The Watcher - in essence, success is in the eye of the beholder so just to widen the goalpoats a bit. Maybe the question should be what is your definition of success with the wider community or the African community in mind. How do all the individuals who make up that community attribute success to that community.

I come from that school called mug where my individual achievements don't mean much if my people can't enjoy it with me and me theirs and while Africa is under bondage. If it's about acadmeic achievement, money, holidays, house, car, the experience of 'husband/wife 'and child all resident under one roof i.e. family, then I've been very successful in the realisation and achievement of self defined goals....even if they turn out to be temporary.

Is the reality hat with no community wide defined goals, even personal success is less achievable when other people are involved in the equation..hence expressions like independant woman?