DISTORTED FATE?

I believe in fate. I also believe that the destiny of everyone is in his own hands. Like they say, man is his own architect. By fate here, I do not mean the predetermination of events by higher forces. By fate here, I mean the input/output or the action vis-a-vis the reaction of man's daily activities through his thoughts, words and physical actions.
For an individual, fate can be easily defined: that is why in the Delta region of Nigeria, we say '' a happy evening is the outcome of a planned morning''.
However, the definition of fate for a collective group of people or nation becomes a complex jigsaw puzzle when we try to look at it from the African perspective.

I have pondered endlessly and asked several 'whys' Africa is bedevilled with crisis upon crisis... Is it the collective fate of Aricans that have plunged the continent into an abysmal vicious misery? Or is it the fate of the so-called leaders?
How is the fate of a continent defined? Is the fate of a country tied to the individual fate of the sole leaders? Or is it anchored on the followers who choose such leaders? These are the questions that have confounded me over and over again.
Look at Nigeria for example, she has not had a leader who we can clearly call a leader in the true sense of the word. Rather, what we've had as leaders are mediocre(s).
People who have no clear vision of what it takes to lead. People who were persuaded by 'God knows who' to vie for office.

Is it fate that has placed Nigeria in this precarious limbo- that she is often governed by fools. Is fate not questionable that the rest of Nigerians should be saddled with people of moderate abilities as leaders in the midst of so many other intelligent men?
There is a saying '' the people beget the leader they deserve'' is this not a compressed vision of fate? If the people beget the leader(s) they deserve, why is this kind of 'fate' peculiar to Africans? Do Zimbabweans actually deserve Robert Mugabe ? Do Nigerians deserve the second coming of Obasanjo - and indeed Babagida coming back (as is being insinuated?)
Is there a place for 'fate' in the politics of the world? If there is, then the fate of Africans must have been woven by lucifer himself. Otherwise, how do we explain the turmoil in most African states since the colonial masters left the continent.

I once had the privilege of listening to a High School Debate on the topic: ''AFRICA HAS FARED BETTER SINCE THE COLONIAL MASTERS LEFT...''At the end of the day, those who proposed the motion won the debate. According to the impartial judges ''it is better to be free even though you poor, than be a slave in paradise'' Is Africa really free politically and economically. the answer is NO! Instead, Africans are now slaves in the hands of their callous leaders. In most cases , these so-called leaders have distorted fate which now ruboff on the followers and the country at large.
This why an individual can easily influence a whole nation. Most African leaders are jinxed. It is this bad luck which is heavily tie to their fate, that has weighed the continent down.