Leadership skills in the 21st Century are an essential component in positioning executives to make thoughtful decisions about their countries’ goal and objectives, and properly allocate resources to achieve those directives for a better society. Unfortunately, 10 years after Independence Africa has not only produced corrupt leaders but clueless and visionless leaders who don’t wish anything good for their citizens.
The last time I checked Africa has witnessed its fair share of traumatic experiences due to the thieves we elect into public offices to oversee the affairs of the State. It is on record that in Africa one of the most common symptoms of survival is lack of empathy and compassion. In terms of natural resources, Africa is the world's richest continent. It has 50% of the world's gold, most of the world's diamonds and chromium, 90% of the cobalt, 40% of the world's potential hydroelectric power, 65% of the manganese, millions of acres of untilled farmland, as well as other natural resources. Despite its natural wealth, Africa is home to the world's most impoverished and abused people.
Furthermore, Africa has been politically backward and immature throughout the ages, with lots of violence, injustices and above all corrupt practices. Her children on the other hand, while thinking about better days to come their way, have been proven wrong by people they voted into public offices.
Nowadays, any responsible person could be easily offended by the increasing mayhem in the continent. This is particularly true for Africans as the continent is highly suffering from various atrocious misdeeds and mischiefs. The major cause of all existing wrongdoings in our beloved and resource-rich continent is primarily poor leadership.
Fanon, in his wisdom, already saw the crisis of lack of leadership in post-colonial Africa. He saw a leadership that was so eager to fill the shoes of its former colonial masters. Without failure we must critically assess those who vie for leadership positions in our societies, least we select comedians, as opposed to strong visionaries for a better Africa we all want to see.
Indeed, many people in Africa do not have trust in their leaders. This is because most often than not leaders tend to abuse power for various reasons. It is often said by many that African leaders put first their personal interests than anything else. It is obvious that their self-interest may not be the interest of the public at large. Corruption, nepotism, egoism and abuse of power are the major characteristics of African leaders. (Gebremeden, 2016)
Mugwiji said being an African, to continue blaming Western powers for under developing Africa decades after most countries have gained independence, is simply failure to take responsibility. This is not to discount the continued negative effects of imperialism and neo-colonialism, but a sheer understanding that for us to turn things around we must take responsibility for our own actions.
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