In all African country today, we can see new leaders, new voices, new issues, new contestations for power and authority, new or reformed political parties, religious organizations, new developmental programmers and new vision for the future.

With such challenges, we are sure to successfully reposition our nations and cChurches for unity, peace, security, stability, growth, prosperity and development.

It's an open secret that nearly all the countries in Africa are under developed with many problems and challenges. The singles in Africa are entangled with numerous challenges confronting them day to day.

One of the major challenges confronting the singles in Africa today is unemployment/poverty. These two are often interwoven, one leading to or resulting in the other. The economic stagnation that characterized the early phase of democratization process in Africa is giving way to greater dynamism and vibrancy.

However, it has not been an easy journey for the singles to this point. Most government has adopted a variety of austerity measures to cope with their worsening economic situation.

These measures were highly unpopular and in many instances yielded no positive results. This cankerworm has eaten deep into the lives of many singles in Africa and has led many into prostitution, advanced free fraud (419) etc.

The high rates of unemployment have led most singles in our society to be in search of quick ways to make it in life. The male are mostly affected in this category while the female counter part has resolved to use what they have to get what they want.

Hence this has also led to the high rate of various venereal diseases and even the high percentage of AIDS in Africa . Further more, the society most especially the corporate world has made employment most difficult for the youths. Most employment are based on who you know and where it is not so, the organizations are not after what you know but the certificate you present thereby leaving a high percentage of our singles jobless. These are indeed great challenges facing African singles.

It is a general belief among many African countries that singles are only to be seen and not heard. Singles have no voice and it is quiet unfortunate that many singles are not given sensitive positions in corporate organization, religious setting, political offices, even in the family circle. The way the African society sees and look upon the singles is appalling.

Many affirm that until you are married you are not responsible, forgetting that it is only a responsible single that can metamorphose in to a responsible married man or woman.

In most organizations be it profitable organizations or non profitable organizations like the church, the singles are given limited powers and is generally believed that you have to be married before you can rise to certain positions assuming that as a single one has not got the experience that it takes. Even in the church, is believed that a pastor has not really started his ministry until he is married.

People believe that it when you are able to manage a home that is when you have experience to manage an organisation forgetting that it wasn't all the apostles of Jesus Christ that where married and even Jesus himself was not married. Read the whole of 1Corithians 7 which says it is better for one to remain single. And Eccl 12: 1 further confirms that in the days of one youth one stands a better chance of being more active for Christ and also in other areas of life because there are no family commitment and distraction that comes along with marriage.

In the western world this concept does not hold, therefore there is the need for African singles and Africans in their entirety to change their perception that being married automatically means you are responsible.

We must acknowledge another major challenges' facing our society today is corruption. Corruption has eaten deep into the soul of the continent and the singles are the majorly affected.

In the midst of plenty our people are impoverished hence the scramble for crumbs. Those at the corridor of power in the African society are less concerned about the welfare of the people who elected them there.

Once chosen, their authority cannot be challenged anymore rather everybody believe they have to lobby to get a bit of the action. Where does this leave the youth who are up coming? Hence the reason why undergraduates, fresh graduates today are deep rooted in corruption too. It is sad to find graduates being involved in criminal acts such as robbery, 419, defrauding etc.

 

This does not stem from the singles but from the top and instead of the society to address this issue, the blame is heaved on the singles in the society tagging them as irresponsible. Permit me to say at this junction that we all are responsible for corruption in our society. From the government to the common man on the street who is ready to give bribe so as to have what he wants.

Therefore it is not a problem of being single but a phenomenon that permeates in our society that needs to be flushed out. Not by blaming it on a particular age group in the society.

Lack of vision and innovation. Vision is the picture of the future you see ahead of you. Majority of the singles in Africa are living with inferiority complex due to their marital status. Most singles believe that since the society does not see them as being responsible due to their status there is no need for them to worry about tomorrow forgetting that you need not be married before you are ignited and living with vision.

There is the need for the society to stop striping the singles of their self-confidence. Any society without youth does not have a future. Therefore more trust and confidence and encouragement need to be given to African singles so as to bring out the best in them. There is the need for Africa to emulate the Western world by believing more in their youth and giving them the chance to perform so as to bring out the best in them instead of stripping them of their self-confidence.

Just as the singles need to realize that they need to dream higher and reach for the top not allowing societal belief to rob them of their vision so also the society needs to realize that the country, continent stand to gain at the long run if their singles, youths are well motivated.

The singles, Africans need to know that vision can take you anywhere; no wonder the bible says, "Where there is no vision my people perish".

In the religious circle, a major challenge facing singles is sin. I have to say here that sin makes one to succeed in nothing. Little wonder why most singles live for today not bothering about tomorrow. Most single Christians are finding it difficult day by day to remain chaste. A major reason is the decadence world of mankind we find ourselves.

The African culture is gradually being eroded to be replaced by the western culture where much attention is not paid to decency and discipline. Gradually the western culture is being infiltrated in to our culture and our singles and youth are not sieving the shaft from the grain but are swallowing everything the Western world throws at them. A major one is our dress style.

Today it is sad to see that most of our ladies dress half nude all in the name of fashion. This sexual harassment as I see it has made a lot of our single men not to hold on to their chastity. It is sad to note that this has even filtrated in to our cChurches. Gone are the days when an African woman will not be seen wearing a man's garment to the church and even outside the church once they have confessed Christ. But today the reverse is the case. Ladies dress flamboyantly and sexily to church that the men are highly tempted.

The sexy musical videos that permeate our television stations give innuendo to the "art" both in lyrics and dancing steps enticing our singles and youths to actual performance of the sexual art.

In all areas and sphere of life the African singles are not being given a fare chance to operate in all the spheres of life. This has made it very challenging indeed for them to meet up in terms of achievement, goals, vision in life of their counterpart in the Western World.

Also our singles are made to believe that being single up to a certain age means there is a super natural power responsible for it. Hence the reason why the church organizes prayer programmes and seminars for singles and in the family circle parents and other members begin to tag a single who is of age the black sheep of the family when they consider him or her to be taking too long in bringing a spouse.

Many times divination and spiritual help is sort by family members on the person's behalf most especially when the parents are not Christians.

In conclusion, African singles needs to wake up and face these challenges confronting them. As a single man or lady, do not let your present status choke your dreams and aspiration in life.

With God on your side, even the sky is not the limit. Remember always that regret will make you look backward, worry will you look around but faith will make you look up to God at all times.