Africa; a continent abundantly gifted by nature, beautiful and resourceful with deep and thick history. Africa is said to be the cradle of humanity, besides, it is a generous and dear motherland to more than billion people.
A people; hard working, dependable with far reaching aspirations but who unfortunately are surrounded by excruciating levels of poverty and unending conflicts as if to suggest that there exists acute shortage of resources, aspiration and later on leadership on the continent. Surprisingly Africa has got all the required potential except that it lacks the right political leadership that is dependable, accountable and focused.
I have no doubt in my mind that leadership is a dominant culprit in as far as the African predicament of slow progress is concerned. Political leadership in most African countries has proved to be a nightmare of all times. The political leaders have failed miserably in the noble duty to organize and plan optimal use of the abundant resources available in their counties for the benefit of their people. This failure in itself should be bad enough to call for maximum indictment on part of the leaders and therefore put to question their credibility and caliber and probably raise the consciousness that things have got to change. Alas! This is not happening, it is business as usual and misery among the masses is increasing as much as the population figures.
For all intents and purposes, the concept of leadership is meant for the common good and for the sake of focused progress. Leadership in actual fact presupposes the notion of good leadership. Although, the reality in Africa has come to prove that bad leadership is leadership after all; provided that it is packaged in one crafty way or the other and as long as it can be forced on to the populace by any means. Many governments of the day are willing to go out of the way to suppress any popular discontent to maintain the status quo however unaccountable it may be. They will always sing the contemporary song of democracy although they are never willing to put the democratic lyrics in good practice, even when they try the process most likely will be manipulated and the genuine objective will not be achieved.
It should be such a SHAME, to the African elite who to a large extent are occupying most of the influential leadership positions in the many autonomous governments across the continent. Other than concentrate on solving the existing numerous problems they are busy solidifying them and creating more through selfish and manipulative tendencies.
Without necessarily pointing an accusing finger to any particular government, a mere mention of bad leadership will lead to the inevitable fact that almost every government on the continent will feel being touched in the eye, unfortunately most have lost the sense of responsibility and therefore cannot even feel the guilt. I know this would apply to many other leaders in governments across other continents but most especially in the so called ‘third world’.
Whereas it is true that there are many other factors responsible for slow progress on the African continent. It is only fair that each of these factors is diagnosed squarely and independently only then will it possible to administer the appropriate dosage and due attention. There is no doubt; Africa has full potential to progress faster economically and politically if the leaders choose to be honest and commit to enforce accountability through the echelons of government.
Time is now, for the African citizenry to reposition and stand on a high ground; look straight into the eyes of those who are entrusted with the responsibility of leadership and ask for accountability. The cobweb of political deceit which has thrived for long among leaders and those aspiring should be stopped. The complacency and hopelessness among the citizenry too should be overturned without delay.
It is not a crime to demand for better from leaders and later on to detest the bad practices of manipulation, corruption, oppression and bribery through which political and sectarian patronage networks are financed and maintained. The selfish attitude of ‘every man for himself and god for us all’ is simply not sustainable. The responsibility is ours and so is the choice to decide on whether we maintain the status quo or seek to overturn it and redeem our image as a people with ambition to succeed.
‘A luta continua’
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