Africa Is Being Governed By Incompetent Leaders | PLO Lumumba

Summary

Ce discours passionné aborde la question cruciale de la leadership et du suivisme en Afrique postcoloniale, divisée en 55 pays avec des frontières imposées. Il évoque les grands espoirs placés dans cette 'Berceau de l'humanité', mais aussi la déception face à ses performances insuffisantes. Le texte cite des leaders africains inspirants et souligne la nécessité d'un leadership authentique, basé sur le service et le sacrifice, plutôt que sur l'émulation de modèles coloniaux. Il appelle à un renouveau de la leadership et du suivisme éclairés pour que l'Afrique puisse réaliser son potentiel, en s'unissant contre les divisions ethniques et religieuses, et en écartant l'influence néocoloniale.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Le leadership et le suivisme en Afrique postcoloniale sont critiques, avec 55 pays divisés par des frontières imposées.
• 📚 L'Afrique est souvent décrite comme étant à la fois le berceau de l'humanité et un continent avec de grandes attentes mais qui sous-performe.
• 🕵️ L'indépendance a été marquée par des discours inspirants de leaders africains, promettant un avenir prospère et libéré de la pauvreté et du tribalisme.
• 🔍 Il y a une déception générale envers les dirigeants africains, avec un sentiment que les attentes initiales de progrès et de bonheur ne sont pas encore remplies.
• 🗣️ L'Afrique doit se confronter à des questions difficiles sur l'absence de progrès malgré la présence de leaders et l'héritage colonial.
• 🤔 Le leadership est défini comme un service et un honneur, et non simplement l'occupation d'un poste élevé.
• 👥 L'Afrique a besoin d'un leadership qui s'engage à servir et non à être servi, avec une conscience des responsabilités envers les citoyens.
• 🏛️ Les dirigeants africains doivent s'inspirer de l'histoire et de leaders comme Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere et Kenneth Kaunda, qui ont servi avec intégrité.
• 🌐 L'Afrique doit surmonter les influences néocoloniales et les divisions ethniques et religieuses pour construire des nations unies et prospères.
• 📈 L'éducation et la formation des citoyens sont essentielles pour créer une base de suivisme éclairé et responsable.
• 🌱 Pour que l'Afrique réalise son potentiel, il est crucial de dépasser les divisions et de promouvoir l'unité, l'éducation et le leadership altruiste.

Q & A

Quel est le thème principal abordé dans le discours concernant l'Afrique postcoloniale ?

Le thème principal du discours est la question critique de la leadership et du suivisme (followership) en Afrique postcoloniale, et comment ces éléments affectent le développement et la position de l'Afrique sur la scène mondiale.

Quels sont les éléments clés que l'orateur mentionne pour définir l'Afrique ?

L'Afrique est décrite comme étant la Berceau de l'humanité, ayant de grandes perspectives et des attentes élevées, mais qui continue de ne pas atteindre son potentiel, avec 55 pays et des frontières imposées par la colonisation.

Quel livre est引用 dans le discours et quel est son lien avec la situation de l'Afrique ?

Le livre 'A Tale of Two Cities' est引用 dans le discours pour illustrer la dichotomie entre les opportunités et les défis que connaît l'Afrique, similaire aux descriptions du meilleur et du pire des temps dans le livre.

Quels sont les mots d'un leader africain mentionnés dans le discours et comment ils sont-ils perçus par les jeunes ?

L'orateur mentionne des mots d'leaders africains tels que Nnamdi Azikiwe et d'autres, qui étaient perçus par les jeunes comme des Messias capables de réaliser des miracles et de les libérer de la pauvreté et des clivages ethniques.

Quels sont les sentiments d'inadéquation exprimés par les gens envers leurs leaders après l'indépendance ?

Les gens expriment un sentiment de déception et de regret, disant que 'c'était mieux en attendant', indiquant que la situation n'a pas amélioré malgré l'indépendance et que les leaders n'ont pas tenu leurs promesses.

Quel auteur nigérian est mentionné dans le discours et quel est son point de vue sur le leadership ?

L'auteur Chinua Achebe est mentionné, qui a écrit un livre intitulé 'The Trouble with Nigeria', dans lequel il soutient que les problèmes du Nigeria sont principalement dus à la question de leadership.

Quels sont les défis auxquels l'Afrique fait face selon le discours ?

Selon le discours, l'Afrique fait face à des défis tels que la dépendance économique, l'absence de confiance dans les institutions et les systèmes éducatifs, et un manque de leadership capable de réaliser le potentiel du continent.

Quelle est la perspective de l'orateur sur les réunions internationales telles que le G7 et le G20 en ce qui concerne la représentation africaine ?

L'orateur souligne que les dirigeants africains ne sont pas représentés aux réunions du G7 et du G20, ce qui illustre la faiblesse de la leadership africaine à l'échelle internationale.

Quelle est la définition de leadership selon l'orateur ?

Selon l'orateur, le leadership est davantage une question de service, d'honneur et de privilège pour servir, et non simplement l'occupation d'un poste élevé ou le bénéfice matériel.

Quels sont les changements que l'orateur souhaite voir dans le leadership et le suivisme en Afrique ?

L'orateur souhaite voir un leadership éclairé et altruiste, ainsi qu'un suivisme conscient et critique, capable de demander des comptes et de s'opposer aux politiques de division ethnique et religieuse.

Quel exemple historique est donné pour illustrer le leadership altruiste en Afrique ?

L'orateur mentionne des leaders tels que Kenneth Kaunda et Julius Nyerere, qui ont quitté leur office avec peu d'argent, démontrant leur altruisme et leur service désintéressé à la population.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 La question de la leadership et du suivisme en Afrique postcoloniale

Le paragraphe aborde la question complexe de la leadership et du suivisme en Afrique postcoloniale, divisée en 55 pays avec des frontières imposées. L'Afrique, considérée comme le berceau de l'humanité et pleine de potentialités, n'a pas atteint ses aspirations. L'auteur fait référence à 'A Tale of Two Cities' pour décrire la situation contradictoire de l'Afrique contemporaine. Il évoque les souvenirs des dirigeants africains et des promesses faites lors de la rééducation de l'indépendance, soulignant le sentiment d'espoir et de désespoir qui prévaut aujourd'hui.

05:02

😔 Le sentiment de déception par rapport aux attentes de leadership

Ce paragraphe exprime la déception générale envers les dirigeants africains, qui malgré leurs positions élevées, ne semblent pas répondre aux défis majeurs. L'auteur mentionne le livre 'We Could' de Chinua Achebe, qui déclare que le problème avec le Nigéria est la leadership. Il pose des questions difficiles sur l'inaptitude de l'Afrique à se nourrir elle-même, à avoir confiance en ses institutions et à contrôler son propre destin économique et politique, et sur la dépendance persistante vis-à-vis des anciens colonisateurs.

10:05

🏛️ L'absence de leadership africaine sur la scène internationale

Le texte critique l'absence des dirigeants africains dans les forums mondiaux importants tels que le G7 et le G20, et la faiblesse de leur voix aux Nations Unies. Il souligne la dépendance des dirigeants africains sur les convoitises des puissances mondiales et interroge l'authenticité de la leadership en Afrique, mettant en doute si le leadership est réellement l'occupation d'un poste ou une position de service et d'honneur.

15:09

🕊️ La quête de leadership authentique et le rôle des dirigeants traditionnels

Dans ce paragraphe, l'auteur réfléchit sur la signification du leadership en Afrique, en se demandant si les dirigeants traditionnels et les structures héritées des colonisateurs sont en mesure de répondre aux besoins actuels. Il cite John Hendricks Clark, qui déclare que l'Afrique ne réussira pas par l'imitation des anciens modes de leadership coloniaux, et appelle à une réévaluation de l'état du leadership en Afrique.

20:11

🔍 L'importance de la stabilité du Nigeria pour l'Afrique

L'auteur insiste sur l'importance du Nigeria pour la paix et la stabilité en Afrique, soulignant que la stabilité du Nigeria est essentielle pour la paix de l'Afrique. Il décrit le Nigeria comme un pays divers et talentueux, mais qui n'a pas atteint son plein potentiel économique et social. Il appelle à une meilleure compréhension de l'histoire et du leadership pour surmonter les défis actuels.

25:13

👥 Le leadership et l'unité intergénérationnelle en Afrique

Ce paragraphe célèbre les dirigeants africains de l'époque de l'indépendance qui ont lutté contre le colonialisme et ont marqué l'histoire. Il souligne l'importance de l'unité et du leadership intergénérationnel pour surmonter les défis et réaliser le potentiel de l'Afrique, tout en reconnaissant que les efforts antérieurs ont été faits pour libérer l'Afrique des chaînes coloniales.

30:15

🌐 L'influence néo-coloniale et la souveraineté de la leadership africaine

L'auteur discute de l'influence néo-coloniale des anciens colonisateurs et de la création d'institutions comme le Commonwealth des Nations et la francophonie pour maintenir un contrôle sur les anciennes colonies. Il appelle à la liberté des dirigeants africains de toute influence étrangère et à la nécessité de leadership dans un environnement multi-ethnique, soulignant l'importance de l'unité nationale au-delà des différences tribales.

35:16

🗳️ Le rôle de l'éducation et du suivisme éclairé dans le leadership africain

Ce paragraphe traite de l'importance de l'éducation et d'un suivisme éclairé pour le développement et la réussite du leadership en Afrique. Il critique la délégation de l'éducation aux organisations non gouvernementales et aux groupes de la société civile financés par des puissances étrangères, et appelle à la création d'un suivisme capable de tenir compte et de questionner les dirigeants.

40:18

🌱 Le leadership et l'unité nécessaires pour la croissance en Afrique

L'auteur insiste sur le besoin d'un leadership uni et de l'unité nationale pour la croissance et la réalisation du potentiel de l'Afrique. Il dénonce la politique fondée sur l'argent et la division des peuples沿着种族和 religieux. Il cite l'exemple de Mahatma Gandhi pour appeler à la tolérance religieuse et à l'unité, et appelle à l'élimination des spectres de la pauvreté, de l'ignorance et de l'étroitesse d'esprit.

45:20

🕊️ L'héritage et l'impact du leadership: l'exemple de Dr. Saraki

Dans ce paragraphe, l'auteur rend hommage au leadership et au service du Dr. Saraki, un homme de grande stature qui a laissé un héritage positif. Il souligne que le véritable leadership est évalué par les actions et les réalisations qui ont un impact durable, et appelle à une réflexion sur la manière dont les dirigeants actuels et futurs serviront leur peuple et contribueront à l'Afrique.

📜 L'engagement envers les valeurs et la responsabilité du leadership

Le dernier paragraphe appelle à un engagement solennel pour incarner l'esprit de Saraki et ses valeurs de leadership, de service et de bienfait. Il encourage les dirigeants à être des serviteurs de leur peuple et à agir dans l'intérêt de l'humanité, en se rappelant que l'histoire jugera leurs actions et qu'il est essentiel de ne pas induire en erreur les gens mais de les éclairer et de les unir.

Keywords

💡Leadership

Leadership fait référence à la capacité de diriger et d'influencer un groupe ou une société vers un objectif commun. Dans le script, le leadership est présenté comme un élément clé pour l'Afrique postcoloniale, mais aussi comme un concept qui a souvent échoué à répondre aux attentes des populations. L'auteur mentionne que le leadership véritable est un service et un honneur, illustré par des exemples de dirigeants africains tels que Nelson Mandela et Julius Nyerere qui ont servi avec intégrité et modestie.

💡Followership

Le followership est l'aptitude à suivre et à soutenir les directives d'un leader. Le script souligne l'importance d'un followership éclairé et critique, capable de demander des comptes aux dirigeants et de ne pas se laisser manipuler. L'auteur insiste sur le fait que le followership doit être instruit et conscient de ses droits pour que le leadership soit efficace et pour que l'Afrique puisse réaliser son potentiel.

💡Postcolonial Africa

L'Afrique postcoloniale désigne le continent africain après l'indépendance des différentes nations des colonies européennes. Le script aborde les défis auxquels l'Afrique est confrontée depuis l'indépendance, notamment la division en 55 pays avec des frontières imposées, et la manière dont ces pays continuent de lutter avec les héritages et les problèmes laissés par la colonisation.

💡Independence

L'indépendance fait référence à la libération des pays africains des pouvoirs colonisateurs. Le script évoque les promesses et les espoirs suscités par l'indépendance, ainsi que la déception qui a suivi la réalisation que de nombreux dirigeants n'ont pas rempli les attentes des populations. L'indépendance est un moment clé dans l'histoire africaine, mais le texte suggère qu'elle n'a pas été suivie d'un développement équitable ou d'une gouvernance efficace.

💡Cradle of Mankind

La 'Berceau de l'humanité' est une expression souvent utilisée pour décrire l'Afrique, car il est largement accepté que le continent est le lieu de naissance de l'espèce humaine. Le script utilise cette notion pour souligner le contraste entre la riche histoire et l'héritage de l'Afrique et les défis actuels auxquels elle est confrontée.

💡Neocolonialism

Le néocolonialisme est le maintien de l'influence ou du contrôle par des pays développés sur des nations moins développées, souvent après leur indépendance. Dans le script, l'auteur critique les institutions telles que le Commonwealth et la francophonie, qui sont vues comme des outils de néocolonialisme permettant aux anciens colonisateurs de continuer à influencer les pays africains.

💡Unity

L'unité est un thème central dans le script, qui est vu comme essentiel pour le développement et la prospérité de l'Afrique. L'auteur mentionne que l'Afrique ne peut réaliser son potentiel tant que les divisions ethniques, religieuses et politiques persistent. L'unité est présentée comme un moyen de surmonter les divisions et de créer un continent fort et cohésif.

💡Ethnicity

L'ethnicité fait référence à l'appartenance à un groupe ethnique particulier, défini par une langue, une culture et une histoire partagées. Le script critique l'utilisation de différences ethniques pour diviser les peuples africains et pour saper l'unité nationale. L'auteur appelle à transcender ces différences pour construire une identité nationale forte.

💡Service

Le service est présenté comme la véritable essence du leadership dans le script. Il est souligné que les leaders doivent servir les gens plutôt que de chercher à être servis. Des exemples de leaders comme Kenneth Kaunda et Julius Nyerere, qui ont démontré le service et la modestie, sont cités pour illustrer ce concept.

💡Enlightened Followership

Le followership éclairé est l'idée que les personnes qui suivent les leaders doivent être informées et capables de poser des questions critiques. Dans le script, l'auteur insiste sur l'importance d'un followership conscient et éduqué pour soutenir un leadership efficace et pour promouvoir le développement de l'Afrique.

Highlights

The critical question of leadership and followership in postcolonial Africa, divided into 55 countries with imposed boundaries.

Africa's reputation as the Cradle of mankind with great prospects yet underperforming.

The disappointment with leaders at all levels and the sense of 'it was better while we waited'.

The late Chinua Achebe's view that Nigeria's problem is a problem of leadership.

Africa's inability to feed itself and lack of faith in its institutions 60 years post-independence.

The absence of African leaders in global platforms like the G7 and G20.

Leadership defined as service, honor, and privilege to serve, not just the occupation of office.

The historical context of leadership in Africa before colonial disruption.

John Henrik Clarke's assertion that mimicry of colonial leadership will not lead to African success.

The state of unrest and instability in various African countries as a sign of leadership deficit.

The importance of Nigeria's stability for the stability of Africa due to its size and influence.

The need for leaders to be free from external influences and to serve the people's interests.

The artificial nature of African countries as a result of colonial boundaries.

Samora Moises Marshall's belief that the tribe must die for the nation to thrive.

The role of an enlightened followership in holding leaders accountable and demanding progress.

The impact of external funding on education and civic activities shaping followership outside of African interests.

The necessity to move beyond politics of money to politics of ideas for Africa's growth.

The story of a shepherd illustrating the difference between leading humans and animals, emphasizing the responsibility of leaders.

The American Declaration of Independence's principles applied to the duty of people to change ineffective governments.

A call to imbibe the spirit of the late Dr. Saraki to serve and unite Nigeria and Africa.

Transcripts

on the critical question of leadership

in Africa

and the critical question of

followership in Africa

and the Africa that I talk about is the

postcolonial Africa

the Africa

which is now divided into 55 countries

with 55 boundaries

imposed on her

an Africa

which is famous

as the Cradle of mankind

an Africa

which is said to be great in prospects

and Africa about which

there is much expectation

but on Africa which continues to punch

below her weight that is the Africa that

I will be talking about as I focus

on the question of leadership

and followership

as I think about that Africa and her

leadership and fellowship

and I think about her often as all of us

should

the words of a book that I read as a

youngster

come to mind

and any one of us

who had the opportunity of reading the

book A Tale of Two Cities

will remember

this word

it was the time

the best of times

and the worst of times

it was the age

of wisdom

on the age of foolishness

it was the epoch of belief

and the epoch of incredulity

it was the season of light

and the season of Darkness

it was the spring of Hope

and the winter of despair

those words

Define the mother continent as we live

in heart today

those who commentate about the continent

never tired to say

that this is a great continent

those who care about this continent

never tired to remember

that this continent divided our shears

has had many leaders

and when I allow my mind

to go down memory lane

I can remember so very vividly

The Immortal words

of many great African leaders

on the eve of our regaining our

independence

and many of us can see pictures

of young Africans

whether in Nigeria

or Ghana

or Algeria

or Kenya

or Tanzania

celebrating when we regained our

independence

and many of us can remember

the words that they spoke and the

promises that they made

if it was in Nigeria here

you can remember the immortal words

about what they would do to Nigeria of

namdi aziki where you can remember those

words

you can remember the words

you can remember the promises he made

you can remember the erudite words of

the Southern

and the promises he made

and many others

when they spoke then

those who are young

soy in them

the similitude of Moses in the Bible

they thought of their leaders and saw

their leaders

as Messiahs

who would bedazzled Latter-Day pharaohs

with miracles

who would liberate them from the Egypt

of poverty and one

who would cost

pillars of fire to stand between them

and sorrow and one

who would park the Red Seas of tribalism

and ethnicity

who in times of hunger would summon

Manner and quail from heaven

that is what they thought of their

leaders Messiahs

but today permit me to say

in many African countries they are

saying it was better while we waited

it was better while we waited

there is a sense in which throughout the

continent of Africa

there has been disappointment with

leaders at all levels

so that when on the eve of Independence

we wanted to come home

now that we regained independence

we never started to see images of our

young men and women

dying in the Sahara

dying in the Mediterranean Sea

being humiliated at the embassies of the

earthwild colonizers

as they seek to leave our countries and

the continent

it was better while we waited they said

which begs the question what happened

and what is happening

that we have so many individuals

who occupy positions of leadership

and yet the biggest deficit is that of

leadership in Africa

you know

in 1983

your own country man

the late China

wrote a little book

we could which he could well have been

writing about Africa but he focused on

Nigeria

the travel with Nigeria

and chinwa without mincing words

says

the trouble with Nigeria is simply and

squarely a problem of leadership

whether you agree or disagree with the

chinois that is another debate

but he had his perspective

and he was asking a question that we

continue to ask about the continent of

Africa

why is it

that while on average

60 years

after we regained independence

the 55 countries that constitute the

continent of Africa

why is it

that we cannot feed ourselves

why is it

that we have no faith in our

institutions we have no faith in our

hostels

why is it that we have no faith in our

education systems

why is that

that we have no faith in our abilities

why is it

where has the leadership been

why is it

that so many years

while politics becomes the toy that

lulls us into a false sense of security

our economies are controlled by people

from other civilizations

why is it

these are uncomfortable questions

which we must pose and confront and

answer if the mother continent is to

realize our potential

why is it

that the mother continent is ever so

negatively attractive to other

civilizations

you know

as I talk about leadership

and as I think about leadership

and I think about lead what leaders are

enjoying to do I think about this mother

continent

and many times

I see how our men and women in positions

of leadership are being treated by other

civilization and I said oh God where are

our leaders

when the world congregates

under the G7

there are no African leaders there

the best they can do is to invite one or

two

and Beyond the fourth opportunity they

are told to go away and go away they do

when there is a meeting of the G20

it is the same thing

there is no African leader there

and when at the United Nations they have

voted all our countries

France the United States

China

Russia can come and neutralize all our

votes and I say where are the leaders in

Africa

and as You observe African leadership

today

[Music]

they are summoned by different leaders

in the world

if the Japanese do not summon them to

Tokyo under uncle

the Indians are summoning them to New

Delhi and if the Indians are not

summoning them

the talks are summoning them and if the

attacks are not summoning them the

Chinese are summoning them in the next

two years two weeks they will have been

summoned to the United States of America

summoned are used

Africans who are watching this scenario

ask

where are our leaders

which begs the question who is the

leader

is leadership the occupation of office

is leadership the occupation of the

Office of the President

is it the occupation of the office of a

senator or a member of Parliament

or the occupation of these high sounding

positions which gives us honorifics

is that what leadership is

from where I sit that is pseudo

leadership

from where I sit leadership is about

service

leadership is about honor and privilege

to serve

that is why I still understand the men

of all the men of wisdom who said

he who is the greatest amongst you must

be your servant

this is what Africa is asking for

and Africa has been asking this question

since she regained our independence

you know

when one is talking about leadership in

Africa

one must go into history

and ask ourselves

what was leadership before we were

rudely disrupted

we are our traditional rulers

how did they govern

for whose benefit did they govern

they are still there the traditional

rulers

how do they fit in in the new

dispensation

when we regained independence

and adopted all these structures from

the earth while colonizer

what did we expect to deliver

that great American Pan African

pan-africanist John Hendricks Clark

says that when Africans regained their

independence not a single one of them

re-examine the style of leadership all

of them continued with a mimicry of the

leadership that they inherited from the

colonizer and he then delivers this

verdict not a single African country

will ever succeed by mimicry and I want

to submit to you that whether one agrees

or disagrees with John Henry Clark

one

must look at Africa in order to ask

ourselves what is the state of

leadership in Africa and permit me to

run you across the continent of Africa

and you will see a continent that is not

at ease

the continent is not at ease because the

continent is suffering from a deficit of

leadership

look at Africa today

tell me whether we are at ease in Asia

tell me whether Mali is settled

tell me whether there is quiet and calm

in charge

tell me whether Guinea bissau is doing

well

tell me whether the cameroons are stable

tell me whether Central African Republic

is good tell me whether Sudan South

Sudan Somalia Ethiopia Northern

Mozambique so and all these countries

where there is peace and quiet whether

the Sons and Daughters of this country

tell me whether even this great Nigeria

is that he is tell me

the answer is she is not

and I dare say that as long as Nigeria

is not at ease Africa will never be at

ease

if Africa wants to be at ease Africa

Nigeria must be at ease

cheese

the largest economy in Africa

she has the population of over nearly

200 million people

one in every African is a Nigerian

she is represented in every sector if

you want the best engineers in the

continent they are Nigerians

if you want the best doctors they are

Nigerians if you want good lawyers they

are Nigerians if you want good people

they are Nigerians but also if you want

Yahoo boys they are Nigerians

Nigeria

is a great country

a friend of mine once told me

that if you go to any part of the world

and you do not find a Nigeria leave that

place

because there is nothing to do there

Nigerians are present everywhere in the

world everywhere in Africa and Nigeria

I'm told is a 500 billion dollar economy

never ever be proud of that Nigerians

this is an economy that should at least

be a four trillion dollar GDP economy

whenever you reach that level then I'll

say Nigeria is doing the right thing all

the ingredients are there the question

is

why is it that she is not realizing our

potential when we talk about leadership

we must ask ourselves why is it that

despite the best intention of the best

of us

we do not gate and gain what we desire

you know

I said

that when you look at Africa

and Leadership

you must go back to history

and you ask yourself what the leadership

is

and we have looked at Africa that is not

at his

but yet there is a sense in which Africa

has had and continues to have men and

women every now

I remember

courtesy of History

when Africa

was struggling for our independence

I can remember

that great meeting

in Manchester in the United States of

America

the pan-african meeting

and history tells me that Nigeria was

there she forbid me away was there in

1945

and I can still remember his word spoken

about African Unity

I remember that Ghana's Kwame nkrumah

was there

and then we remember

how they came back to the continent to

lead the continent

and I am still wondering how in those

days

without the benefit of the internet

without the benefit of all means of

communication that we now have today

that those men and women who are able to

govern and to Galvanize the attention of

the continent of Africa for the sake of

Africa they were there

throughout

but even prior to that I can still

remember another great African talking

about leading Africa out of our state

the Great South African pixlica

in 1906 in Colombia in the United States

of America say Africa must be

regenerated

when all these things happened

they were leaders in Africa at that time

and their mandate was cut out for them

their mandate was to ensure that we

broke the colonial chains and we did

I remember

and many of you here

courtesy of History will remember many

Africans at that time and if I name them

you will agree with me that they were

leaders

how many of you in this assembly will

not remember Marcus Garvey

and say that he was the leader how many

of you here will not remember Julius

nyerere and not say that he was a leader

how many of you will remember kawunda a

milka Cabral Samora Moises Marshall

Augustine

and many others and remember that they

were leaders who did not want to occupy

political space because of material

aggrandizement

they denied themselves

I saw very fondly remember that when

Kenneth David kawunda left office it was

said of him that the only amount of

money he had in his account was the

equivalent of five thousand dollars

that is what your current politician

eats for breakfast

[Applause]

I can remember when Julius kambarage

left office after 24 years the only

amount of money that he had in his

account was the equivalent of 8 000

United States dollars that is what your

current politician uses for a single

visit to a gymnasium

there were leaders who are selfless

they understood that it was an honor and

privilege they sacrificed their lives

they saw the oppositions of leadership

as that of leading their Brethren they

did not think that they were superior to

the people they LED they thought it was

a privilege and that they are the owner

and that because they are that honor

then they had to serve their Leaders

with distinction with consistency they

were prepared to be questioned they did

not believe that they are the Monopoly

of knowledge and wisdom they were

leaders because they were servants

you know

I can still remember

Julius kambarage

speaking on the sixth day of March

1997 in Accra Ghana on the occasion of

the 40th anniversary of the independence

of Ghana

under the subject without Unity Africa

has no future

recounts the history of Africa

he says

when we rose up

against the colonialists

our agenda was cut out for us

we the Africans had been humiliated in

our online

our people had been denied the

opportunity to realize their potential I

was Monday it was one

to expel the colonizer

we did our best

we made our mistakes but who said we

were infallible

this struggle is an intergenerational

struggle

the Next Generation after us had the

duty to pick up the Baton and to run the

next leg the question is

did that generation pick up the Baton

have they run the leg well the answer

not as well as they should have because

we must never make the mistake of

assuming that African leaders have done

nothing no that would be too harsh

I think attempts have been made whether

in Nigeria or in different parts of

Africa

to liberate ourselves from the chains

and Sorrows of the colonial project

but remember as Kwame once said

the colonialists never left

he is alive and well

he still wears different masks

and those masks

may appear to camouflage him but they

are here

have you ever wondered

why

when the British left their colonies

they created something that they called

The Commonwealth of Nations

to which Nigeria belongs

in that Commonwealth of Nations

they had is the British monarch

when the queen dies

the king becomes its head

it is headquartered in London

it is the Commonwealth of independent

and free Nations it is not

it is a post-colonial

neo-colonial Institution

which continues to massage

the ego of the Earth's collar last while

colonizer as we celebrate

through such institutions they continue

to control and to manipulate us

and many of us particularly those of us

who have had the advantage of foreign

education we never want to talk ill of

bodies such as the Commonwealth I do

foreign

the British who did it the French did it

under francophony

in order to control their former

colonies and to make sure that they

remain within their sphere of influence

they created a body

which is alive and well

in the former French colonies is even

worse

they even print the occurrence

the Portuguese did it

so in as much as African leaders have

been trying to ensure that we change the

circumstances of our people there have

been external attempts as torpedoing

those efforts and Africa and African

leadership must be seen in those

contexts there are those in many African

countries who have allowed themselves to

be acolytes of the neocolonizers

and to the detriment of the continent of

Africa so when we interrogate leadership

we must ask ourselves how free are our

leaders

how free are our politicians from

external influence but that is that an

excuse no

it cannot be an excuse

leaders

in a multi-ethnic environment must also

be different

you know Nigeria

as China rightly said

like all African countries is an

artificial entity

chinois says in his book The tribal the

trouble with Nigeria

that there is nothing

comparable

to how the European nations were created

there is no Nigerian China versus

in the same way as there is a Danish

or a Swedish or a Norwegian

Nigerian Nigeria is a unique state

with many states

the same is true of Kenya

the same is true of Ghana Nigeria

possibly has far over 500 Nations within

her

Tanzania 136 the Democratic Republic of

Congo 306 Kenya 42

Uganda 56.

in order to be a leader in such

countries those who have the honor and

privilege

must be men and women who are prepared

to ensure

that they weld the bonds amongst those

people

as Samora Moises Marshall said if the

post-colonial African country is to

succeed the tribe Must Die

and the tribe must die because if the

tribe does not die then the new nation

will never Thrive and I did not

understand Samora Moises martial to say

that he should stop being a Yoruba no I

did not understand to say that him to

say that he should stop being achieved

or to stop being uneven

you know those are cultural mosaics

which when put together Mecca Nations

beautiful and strong

but what does

what do we do in most of Africa

we use those cultural differences to

divide the people

we use those cultural differences to

reinforce and review go forces and

therefore threaten the very nation which

we want to serve I am telling all of us

who are present here and many of you who

are present in this assembly who are

honored and respected and claimed to be

leaders that you have a duty to ensure

that you are in front in order to serve

and not to be served

but ladies and gentlemen

let us also ask ourselves about

followership

you know

as a young student and many of us who

are young students it was the culture

when you are in your first year of

studies that you must be a revolutionary

and a revolutionary in the style of Karl

Marx

and therefore you would say Walkers of

the World Unite you have nothing to lose

but you have changed all of us

were revolutionaries

and we used to say then that the safety

of the Bourgeois demands that the

proletariat be kept in the most profound

ignorance we were revolutionaries

who is the leader

is he a leader who allows meta ignorance

to reign supreme amongst the people he

or she is leading

is it the duty of a leader to ensure

that he leads men and women who are

enlightened men and women who can

question what he or she is doing

I'm suggesting to us the true and

sustainable leadership also requires

that you have a followership that is

enlightened a followership that calls

you to account a followership that is

going to make demands of you a

followership that when you say that you

are going to improve the quality of

their food they do not believe that

agriculture stops on that day but they

believe that agriculture must be

intensified and the technology must be

used

a followership which knows that when you

say you are going to deliver heaven on

Earth they know that that is merely an

advertisement that you are incapable of

delivering Heaven on Earth

a followership that knows that when you

are promising to do things within a

hundred days which ordinarily can only

be done in five years they know that you

are a liar a follower ship that is

capable of discerning that when you

speak things there are many variables

and it is the duty of a leadership to

ensure that such a leadership is indeed

created

what do African leaders do

African leaders

in many African countries

have now assigned

the question of Education the educating

their followers to ngos and cbos which

are financed by the Americans which are

financed by the Europeans which are

financed by other civilization how do

you think how do you imagine that the

people of Denmark would have the

interest of Nigeria at their heart

how are you satisfied

that all those civic education

activities that are being undertaken in

Borno in my degree or in abeokuta

financed by usid are meant to be for the

benefit of Nigeria because the last time

I checked the English used to say he who

pays the FIFA calls the tune

so today

when you look at most of Africa we have

a followership that is tuned from

outside

it is not a followership that is tuned

from inside

and you wonder why they behave the way

they do they behave the way they do

because they are being tuned by other

civilization

three years ago

an old friend of mine

now gone to be the Lord

was engaged in a conversation with me

and I was complaining about the

leadership and he told me I hear you

young man

you're always complaining about

leadership in Africa and other parts but

have you ever wondered

about the followership

says you are complaining about the

windmill

but do you have a bother about the wind

is it not the case that the windmill

follows the wind

I'm suggesting to you that Africa will

never realize the potential as long as

the critical mass of our people I must

in sorrow and one to

what I am suggesting to you

that Africa is not going to grow

as long as you who are in positions of

leadership as perfect have perfected the

Arts

of appealing to the stomachs rather than

the minds of the men and women that you

lead

I'm suggesting to you

that Africa is not going to realize

their potential as long as we continue

to conduct the politics of money and

money bugs not the politics of ideas

I'm suggesting to you that Africa is

never going to realize our potential as

long as we are dividing our people along

ethnic lines I'm suggesting to you I'm

suggesting to you that as long as you

who are in positions of honor and

privilege are in the business of

dividing our people on the basis of

religion Africa is not going to realize

our potential

I remember in 1982 I watched a movie

about Mahatma Gandhi and I remember that

great man

sang in one of the scenes in the movie

that he remembers one day

when somebody who was more enlightened

than the other preachers came

and he said that on that day

he saw that preacher reading from the

Muslim Quran on to the Christian Bible

on to the Jewish Torah on to the

hindu-gita and on to incantation in

African religion as if it did not matter

which book was being read as long as God

was being worshiped

I look forward to the day when those of

you who are in positions of leadership

will be able to tell our people wherever

they are in Nigeria or Africa that it is

not for us to fight for God if I have a

God for whom I have to fight for that is

not a god

the God that I worship finds for me

and if we accept that that is the nature

of God that is omnipresent omniscient

and he knows all then we are going to

unite our people in other words I'm

saying that if we are going to have a

followership that is going to change the

continent of Africa we have got to

exercise the ghost of ethnicity

we have got to exercise the gods of

ignorance we have got to exercise the

ghost of poverty we have got to exercise

the ghost of narrow-mindedness

fellow Africans

fellow Nigerians

it is still true

that everything fails

and falls

on leadership

it is true

that we man

and women

are in unique positions

Abu Bakr

or Lucilla

saraki

was present on this Earth

like all of us

he had his coming

and he's going

today we are gathered here

to remember him

because

South Sudan's John garang dimabio once

said

as you walk the Journey of life

there are two baskets

that you fill by your words and deeds

whether wittingly or unwittingly

the basket of Good Deeds

and the basket of bodies

and then at the end of it all

when we weigh those baskets Let It Be

Sad of you that the basket of Good Deeds

outweighs the basket of bodies

it would appear to me

that the late Dr saraki's basket of Good

Deeds

far outweighs his basket of bodies

and that is why we can say without

flinching and without equivocation

that he was a Colossus

that is why you call him fondly by the

Monika or lawyer

that is why you are gathered here on a

Monday morning to pay homage to him

now I can see saraki upstairs

through imagination

I can see him asking us who we are

present here today oh dear Nigerians

it is 10 years since I left you

where are the leaders

I can see saraki

asking the president of this country how

have you served Mr President

I can hear him ask the vice president

how have you served

I can hear him asking the Senators how

have you served

I can hear him asking the members of the

House of Assembly how have you served I

can hear him asking the governors how

have you served

as to how they have served that is not

for me to say

it is for them to say

but I can also hear the great saraki

asking the Nigerian how have you been

sir

have they given you food I can hear him

ask

have they given you Fearless

have they given you electricity I hear

image

as to whether they have been well served

it is not for me to say it is for them

to say in other words the great saraki

is asking both leaders and the LED have

you demanded and have you served

and the leadership that I hear him the

great saraki asking of us is our

leadership where we are united

not the unity of the graveyard whose

lingua Franca is silence no

it is the unity of those who are seeking

to do good

those who are seeking to do good those

who will ask with the firmness that will

open their eyes of the leader without

inflaming their anger I can hear it

being said

you know as I conclude

I remember this story

a story that must be known to you

is a story about leadership

which must be contradistinguished from

Human leadership

is the story of a shepherd

or the story

of a poultry farmer

but I'll start with the story of a

shepherd

many of us

from the north are famed for cattle

keeping

and when you are driving the cattle

through different grazing grounds

the cattle believed that you love them

so much

because you protect them from the

elements

because you protect them from other wild

animals

but if the cattle were to know that you

are the one who would end up eating them

they will treat you very differently

invariably they do not know

and therefore you will continue

controlling them the way you do and

you'll continue eating them the way you

do

but it is a totally different case when

you are leading human beings

they are not like cattle

you may lead them in a particular

direction

you may think that you have lulled them

into a false sense of security you may

think that you have

deadened their minds but always remember

that one day if you don't do that which

is good and right for your fellow man

there is the Day of Reckoning there is a

Day of Reckoning and history as

demonstrated that it can come in the

twinkling of an eye history has

demonstrated that Kings have been

toppled history has demonstrated that

presidents have been removed history has

demonstrated that great men have been

cut down history has demonstrated that

men can rise when they are misled

history has demonstrated that men are

indeed capable of rising up you know

I always read these words of the

American Declaration of Independence

because I love them they apply to

humanity before America became what it

is they had enlightened man we hold this

truths to be self-evident that all men

are born equal that they are endowed by

their creator with satna and aliyana

bride that among those are life liberty

and the pursuit of happiness and is for

this reason that governments are

instituted amongst men and that when

those governments fail to perform it is

the duty of those people to rise up and

to remove such governments

foreign

I am submitting to us that we in the

continent of Africa you who have the

honor and privilege of serving you who

worked and served under the tutelage of

a lawyer today let us take a solemn vow

let us take a solemn vow that we are not

simply here to memorialize him

we are not simply here to remember the

good deeds that he did we are not simply

here to repeat the things that he did

that we have come here to imbive the

spirit of alloy we have come here to

have a little saraki in us so that

saraki the good politician

saraki the philanthropist saraki the

servant saraki the doctor saraki the

business can leave a little in us so

that when we go home so that when in the

month of February Nigeria I will be

electing its leaders it may be said that

there was a saraki and that good men and

women Rose and good men and women came

out to vote and the best man did God

bless

[Music]

a kind