A plethora of strategies and initiatives have been proposed to address the development deficits in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, the resulting analyses have failed to converge on the actual causes of these shortfalls and to identify optimum solutions. As a result, disparities between the rich and poor have widened. According to scholarly works on development practice, journal and newspaper articles, as well as primary sources, part of the problem lies with the elite groups that are involved in the task of spearheading development. This article discusses some elements of the classic elite theory and the structural– functional theory of stratification, and suggests that a more robust role for communication has enabled stakeholders to participate in agenda-setting for development, subsequently ushering in a new class.
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