Afropolitan, an event and media company, has transitioned to a blockchain-based state of Africans on the continent and in the diaspora. Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan, believes the nation-state experiment has failed in Africa. According to him, the existing state structures have stifled the development of people on the continent. The co-founder of Afropolitan explains that the inspiration to build a network state comes from an article titled “How To Start a New Country,” written by former Coinbase chief technology officer Balaji Srinivasan, who has recently been in the news for a $2 million bet on Bitcoin reaching $1 million in 90 days. Another piece of literature that inspired the creation of Afropolitan is the first of the federalist papers, published by Alexander Hamilton.
According to Emole, the plan to build Afropolitan will occur in four phases: building a community, offering governance as a service, becoming a minimum viable state, and securing land for the real-life version of the state, featuring a Chinatown and an embassy.
Emole believes that another reason why Afropolitan is necessary is the lack of opportunities that exist for Africans. Emole explains that the issue is a two-part problem beginning from the point where most Africans are not in the rooms where major decisions are being made. Moreover, the lack of cross-industry communication prevents collaborations between Africans in a way that solves problems.
Elisha (GhCryptoGuy) and Emole also discuss the hurdles of creating a nation on the blockchain, the future of crypto in Africa, and Vitalik Buterin’s visit to the continent.
The concept of Afropolitan is not just a mere idea, but it is gradually turning into reality as the team behind the project is gradually bringing together people of African descent globally to come together and build a society based on the blockchain.
Afropolitan embodies the future of governance, commerce, and community. The blockchain has a proven track record of providing secure and transparent transactions. The decentralized nature of the blockchain negates the possibility of central authorities tampering with data, and thus provides the opportunity for verifiable elections and transparent governance.
The concept of a blockchain-based state is not new, but it remains a novel idea, and creating a new state from scratch is no easy feat. Therefore, the success of the Afropolitan project relies on a few key factors that need to be addressed for it to gain significant traction.
Firstly, the project needs to gain acceptance and support from the African people. The idea of a blockchain-based state is unique, and the majority of Africans are still apprehensive about blockchain technology. The project needs to convince the African people that blockchain is a valuable tool that can help them overcome their governance and economic problems.
Secondly, the project needs to gain support from the African governments. Governments in Africa have been known to be hostile towards blockchain and cryptocurrency, with some countries even banning the use of cryptocurrencies. Therefore, Afropolitan must make sure that it complies with the regulations of the countries it operates in to avoid any legalities or negative actions from the authorities.
Finally, the success of Afropolitan will depend on how well it can execute its plans. The project must follow through with its four-phase plan, and ensure that it meets each milestone before moving on to the next. The project must also ensure that it is transparent, accountable, and that the governance system provides equal opportunities for all Africans.
In conclusion, the concept of a blockchain-based state is novel but has the potential to revolutionize governance and commerce as we know it. The Afropolitan project is one such initiative, and it offers hope for Africans who have been left behind by traditional governance structures. However, for the project to be successful, it needs the support of the African people and governments, and it must execute its plans effectively.
