Good African Leaders: Who are they and how do we get them?
By Wafula Okumu
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
April 18, 2002
By Wafula Okumu
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
April 18, 2002
For forty years or so, African leaders have played a pivotal role
in derailing the economic and political stability of the countries under
their stewardships. In half the period of colonial rule, they have
indulged in a reckless game of financial profligacy and violated human
rights with impunity. It has now been universally acknowledged that bad
leadership has a direct correlation to development of a nation. The
root cause of Africa’s endemic problems has partly been traced to the
continent’s coterie of bad leaders. African leaders are generally known
to have created intractable conflicts, misused and abused of power,
violated human rights abuse and driven their people further into the
bowels of poverty. It is now generally believed that for Africa to
reclaim its rightful position in the international system it must do
something about its “bad leaders.”
But who exactly is a “good leader” and how do we get one? If use
of patterns and trends could provide a useful guide in determining good
African leaders we could simply pick Mandela, Nkrumah and Nyerere as the
most respected African leaders and then anoint anyone with names
starting letters ‘M’ and ‘N’ as good leaders. Unfortunately, this is
not possible since these great African leaders also share the first
letters of their names with some of Africa’s most despicable dictators:
Moi, Mobutu, Mengistu, Mugabe, Nguema, Numeiri, and many others.
A distinguishing characteristic of almost all African countries is
that they have been or are still being ruled by thug-like leaders. Their
despicable behavior notwithstanding, the present crop of bad African
leaders will have to be replaced one day whether they like it or not.
When their time comes, the most important task will not be simply
replacing these bad leaders but finding the right people to replace
them. It is in view of this gigantic task lying ahead that the
Congolese, Kenyans, Liberians, Zimbabweans, Malawians and other Africans
must now focus their keen attention on picking replacements of the bad
leaders who are running down their countries.
Before defining who a “leader” is and is not, we should first
establish the fact that politicians usually do not make “good leaders.”
As the British scientific journal Nature Today once pointed out
in a study on leadership, politicians are uniquely simple personalities.
In layman’s terms, that would mean they lack personality. The question
then is: if we are to look for leadership qualities or inculcate them,
what will they be? We often hear that leaders are born, not made.
Although this opinion has been widely accepted for centuries, many
experts are now rethinking this assumption. Most experts now believe
that the ability to lead is not limited to the few born with exceptional
talent. Even though an inborn potential doesn’t hurt, leadership is now
viewed as a set of skills that, with proper training, can be learned.
But what is leadership?
Leadership is getting other people to follow you towards a common
goal. A leader feels that he or she has something to offer or that he or
she can make an existing situation better. Initiative and vision are
the pillars to leadership. The desire to lead, though essential, is not
enough to make a dynamic leader. One has to have a firm grasp on
knowledge, a well-horned and appropriate skills, and relevant experience
that makes one almost a “philosopher-king.” Having the skills and
know-how in a particular field makes one an obvious candidate for
leadership. But this is not enough, particularly in the African context.
For instance, someone may be a successful guerrilla leader, but a
sadistic head of state once in power. Having knowledge is one thing, but
putting it to use in the interest of the people is another. One’s
knowledge is then only useful if it is used to enhance a common goal.
There are many other qualities of leadership. Inner qualities
include fairness, impartiality, character, strength, and ability to
recognize one’s limitations. Additionally, a leader is also one who is
peace loving, faithful, kind, obedient to God, and serves his or her
people. Other qualities include outspokenness, decisiveness, proactive,
wisdom, strength, love for the people and the work, and honesty. Today
people have also picked their leaders on the basis of their good looks,
wealth, popularity, and the willingness to do anything to get on top and
stay there.
According to the Book of Proverbs, the qualities of good leadership
are hard work, reliable communication, openness to new ideas,
capability of listening to both sides of the story, wise planning and
common sense, ability to stand under adversity, standing well under
praise, knowing the facts before making decisions, and not penalizing
people for good behavior or rewarding evil people. In other words,
leadership skills can be used for the great good or great evil.
Unfortunately, most of our African leaders have chosen the later.
There are many African leaders who possess leadership personality
traits but lack the spiritual character. Many of them have ignored the
importance of a spiritual character to effective leadership. Moral and
spiritual character takes years to build, and it requires continual
attention and patient discipline. Many African leaders think that they
are spiritual by merely proclaiming their faith or making appearances at
places of worship or being in the company of opportunistic religious
leaders.
Intemperate events in Africa have provided its leaders with golden
opportunities to exercise their leadership skills. Unfortunately, many
of them have chosen to use them against their people’s interests. Even
those who have recognized their mistakes have been unwilling to admit
them. None of them wants to bear the blame when confronted. It is a
wonder that even those who claim to read the Bible have never learned
from Judah, Jacob’s fourth son, that, it is not wise to wait until our
errors force us to admit wrongdoing. And that it is far much better to
openly admit our mistakes, shoulder the blame and seek forgiveness. It
is a rarity in Africa for leaders to ever own up to their mistakes,
leave alone take the blame and seek forgiveness.
Like King David, many African leaders have abused their positions
of authority to get what they want. There is rampant abuse of power in
Africa. These leaders are verse to exploiting, manipulating and
compromising those under their authority. Africa has many Absaloms:
these are leaders who use their charisma as a mask to cover craft,
deception, and hunger for power. Underneath their style and charm, these
leaders have been unable to make good decisions and handle the affairs
of their nations wisely.
When it comes to serving the people, many Africa leaders forget
that there is plenty of room for everyone. Yet African leaders are
unhappy when others show leadership abilities. They eschew other
leaders, particularly up and coming ones, and transform themselves into
the nation, consequently making a challenge to them as tantamount to
challenging national interests. They then create personality cults and
become omnipotent. In feats to simplify their country’s maps, they name
streets and public facilities such as airports, schools, stadia and
hospitals after themselves. Many have not only acquired monarchical
tendencies such as printing their images on currencies while they are
still alive but they have also turned themselves into deities that must
be worshipped and glorified.
While one of the greatest challenges facing a leader is training
others to become leaders, one of the best tests for good leadership is
its willingness and ability to train another person for the position
occupied by the incumbent. Many African leaders not only fail to follow
Moses’ example of appointing successors who are capable of delivering
the people to the Promised Land but the few who do seem to deliberately
appoint those they think will protect their interests and people once
Providence has recalled them.
Many could again learn from Moses who commissioned Joshua to
replace him and encouraged him in his new role. Good leaders prepare
their people to continue the journey to the Promised Land without them
by identifying those with leadership potential, providing them with the
training they need, and seeking ways to encourage them. After assisting
Moses for many years, Joshua was well prepared to take over the
leadership of the nation. Smooth leadership transitions are essential
for the establishment of new administrations. This does not happen
unless new leaders are trained. African leaders should begin preparing
others to take their places so that when they leave, although many do
not think they will ever do so, their countries can continue functioning
normally. Unfortunately, many African leaders prepare others to create
chaos instead of taking over political power in the interest of the
nation.
Good
leaders are not always national leaders. Take the example of Charles
Taylor, who might have been a good guerrilla leader but after taking
over the reigns of power in Liberia he has proven to be one of the worst
leaders in the country’s history. Some ideas by some leaders may prove
to be attractive but they must be judged by whether or not they are
consistent with the nation’s interests. When some people claim to speak
for the nation, we must judge them by asking a series of questions: Are
they telling the truth? Is their focus on the nation? Are their words
consistent with what is already known to be true? Do they speak the
truth while directing the people towards the Promised Land, or do they
speak persuasively while directing the people toward themselves?
There are many African leaders who have said the right things but
still led their nations in wrong directions. Africa, unlike any other
region in the world, has had the most colorful and romanticized
ideologies ranging from pan-Africanism to negritude, authenticity,
humanism, nyayoism, African socialism and God knows what else. In the
end these “political ideologies” have turned out to be bankrupt ideas,
or at best empty slogans. With leadership comes responsibility. When a
leader makes a mistake, it is the nation that suffers. Many take
decision without counsel and input from the people, or after soliciting
only for advice that will support their decision. African leaders have
surrounded themselves with incompetent subordinates because they feel
threatened by competent ones. They also have a penchant for taking
highly educated individuals, lobotomizing them, and then turning them
into cheerleaders and court jesters. A good leader, as the Book of
Proverbs (11:14), needs and uses wise counselors.
Many African leaders usually overlook the fact that they cannot
lead the nation single-handedly. Rather than handle larger
responsibilities alone, African leaders should look for ways of sharing
the loads of the nation so that others may exercise their God-given
gifts and abilities. Modern African States have become complex. As
their needs have increased so have been conflicts and disagreements. Due
to this complex reality, African leaders can no longer make decisions
alone. Many seem to be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help. This may
be due to their arrogance that they know all or asking for advice may
imply they are bankrupt of ideas. Those who pretend to ask for advice
later overlook it even when honestly given. The ancient Greek
philosopher Isocrates once said that the greatest loyalty an adviser
could give a leader is by being frank and candid. It is more helpful to
the leader, Isocrates averred, to surround him - or her-self with those
who disagree with him or her than it is to rely on those who mimic his
or her point of view. Isocrates noted that: “frankness is a virtue in a
counselor who must risk the ire of the (leader) foolish enough to be
offended when contradicted.”
By being receptive to the ideas of others and by creating an
atmosphere of mutual respect a leader will help ensure the happiness,
and success of the people. African leaders have yet to learn that
criticism is always directed at leaders, no matter how good they are.
However, what distinguishes a good from a bad leader is the ability to
listen and take constructive criticism without spending valuable time
and energy worrying about those who may oppose their leadership. A good
leader must always focus attention on those who are ready and willing
to help. Some criticisms are due to love for the nation and should not
be misconstrued as unpatriotic, treasonable or seditious. African
leaders always place a premium on blind loyalty, as though they are
royal dynasties that value their own preservation and power above all
else.
It is this unquenchable thirst for fidelity that has imperiled
democracy and botched development in Africa. Instead of cultivating
loyalty and trust in democracy, African leaders have demanded that
loyalty of public servants and the masses should be expressed to the
people who determine whether or not food gets on their plates. In
Africa, civil servants serve at the pleasure of the presidents, who
appointed them, and not the people, who pay their salaries. To get a key
position in the government one has to be the fiercest loyalist rather
than most competent and best qualified. In Africa, it is better for a
civil servant to be loyal and wrong than correct and disloyal.
There is a fairly simple explanation for this obsession with
loyalty: the insecurity of the African leaders. The more secure a leader
is - both intellectually and psychologically - the more he or she will
value disagreements. The best example of such a leader is Nelson Mandela
who was constantly challenged by his colleagues in government and
warmly welcomed dissenting opinions. Mandela was able to do this, unlike
other African leaders, because he always went out of his way to court
opinions, and knew that was how he would get the best advice. This is
essentially what made him the most secure leader in the world.
Most African nations have now been transmogrified to reflect the
lifestyles of their evil leaders. Occasional wrongdoing has gradually
been turned into wrongdoing as a way of life. In my frequent travels
around Africa, I have continually noted the deteriorating attitudes,
habits and conducts of the people. It seems like every time I revisit an
African country I notice that its people have become ruder, meaner and
brasher. One time when I left Africa I went on a soul-searching trip to
understand why Africans are being turned into spiteful, misogynic and
egoistical people.
I now have an answer: African leaders have traumatized their people
to the point where they are in desperate states and on self-destruct
courses. By using brutal means to rule and senselessly looting the
public resources, African leaders have left the people in a state of
shock and despair. In view of this reality, it comes as no shock that
Africans are now imitating their leaders in various ways - they are
abrasive, kleptomaniac, debauched, deceitful and contumacious. The book
of Proverbs says that where there is no good leadership people will
have only pain, there will also be wickedness, wicked rulers, wicked
aides and wicked people.
African leaders have no compassion for those they are supposed to
serve. Examples of such leaders are Taylor, who used children to
terrorize the Liberian people and acquire power; Moi, who contemplated
chopping off fingers of opposition sympathizers; and Mobutu, who looted
his country into a basket case. Others are Kabila, who instigated
ethnic chauvinism; Amin, who feasted on cadavers of his victims; and
Abacha, who almost brought Nigerians down on their knees. These African
leaders have treated the African people miserably in order to satisfy
their own desires and then insolently claimed later that God had
sanctioned their actions.
A real leader has a servant’s heart. Instead of using people
leaders should serve them. Sadly, many African leaders prefer to lead
through false promises and chaos. African leaders are often selfish and
arrogant as they claw themselves to the top and stick there by hook or
crook. None of them, except Botswana’s, take the time to consult the
people on how they can best be served.
How a leader interacts with the people carries a lot of weight. By
getting in tune with people’s emotions, needs, obstacles, and strong
points a leader can effectively mobilize the forces towards national
goals. For optimum results, the people must understand the national
goals and be enlightened to alternative strategies and ways of attaining
them. And a good leader is the teacher that inculcates this
information! The ability to keep people focused on the national goals
and tactfully steer them in the attainment of those goals is what
leadership is all about.
Unfortunately, even those African leaders who had suffered
tremendously before coming to power have not reached out with
sensitivity to their hurting people. Quite a number of them either have
been responsible for hurting the people or forgot how pain feels as
they inflict it on others to stick to power. Examples of such leaders
are Jomo Kenyatta and Robert Mugabe who despite spending years in
colonial incarceration used methods worse than those used by the
colonizers to silence their critics.
Finally, a good leader does not neglect the self. A solid
self-awareness and steady confidence is certainly helpful. Tenacity,
pluck, and curiosity are beneficial attributes that will convince others
to follow a leader. Also the intelligence to accept feedback and learn
from it and the flexibility to alter ineffective habits will ensure
one’s s success as a leader. A leader who has inspiration to do good
and passion for the nation will quickly discover that his or her ways
are contagious and will quickly infect the people.
To be an effective leader is not an easy task as it takes vision,
flexibility, knowledge, communication, and hard work. But those who have
the desire and the determination to sharpen their wits, hone their
skills, and accentuate their virtues can pull away and deftly lead the
herd to success. Africans need leaders who will show them where to start
and what direction to take in reconstructing their shattered nations.
Africans are longing for plain-spoken leaders with charisma and visions
to create new, politically and economically vibrant nations that are
just and independent.
May those who want to lead Africa please stand up now!
© The Perspective
P.O. Box 450493
Atlanta, GA 31145
Website: www.theperspective.org
E-mail: editor@theperspective.org
P.O. Box 450493
Atlanta, GA 31145
Website: www.theperspective.org
E-mail: editor@theperspective.org