Idiahi moves to promote excellence in governance, launches ‘African Future Leadership’
In order to promote excellence in leadership and enhance Africa’s leadership capacity and capabilities, a Lagos-based entrepreneur, Mark Isimenmen Idiahi, has launched a new magazine tagged, ‘African Future Leadership’.
Speaking at the media launch of the magazine, Idiahi, who is the publisher, affirmed that the magazine would help retell African stories, and beam lights on Africa’s unequal potential.
According to him, the vision of the publication is to be the undisputed medium on the continent’s leadership realities and growth, which are paramount.
He expressed dismay over the way Africa has been described as a dark continent. “Over the years, the African continent has been described as a dark continent and nothing could be more wrong.
“We are committed to retell our own story, beam lights on Africa’s unequaled potential,’’ he said.
Recalling his childhood dreams as a creative mind where he fantasised about birthing a unique medium of expression that will reshape the perception about Africa, he said: “Back then, I was fanatically obsessed with the workings of a media house. I read newspapers, listened to news programmes on the radio and watched the news on television with so much admiration for players in the industry.
“They were indeed my role models because they commanded the respect of everyone. However,
I had no idea where this obsession with the media would lead me to.
“As the continent of Africa battles for global relevance and economic meltdowns in history, access to the internet in Nigeria has coincidentally improved and everyone is hungry for reliable and trusted news. “We saw a gap in the African media market, and knew it was the best time for us to bring this dream to fruition.”
On his part, Cletus George, chairman of the editorial board of the publication, described the magazine as a platform to retell the African experience and the African story in the perspective of Africans.
“Our story so far in published books of education and so on, have been by Europeans, and of course, they would put their own interests before your own story. They would downplay your importance and lift up their own cultural personality over yours through whatever they produce,” he said.
While labeling AFLM as a timely intervention in the African space, he expressed hope that the society and media would assist to make it a contribution towards re-addressing the historical significance of the African person.
Also speaking at the launch, Jim Rex-lawson, the editor-in-chief of the magazine, defined leadership as the sole problem facing Africans.
He opposed the general held belief that Africa is the dark continent of the world adding, “Black man has ruled America. I do not believe that Africa is the dark continent of the world. From entertainment to sports, even in science and education, we have Africans breaking records. So, why would they tell me that something is wrong with the black man”.
Also, Mohammed Ohis Eroje, editor of the magazine, saw the new monthly publication as a mouthpiece, which would herald good leadership in Africa.