaissance” is emerging, in which many African heads of state are now elected to public office democratically and rule out the duration of their terms before stepping down amicably.

“We have turned the corner,” Barnes said. “Things have begun to change.”

Change, he said, can be seen in the way more African nations deal with aid from donor countries. The region’s collective mentality has shifted from, “It’s your money, tell us how you want to spend it” to “It’s our money, this is how we want to spend it,” according to Barnes.

However, African nations still need to deal with corruption, which Barnes called “the most divisive factor on the continent of Africa.”

The solution, he said, is courage.

“It takes radical solutions, courageous solutions, out-of-the-box solutions in order to pull ourselves out of the ground,” Barnes said.

The students who attended the lecture mostly did so of their own accord because they were interested in hearing about the region from Barnes’ perspective, they said.

Senior sociology major Nosizwe Moyo, the former vice president of the African Student Association, said Barnes’ perspective was very intriguing.

“I am always interested in the development issues in Africa,” Moyo said.

Freshman government and politics major Molly Brune attended the ambassador’s lecture because of her interest in international relations, especially in Liberia.

“I really liked how [the lecture] was so positive,” Brune said. “[Barnes] was so enthusiastic about what has improved.”

The Barnes’ lecture is one of many in accordance with the Ambassadorial Lecture Series organized by Lucie Covey, coordinator of conferences and international visitors for the Office of International Programs.

“It’s time we have started emphasizing Africa’s place in the world,” Covey said. “And his lecture puts it in a context that makes it personally engaging.”

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