The cause of African countries' perennial low-income status and failure to achieve lasting social transformation has proven to be a consistently vexing puzzle. This dissertation was an exploration of a conceptual framework that addressed this important query. The framework was informed by existing literature, including works on the ideas of social learning theory, leadership as a social process, and choice and culture as the catalyst for change in society. The study explored the relationship between the lived experience of everyday Africans and the challenges of socio-economic development that impede social transformation in African countries through examination of the intersectionality between choice (personal control), culture (environmental sources of control), and socio-economic development (human accomplishments). A qualitative research paradigm and narrative inquiry and case study design was used to answer three research questions: (1) how do everyday Africans describe their lived experience in pursuit of socio-economic development; (2) how does choice (decision-making) and culture (environment) influence everyday Africans' ability to develop socio-economically; and (3) how does the lived experience of everyday Africans inform understanding about achieving social transformation? Obtaining answers to these questions required data collection from four adult males and females from the African countries of Ghana, Tanzania, South Africa, and Sierra Leone. Data collection included a qualitative questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, research documentation and field notes authored by the researcher. A thematic analysis of the data yielded findings that suggest the participants make meaning of their lives through storytelling; that choice and culture are instrumental in the socio-economic development process of the participants; and that the participants are largely disengaged from participation in the national life of their nation-states because of the confluence of choice and culture. Implications include the need to employ narrative inquiry as research design for better understanding of the conditions in African countries, a need for reorientation of the concept of leadership in our discourse, and the need for human capacity development and a reframing of our priorities for national development in African countries. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]