Africa's known mineral wealth places it among the world's richest continents, yet Africa is cursed by poverty. The last country in Africa to gain independence from Britain was Rhodesia, which became Zimbabwe in 1980. Before then, Rhodesia was known as the "breadbasket of Africa"-'tickle the earth and she laughs up a harvest'. Now, Zimbabwe is unable to feed itself, let alone any other country in Africa.

The novel, Scatterlings of Africa by Peter Davies is set during a terrorist war that led to Rhodesia becoming Zimbabwe.