Leadership in Africa has left it on its knees
IT IS once again the month of May and there are many preparations being made for the celebration of Africa Day.
I do not believe in or subscribe to the logic of having a specified day or month to celebrate Africa, but importantly, the present state of the socio-political and economic landscape of Africa leaves nothing to celebrate.
It still baffles me that there is notable hype surrounding this so-called Africa Day celebration, especially considering the state of decay in the continent. I am aware I sound negative, but this is how I feel about the continent which almost 1.3 billion people, including myself, call home.
There are several issues that we can highlight which indeed show there is nothing to celebrate today in Africa.
My focus is on the crisis of leadership and the weak institutions in most African countries. I am not saying that Africa has not made progress after the years of slavery and colonialism meted on the continent. Sure, good stories are coming out of African countries.
Botswana is a good case in point;it is a country that has used its diamond resources to develop itself and its citizens. Another good story coming from Africa is the way South Africa, and other African countries, have dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Let’s then talk about the issue of problematic leadership in Africa which has left the continent on its knees: today most African countries suffer from the problem of having inept and morally bankrupt leaders.
South Africa is currently still going through the state capture saga playing out at the Zondo Commission. The stories emerging from that commission, if true, point to a growing culture of corruption and sleaze that needs to be addressed if South Africa is to avoid becoming like other African countries ruined by corruption.
Nigeria, as a case in point, is battling systemic corruption which has eaten deep into the socio-political and economic fabric of the country. Its fight against corruption has become a losing battle with the current president, Muhammadu Buhari, obviously inept in dealing with the syndrome.
Nigeria’s case perhaps offers a basis for the analysis of the crisis of leadership and weak institutions in African countries.
Africa’s mostly ageing ruling class has failed African countries as a result of their power hunger, blatant ineptitude and lack of moral and political will to establish strong institutions.
On these, it will seem that some African politicians are yet to learn what democracy and respect for the will of the people are all about.
One interesting thing that emerges in the discussion of African leaders wanting to stay in office longer than they should is their rebuttal that democracy in Africa should not be seen as democracy as obtained elsewhere in the world – the US for instance, where a president has only two terms of four years each.
African politicians should learn to stay their time in office and leave when their time is up, handing over to successors.
Elections and the will of the people should be allowed to reign. African politicians must learn to respect the land and the people.
They do this by accepting when their time in office is up and leave peacefully.
They should learn to establish strong institutions which will help in stabilising true democracy and achieving proper development in African countries. Through these measures, we might perhaps have a true cause to celebrate Africa.