The Legacy of African Postcolonial Leadership and Postcolonial Development: A Comparism with Ancient and Modern Developed Civilizations

Introduction
Leadership is important as far as societal development is concern. Even in the animal kingdom there is leadership- with the carnivorous animals dominating most of the time. Leadership has existed with humanity in several forms even in biblical times when absolute theocracy was being practiced. Ancient Israel for example had God as their leader throughout the dispensation of Moses and the Judges until they graduated to monarchical rule- also directed by theocratic leadership.

Ancient Egypt also made the Pharaoh's their immortal deities although they were men like the rest of the people. The pharaohs were greatly revered by ancient Egyptians perhaps because of their great leadership skills and architectural achievements. The great pyramids of Egypt, the sphinx, temples and other ancient monuments were successfully built because of good Egyptian leadership. The Babylonian, Assyrian, Persian and Greecian empires were also successful in the world of their time because of the powerful leaders they had such as the biblical Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander the great, the Darius and Cyrus etc.

The Roman Empire also took control of world affairs in ancient times because of powerful leadership from men like Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero then later the reign of the Papacies in Papal Rome. The success of every ancient empire can be linked to great and successful leadership; ─not forgetting Napoleon Bonaparte and Charlemagne.

For instance, Charlemagne was an eminent military champion who united Europe during the years of 782. As the King of Franks, he stepped in a military capacity and defended the papacy from the Lombards who kept threatening the popish reign. Charlemagne led the foundation for future European alliance and unification. Indeed, leadership is a solid foundation in ensuring the success of every human society. Every facet of ancient history will attest to that fact. (Watch for Mr. Europe, 2)

Philosophical Dimension
In Thomas Hobbes's idealistic state of nature, the life of man was solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short until the leviathan concept was adopted through a social contract. In simple terms, the social contract that men in the state of nature adopted in collaboration with the leviathan was purposed to bring order, progress and development in the society. Hence in the state of nature of man, leadership became a pre-requisite and an inevitable developmental paradigm. According to Hobbes's philosophical conception, the people also had the power to dissolve the social contract if the leviathan or absolute leader fails to effectively promote their welfare.

Now, going back to the ancient medieval period; we cannot forget about the philosopher Plato with his famous concept of the “absolute philosopher king”. Plato, a student of Socrates realized that the city-state of Athens needed to progress to a better height. Hence, the call for a leadership revolution became so important to Plato in his book “the republic”. For him, in order to bring sanity in the society then the philosophers in ancient Greece are the best people to rule.

In the dispensation of Plato, political and social thinkers were the messiahs of societal development. In their distinctive traits, “philosophers always knew that they knew nothing and therefore they always strive to think and know more”. By knowing more, the society benefits from the theories they propound and the incontrovertible solutions they suggest to solve societal problems. In short, the philosopher king is the beacon of societal development according to Plato.

Niccolo Machiavelli also took another trend in modern western political thought. Machiavelli in his book “the Prince” went to the extent of defining the worth of leadership and the processes as well as tactics to its success. For Machiavelli, leadership in a state was critical and sensitive and must be treated with boldness, co-optation, and cleverliness-- sometimes with some level of deceit as and when it is appropriate for the polity or state.

Machiavelli emphasized the adoption of both hard and soft power in order to tackle internal and external problems- the application of coercive force as well as tricky diplomacy in dealing with subjects, comrades and neighbours. This policy will eventually help the leader to attract friends and eliminate foes that will undermine his ultimate vision.

Marx Weber, the great sociologist also postulated in his writings about the importance of leadership and authority in the modern society. He structured societal leadership into three groups and they include thetraditional, charismatic and legal-rational. For Weber, in order to achieve the ideal form of bureaucracy, then the Legal-Rational form of leadership and authority must be the ultimate standard for the society, organization, institution or the state.

All political philosophers, from Socrates to Karl Marx -one way or the other recognize the importance of leadership in national development. The difference though is that; whiles some placed leadership in the hands of the citizens, others placed them in absolute individuals and for some it was all about constitutionalism and institutional development. All forms of ideology whether feudalism, capitalism, socialism, communism, liberalism or constitutionalism must go along with leadership- a form of leadership that falls in line with the spirit of the ideology.

The definition of leadership has been structured in three thematic areas and they include leadership model, leadership philosophy and leadership style. “A leadership model contains theories or ideas on how to lead effectively and/or become a better leader…A leadership philosophy contains values-based ideas of how a leader should be and act; and the sources of a leader's power… A leadership style is also a classification or description of the main ways in which real-life leaders behave”. We can also have action-centered leaders, servant leaders and transformational leaders as respective examples of the leadership themes above. (businessballs.com, Feb. 24, 2012)

The leadership Institute of Harvard College (Nov.18th, 2011) defines leadership as “the skill of motivating, guiding and empowering a team towards a socially responsible vision”. A leader is therefore a person that wields the power and authority to influence a group of people towards the achievement of a specific goal. Leaders are supposed to guide, direct, motivate, organize, control, collaborate and lead their people in the attainment of a common dream.

It is upon this background that I discuss Africa's post colonial leadership and its effect on post colonial development as well as its comparism with ancient and modern developed civilizations.

Post Colonial Theories
Colonialism in Africa has been discussed in several ways by scholars. The well known dimensions of African colonialism are the modernization and dependency theory. The main aim of the modernization theory was to defend colonialism and imperialism and subsequently shift the blame of underdevelopment of the colonies to the indigenous people rather than the colonizers. The colonies, especially Africa was given some fantastic attributes such as unscientific, illogical, irrational, primitive and traditional.

The state of African leadership system before colonialism was described as unproductive and retrogressive. In short, it was the first stage of Rostow's traditional development where unscientific approaches were adopted in societal activities. On the other hand, the advocates of this theory failed to recognize the successes that some indigenous African Empires gained such as the ancient Mali Empire, the Songhai Empire, the Ethiopian Dynasty or even the Ashanti Empire. Nevertheless, all the submissions of the modernization theory cannot be debunked- not even by the radical dependencies.

The dependency theory also blamed the under-development of the colonies to imperialism and colonialism. Since western imperialism placed African rich raw materials and minerals as their first preference; exploitation became an inevitable foreign policy. In order to control the resources in the native continent then it was important that the existing traditional leadership system is brought under the subjection of the “western leviathan”. Imperialism finally led to colonialism in Africa for several years until the 1950's and 60's.

In short the former blames Africa for her underdevelopment whiles the latter shifts the blame to western imperialism and productive expansionism through the raw material demand of the western industrial revolution.

Colonialism on the other hand brought some benefits such as modernized form of education, science and technology, modern infrastructure- although there was a cost that Africans had to pay for those western gains such as slave trade and mineral exploitation. Although we cannot rule out the massive exploitation that came out of colonialism, it is also wrong to say that everything under western colonialism was unworthy.

For instance, although imperial Japan brutally ruled South Korea, there were many benefits that went to Korea as a result of the rule. Many Asian tigers today have become the beacon of modern civilization. Indian and Brazil for example were colonized by Great Britain but today they have the money and are capable of loaning their colonial masters in the Euro-zone crises. South Africa is a critical example of an African country whose black majority experienced brutal colonial racism popularly called apartheid- ending only in 1994. But today the country is a blue eye in Africa in terms of infrastructure and economic development.

The middle theory of modernization and dependency in the African context is to state the fact as far as the merger of the two theories is concern. It is finding out some of the causes of the under development of a colony and continent like Africa. A possible cause of African postcolonial development status is political leadership. No matter how scholars turn the coin of African development; whether in defense of the modernization theory or the dependency, the facts surrounding African postcolonial leadership is very critical, crucial and cannot be ruled out.

African postcolonial leadership is a strong independent variable that has shaped the state of African postcolonial development. The variable perhaps needs to be turned upside down for us to examine how African recent postcolonial development could influence the leadership structure.

Post Colonial Independence
Africa had long fought for its independence and it finally had it through the ideology of Pan-Africanism in the 1960's and 70's- an ideology that sought to promote the welfare and progress of all Africans all over the world. Many African scholars and leaders led the resurrection of the African political revolution. The aim was to decolonize the continent and awaken the people out of the deep sleep of western imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism.

Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was one of the state actors that gave colonialism and imperialism a revolutionary push. He was a powerful Pan-Africanist in Ghana. Indeed out of his speeches came a Pan-African revival. He made a famous statement that “the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked up to the total liberation of the African continent”.

Ghana's independence was indeed meaningless unless other African states were liberated from colonial and western imperial rule. Nkrumah went all around Africa preaching about African unity and the need for the continent to manage its own affairs. He supported several freedom fighters in order to liberate their own feeble countries as well. Nkrumahism caused a great political revival in the 1960's in the entire continent of Africa. His political gospel really broke the chains surrounding the colonial social contract.

But suddenly, the messiah of Nkrumahism fell with other freedom fighters through indigenous overthrow with alleged imperial backing. The critical question to ask is, until today are Africans independent? Yes! - Atleast politically from the alien western imperialism. But the critical question is; how has the African continent performed in terms of development since post-colonial rule?

African postcolonial period, (Pirie, June, 1, 2012) “has been associated with socioeconomic progress and decline. Changes in transportation have been geo­graphically uneven; they have benefited some people and places but have disadvantaged others. The urban and rural poor have gained little from new transporta­tion technologies and services”.

Schraeder also states that “the emergence of African nationalism was also unique in terms of its inherently anticolonial character. African nationalist movements were sharply divided on political agendas, ideological orientation, and eco­nomic programs. Regardless of their differences, how­ever, the leaders of these movements did agree on one point: the necessity and desirability of independence from foreign control. Anticolonial sentiment served as the rallying point of early African nationalist move­ments to such a degree that African nationalism was equivalent to African anticolonialism”. (Schraeder, May, 29, 2012)

But the fall of the freedom fighters through coup d'état, inevitable death and other external causes made the continent to decline in several ways. Although many of the freedom fighters of immediate African decolonization period practiced autocratic forms of government, they were able to revitalize the African revolution of post colonialism.

Post-Colonial Consequences
The consequence of post colonialism has been very pathetic. All the regions of southern Africa, the west, the eastern part and north have one way or the other experienced a political trauma. Civil war in Darfur, Monrovia, Mogadishu, Kinshasa, Nigerian-Biafran war of the late 1960s, Dari Salam terrorist attack, other kinds of war in Chad, Niger, South Africa Apartheid, Rwanda and Burundi wars etc. This has been the appalling legacy of African post-colonialism. Many will perhaps say that this is the past- but what about present day Mali and the illegitimate “Toure” Rebels, disgruntled “Al-Shabaab” in Somalia and the deadly and inhumane “Boko-Haram” in Nigeria.

Perhaps the Cold war spillovers are key factors to Africa's postcolonial developing status. The bipolar cold war between the East led by the Soviet Union and the west led by the United States cannot be ruled out either. The containment policy adopted by the capitalist powers to fight communism on every soil of the earth contributed to several wars in Africa.

Through the eastern and western blocks, Africa received more arms and artilleries to cause the demise of each other rather than food, money and security that will promote their urgent welfare. Rebels who called themselves freedom fighters became the intermediaries towards the destruction of innocent citizens of Africa- not forgetting the Congo and Angolan war (the African world war). As the governments became more brutal, many people died but as the rebels became more barbaric “double of the many” died.

But the question to ask Africa is that until when will this blame philosophy stop. Until when will Africa stop blaming external forces for its own development woes? What would have happened if Israel- until today still accused Germany for their political and development woes just because of the inhumane holocaust and the anti-Semitic policies executed by Adolf Hitler and his military cronies? Although Germany paid some reparations to Israel; that not withstanding, Israel's modern development is far from external reparation.

Today, Israelis stand tall in the world with the holocaust behind them. In fact, Israel is a developed country by all international standards. It is a leading country in technology, science, military power, solar energy, academic scholarship and other development standards in a hostile region like the Middle East.

For this reason, Africa cannot stand out as the only continent or race that has received unfair brutalization and marginalization. The Indians, Australians, Latin Americans and even the founding fathers of America cannot be left out when arguments about colonialism and brutality is discussed. Although Africa's own form of colonization coupled with Trans-Atlantic slave trade is of a greater degree, yet still; that cannot be the only blame for Africa's under-developed and polarized status.

Post Colonial Leadership
Africa is not the biggest continent in land size or population but perhaps the biggest in development woes. Like Ali Mazrui opined in his paradoxes that Africa is the first home of man yet the worse home of man. Africa has the best of natural resources yet the continent does not benefit from a quarter of these resources in global terms. Africa has all the vast land and many people engaging in agriculture but their production is scarcely able to feed the people.

Mazrui states that (Mazuri, 1980) “the crises of habitability in recent history ranges from problems of tropical diseases to difficulties in physical communication and transportation, and from political instability in black Africa to the complexities of white dominated southern Africa. The resulting exodus of refugees from both black tyranny and white racism is part of 'living conditions in a political sense. If Africa was Adam's birthplace, the Garden of Eden is in serious despair. What is wrong?” Indeed, what has happening to the cradle of world civilization?

Africa has tasted Marx Weber's first authority system for long thus the traditional authority. Traditional leadership has for long been a great pride and still is. Charismatic leadership has also led the continent for so long but produced little. Africa should perhaps be fed up with mere charismatic authority because these forms of leadership like the traditional will need to be reformed into something better. Mere charismatic leadership in Africa produced the Mobutu's and the Idi Amin's.

Mobutu Sese Seku of former Zaire used his charisma, with the help of Machiavellian tactics to deprive his country of real development. Samuel Doe of Liberia only ended his life in a humiliating death ever experienced by a state president, having abysmally performed. Charles Taylor could only stand international trial and prosecution after his brutal reign both internal and external whiles Sani Abacha of Nigeria died mysteriously, having ruled with iron fixed hands.

Ghana's postcolonial leadership also started well under the charismatic Nkrumah but eventually fell when military overtake began on 24th February 1966. The retrogression of the country produced nothing but intermittent political instability. All the political doctrines of Busia, Acheampong, Limann and Rawlings were not enough to spark up a developmental revolution although a significant recovery began in 1992 when constitutional multi-party democracy was established.

Egypt's Abdul Nasser and later Sadat spent much of their time in Middle East conflicts. It was a hard power foreign policy against Israel which came with great cost and geo-political ramifications. The 1967 war against Israel was a total disaster for Egypt's entire economy. The 1973 Arab revenge war against Israel could also not be ruled out in terms of the cost of war.

In the horn of Africa, Haile Selasie and Haile Mariam of Ethiopia also allowed external cold war bipolar forces to influence them and the continent suffered instead.

According to Robert I. Rotberg (2004), “[Africa has long been saddled with poor, even malevolent, leadership: predatory kleptocrats, military-installed autocrats, economic illiterates, and puffed-up postures. By far the most egregious examples come from Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zimbabwe -- countries that have been run into the ground despite their abundant natural resources. But these cases are by no means unrepresentative: by some measures, 90 percent of sub-Saharan African nations have experienced despotic rule in the last three decades. Such leaders use power as an end in itself, rather than for the public good; they are indifferent to the progress of their citizens (although anxious to receive their adulation); they are unswayed by reason and employ poisonous social or racial ideologies; and they are hypocrites, always shifting blame for their countries' distress]”

These are powerful statements from Rotberg about African Postcolonial status. There must be a solution to these crises- perhaps not an alien one but an indigenous antidote.

Nevertheless, in Africa today, development is a key issue and many leaders and organizations are waking up from their under developed nightmares. Various projects and programmes have been instituted and supported by many African countries and bodies such as the AU and Ecowas. It is the hope of many Africans that the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the Pan African Youth Projects, the African leadership foundation and other African programmes will excel and not collapse like the Lagos plan of action some decades ago.

The ongoing projects in Africa need to succeed and all will depend on the current postcolonial leadership. Leadership and authority functions must be pragmatic in the areas of Legal-Rational as Max Weber emphatically stated in his bureaucratic ideals- a form of leadership that depends on institutional dynamics, laws, organizational structures, impersonality etc. African leadership must be ready to sing the chorus of probity, responsibility and accountability.

The hymn sheet of autocratic corruption, democratic Kleptocracy, oligarchic malevolence and institutional crises must be burnt to ashes. African leadership must be a political cornerstone that strengthens the substructure of a building or a super-structured headstone that gives shape to a pyramid. African postcolonial leadership must be a masterpiece for African postcolonial development. Certainly, every successful country in this world will have the same success story to tell.

For example, Americans speak of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin Roosevelt among others with great pride because their contribution to America's development was exceptional. The forefathers of America are still remembered because their efforts have made America what it is today.

Britain will also never forget their great leaders for instance, Winston Churchill. [Churchill was the greatest figure of the 20th century and perhaps the most towering personality to come out of Britain in the last few centuries. Though Churchill had and still has some critics and detractors, few ever questioned his love for his country.... He is still widely considered a great man. He was a fearless warrior and masterful military tactician and leader. He was a brilliant statesman and a quick-witted politician]. (Great Britain on Display, 26)

Modern Israel shall forever remember Theodor Herzl for his contribution to Zionism and the eventual establishment of a Jewish state on 14th May 1948. When David Ben-Gurion, (the Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization and president of the Jewish Agency for Palestine), declared the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine to be known as the State of Israel, Herzl's portrait was on the wall in memory of his role towards the achievement of the Zionist state. He was one of the founding fathers of Zionism who brought the plight of the Jews into the international scene. He made his vision known through series of Zionist publication and also presiding over the World Zionist Congress. (Wikipedia encyclopedia/Israel)

Perhaps in the 1890's many would have thought that a Jewish state in the then Palestine─ a land occupied by the Ottoman Turkish Empire was impossible. Israel was not even on the world map for over 1000 years since the Jews got scattered all over the world as a result of their tragic invasion in AD 70 by General Titus of ancient Rome. But suddenly in the year 1948, the once dead nation, scattered people with a dead Hebrew language ─ (a language which was not the lingua-franca for several years) received a political, social and economic revival.

Although there are great leadership in Europe and elsewhere; even from the western and the eastern block who contributed to the development of the country nonetheless there are also some retrogressive ones such as Adolf Hitler of Germany and Benito Mussolini of Italy who were influenced by Nazis and Fascist ideologies- the ideals of political racism, absolutism and political brutality. Joseph Stalin of the former Soviet Union and the Russian republic cannot also be forgotten when brutal leadership in the 20th century is being discussed. But for the African continent, it is a different dimension of the legacy of leadership.

Africa's postcolonial history and leadership has been marked by under-developed attributes. The blame game philosophy placed upon imperialism, colonialism and now neo-colonialism may be a justified precedence─ yet still Africans need better than what it is now. African leadership must change for the better. Africa needs a leadership revolution in the form of a “modern democratic leviathan” or perhaps a “democratic philosopher king”.

The Canker of Kleptocracy in African Democracy

In pre-colonial Africa, the forefathers of ancient Africa were traditionally managing their own affairs. Although the modernization theorist term those periods as the dark days of Africa due to what they call “primitive living, irrational thinking and unscientific activities as earlier discussed; yet Africa will be proud of some of the activities of those periods such as sanity in the society. The strong belief in supernatural deities and the fear of theocratic judgement scared many people from the act of corruption, immorality and lawlessness.

In their so called primitive living, they maintained some sanity in the society. The monarchical form of traditional governance perhaps never led to Kleptocracy- yes I mean Kleptocracy, thus “a government ruled by thieves- rulers who seek their personal gains and wealth rather than the welfare of the people by stealing state resources.

It can be confidently said that pre-colonial African traditional systems managed to refrain from “kleptocratic monarchy” The Malian Empire, Songhai Empire, the Ashanti Kingdom, Ethiopian Dynasty; etc. were powerful as far as African pre-colonialism is concern and are Africa's pre-colonial civilized pride. Even the cradle of world civilization Egypt, can tell a great story during the reign of their Pharaohs. Their reign brought gargantuan successes which are enjoyed by the world today- an ancient legacy of tourism. Other great leaders of African pre-colonial civilization were Sundiata Keita, Mansa Musa, Timbuktu, and Askia Muhammad among others.

For instance, Sundiata Keita founder of Mali Empire “rose from a royal slave and magician to a leader, establishing major territories through which gold was traded. He introduced the cultivation and weaving of cotton into the region. Sundiata unified the empire not only through commercial links but by laying the foundation for a common cultural identity. As one of Mali's greatest heroes, his life is recounted in griot storytelling tradition. The epic stories tell that he was born lame, but was cured by a miracle and later became a great hunter and warrior. Sundiata's use of supernatural powers are said to have helped him to defeat his enemies and form the empire of Mali, which means 'where the king resides". The Mali Empire under Sundiata and other leaders were very powerful in monopolization of trade. This empire lasted between 1200 and 1500 AD. (American Forum for Global Education 2000)

This pre-colonial empire of Africa is noted for several successes such as the building of gold, educational systems such as the university of Timbuktu and Nenne centres for foreign scholars in the middle Ages. (Tacit Dynamite, Aug 22, 2008) Gradually, the empires of pre-colonial Africa collapsed one after the other- Africa entered into a new age that was greatly influenced by western forces.

A great revolution occurred in the west after the evolution from the renaissance, enlightenment and the reformation age. From the horse and buggy period, the west (Europe) entered into another dispensation called the “industrial revolution” where men began to invent automobiles, machines, sophisticated equipment and later the building of factories. Western Europe had the brain to invent machines but Africa had the resources to ignite the machines by providing raw materials. In short, natural minerals, cocoa, coffee etc. was in the very soil of Africans but unfortunately they knew little about its relevance.

Therefore, what was experienced in Africa was an European foreign policy of expansionism and imperialism that eventually led to colonialism. After a long period of war against the indigenous African traditional empires, the west succeeded in dismantling the pride of African governance system.

The African form of government now became an alien determination. Indirect rule succeeded in corrupting many traditional leaders into forceful human trafficking i.e. slave trade. Because of the “so called” scientific and technological equipments that colonialism had to offer the leaders such as guns, schnapps, mirror, western clothing, formal education etc. (which were good materials though); Africa's own traditional leadership became corrupt in the hands of the colonial power.

The first and the second wave of African decolonization were in the 1960's and 1970's respectively. It was a great political healing for Africa beginning with Ghana in the year 1957 and ending in 1994- the collapse of Apartheid in South Africa. The question to ask is whether decolonization brought some economic healing to Africa?

In my first article online(Ghanaians “the victor in peace, unity, stability and development, 20/10/2012)I stated that the shadows of imperialism influenced African post-colonialism. For instance in Ghana, -“She gained independence in 1957 from western imperialism and colonialism into a united native-controlled Ghana. But six years after the republican day of 1960, the shadows of imperialism supported some indigenes into the execution of the first ever military coup on February 1966. The pillar surrounding African “Socialism, Nkrumahism and Pan-africanism” finally fell like a tree…”

But for the positive, Africa is experiencing new developments and reforms today. Democracy is growing well and even causing great revolutions such as the recent Arab spring in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, although they came with a painful cost. Institutions are also gradually shifting from “strongmen” into laws and ideal bureaucratic structures.

Although democracy has been tested and tried as a best form of government for the people among the other forms; what will happen if African leaders hide under the umbrella of democracy and become kleptocratic. What will happen if African democrats become kleptocrats by draining tax payer's monies and putting them in their personal international bank accounts? Mobutu of former Zaire did same when he was in power. It was even alleged that the former Zairian president was richer that his own country. The resource that emerges out of a democratic regime is for the people and must be used to promote their welfare. Kleptocracy is a canker that can destroy African postcolonial leadership.

Africa is recovering from the darkness and shackles of post-colonialism into the shining light of a democratic welfare state. Every African leader must be ready to promote that course. Africa indeed needs a better postcolonial legacy. A postcolonial legacy that will promote democrats and not kleptocrats- a form of leadership that will put the welfare of its people first before any other thing- a solid heritage that will bring back the sanity of pre-colonial Africa in the face of secularization and the endorsement of probity, responsibility, accountability and the rule of law in the face of liberalization.

African leadership need to change, African people need a better thinking and living. African militants need to be baptized with pan-africanism in order to save them from the intoxication and hypnotization of militancy and “rebelism”. (Emphasis on Toure rebels, Al Shabaab, Boko-Haram etc.) Africa needs no Kleptocracy in this present democratic revolution “because democratic Kleptocracy will only hamper development”. It will only confiscate the resources of the masses and illegally hand it to the few oligarchic rulers.

Democratic Kleptocracy must go to jail. Democratic Kleptocracy must be given a life sentence in prison. Africa must vote against any kleptocratic form of government found among the member states. Ghana need to vote against Kleptocratic government in any general election, Nigeria must vote against it, South Africa, Ivory Coast, and Egypt among others. Democratic Kleptocracy must be voted out of Ecowas, AU and even in the UN!!! Africa must vote against Kleptocracy because Kleptocracy in democracy or even in autocracy will only deepen African woes of dependency and forever hamper our development.

Conclusion
Africa's immediate postcolonial leadership perhaps began well, for instance Ghana under Kwame Nkrumah, Cote d'ivoire under Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Botswana under Seretse Khama. Botswana for example has since independence experienced a stable democratic process and strong leadership structure. Their political leadership system since post-colonialism is a commendable one and an example to all other African countries. Today the eastern block are leading the world in economic terms with powerful leadership structures.

China for example has managed to maintain one- party communism in a hybrid capitalist and socialist economy. North Korea and Cuba still remains radical communist but their development status is far better than many African states. Russia has also managed to recover from their soviet collapsed communism into Russians own form of democracy being driven by the strongman Vladimir Putin for so long. America still maintains its cherished liberal democracy with great pride whiles Britain also maintains their ceremonial monarchy and parliamentary democracy. Many Islamic states such as Iran and Saudi Arabia have identified Islamic Sharia as their governance pride.

Africa also has another opportunity after five to six decades of post-colonialism that was led by much political darkness, to transform it into a proper postcolonial leadership that will lead the continent for the better- a leadership structure that is not based on personality cult, “strongmanship” but based on institutionalism from the organs of government right down to the citizens. The destiny of African postcolonial leadership and postcolonial development is in the hands of Africans themselves.

Perhaps Africa must revisit Thomas Hobbes's theory and produce an African Leviathan who will be bounded by the social contract of multi-party democracy. It is going today on in many countries like Ghana where democracy is becoming a great beacon. Popular sovereignty must fully lie in the hands of the people through proper constitutionally mandated laws in order to ensure a better form of probity, accountability and responsibility.

Postcolonial Africa leadership has been in crises for long and the peaceful revolutions must continue through the polls in order to get the best leaders to drive the African economy to a better level that the precolonial fathers of Africa once led in the world through conquest

By Samson C. Agbelengor
Affiliates
University of Ghana, Legon
Tutor; Dega Senior High School, Kintampo North, Ghana

[email protected]
Box 342, Ashaiman, Ghana
(233) 247589145
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