Africa’s Progress Hampered by Bad Leaders – Tinubu, Obasanjo
Nigeria’s First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu and former President Olusegun Obasanjo have identified purposeful leadership by African governments as the lasting solution to the woes plaguing the continent.
They revealed this at the opening session of the “2024 African Leadership Initiative Conference,” with the theme: “A Value-Based Leadership Model for Africa”. The conference, which began today in Abuja, is organized by the African Biblical Leadership Initiative, ABLI.
In his remarks, Obasanjo, argued that leaders who lack governance mission, integrity and have poor knowledge and understanding of what progressive leadership entails often perform woefully. The former Nigerian president urged African leaders to offer selfless and visionary leadership in order to change the fortunes of their citizens.
He stressed the need for leaders to prioritize teamwork, have compassion, display humility, love God and be courageous. “Leaders must have faith and guiding principles as they steer the affairs of their people. Again, leaders without fear of God or those who are not close to God are cheaters.
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“A good leader must be one who reads, so as to learn and embrace new ideas”. On her part, Sen. Tinubu, observed that Africa is at a crossroads, facing dire challenges that require effective leadership to address. “As Christian leaders, we must embrace a value-based leadership model that reflects the teachings of our beloved Jesus Christ.
“For clarity sake, the model, I am talking about, is built on the foundational values of justice, integrity, wisdom and social harmony. We must advocate policies that protect the rights of the marginalized, combat corruption and promote transparency, while ensuring opportunities for all”.
Earlier in his address of welcome, Prof. Jerry Gana, former Nigerian Minister of Information and the Chairman, National Planning Committee of the conference, said the need for visionary, ethical and value-based leadership in Africa has never been more urgent.
He argued that Africa does not only need competent and compassionate leaders, but those who are committed to enhancing the welfare of their citizens. “This conference was organized with the aim of redefining the character of leadership and governance in Africa. More importantly, it also aims to chart a path for Africa’s transformation”.
