By Olakunle Agboola – Last night I began to think of the way forward for Africa. The reality of problems faced by Africans dawned on me, as I began to ask myself, if there could be a probable solution. Africa is facing myriads of problems that require to be tackled by strong and selfless leaders. However, when I look around for such leaders, a novel by the Ghanaian writer, Ayi Kwei Armah, “The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born” always comes to mind.
The book was published in 1968 by Houghton Mifflin, and then republished in the influential Heinemann African Writers Series in 1969. I have wondered with the phrase, context and dynamic relationship of this popular novel with the problem of leadership in Africa.
The problem facing Africa is also a reflection of a play I published in my final year in the University, titled, “The Struggle”. This metaphorical story analyses the state of Africa and what needs to be done to lure Africa into a home of development. The play focuses on how individuals can fight with their intellect, education, talents, ideas, potentials and faith as it extrudes poor leadership and corruption as major problems confronting Africa.
I once asked Professor Olutayo Adesina, a senior brother to Femi Adesina, the media aide to Nigeria’s President Buhari, when will Africa catch up with the rest of the world? He laughed and said, “Olakunle, your question is not far-fetched, but the day Africans wake up to be their own heroes, that is the day Africa will be liberated.
We can’t eat our cake and still have it at the same time. We must learn to be the hero of our own story if we really want the Africa, we can be proud of. Do you know how America got to where they are today, not to talk of China that is ready to take world power from America? This is the reality, in Japan, a corrupt person kills himself and in China, he must be killed. But, when it comes to Africa, a corrupt leader will present himself for the next election. How can we move forward celebrating corrupt practices in Africa? Let this be a thought we must ruminate on.”
The thought of corrupt practices in Africa broadened my thought muscles as I began searching for Africa past heroes and what inspired them to make a distinctive impact. Could they be characterized by zero tolerance to corruption with the number of years spent in the office? History won’t forget the likes of Nelson Mandela, Nkuruma, Zik, Nyerere and Awolowo who against all odds wore their best shoes to make significant contributions to the development of Africa. Could history repeat itself to find such individuals or leaders in this generation?
Ambassador Farounbi, a former Ambassador of Nigeria to Philippines seem to have an answer, as he said the crop of leaders in Africa today are not as competent as the likes of Mandela, Nyerere, Nkuruma and so on.
He said, “The leaders I see around today in Africa are the ones who run to the West for every little challenge, including the ones that they can handle themselves. An Africa where the many resources we have remains untapped. An Africa where the leaders are more interested in using their power to oppress the common man in the street rather than using it to harness the perambulating pool of talents in the continent.
The present crop of leaders has reduced Africa to a level of brute which will take a fine-tuned energy to completely rid Africa off numerous donors with too many acronyms. It is never too late for African leaders to say thanks and “bye bye” to DFID, World Bank, IMF and many others who have reduced Africa to a continent of penury. Turning away from them is the best way to set Africa free, as we must immediately get to work in order to self-replace them by achieving financial stability.
The growth of Africa lies within itself and I have no doubt that Africa can get it right if those in charge of its affairs want to. Given the path we are headed today, am not sure our leaders have come to terms, why the crippling continent of Africa should be fixed. Our political leaders, traditional and religious leaders have not done well in saving the boat of Africa from drowning. So, the young leaders across the continent of Africa have a decision to make, to walk in the path of re-colonizing Africa as China is making a stride, or take up the leadership mantle and save Africa from immediate collapse. This is the time for all young African leaders to be the hero of Africa by re-writing a new story for development.
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