IS OUR LEADERSHIP CUP FULL?

It was funand power packed – street performers, oversized puppets and endless vuvuzelas to the fore certainly made the 2010 world cup memorable. I think that hosts South Africa deserves a pat on their shoulders; unquestionably for becoming the first to host a FIFA world cup tournament on the continent. Yet more importantly, for bringing together the first generation of African players to play the world cup on their home soil. God bless South Africa, long live Africa.

Apart from the month-long soccer extravaganza, South Africa is presently holding a flower pot whose seeds are being been borrowed from across the continent and under-going a continuous indigenous watering in order that it might blossom with proud African colors. On the outskirt of Johannesburg sits the African Leadership Academy (ALA), a world-class Pan – African boarding school with the vision to groom the next generation of African leaders. The school's curriculum is structured to create the requisite environment for the true leaders to emerge. And as Dr.Gamal Nasser Adam of the University of Ghana puts it: 'leaders that Africa so desperately needs at this critical point in its history'.

The academy recruited its first batch of students in 2008.The Ghana Finalist Weekend which was designed to culminate the selection of students from Ghana was held at the SOS International College in Tema from March 7 to March 9 of the same year. As a national finalist on the ticket of my alma mater; Wesley Grammar School, I had the opportunity of meeting Mr. Fred Swaniker, Co-Founder and CEO of the academy during the weekend. After a cocktail party at the SOS college hall on our (the finalist) arrival, the dream of spear- heading a new leadership paradigm for the continent was brought to the fore by Mr. Fred Swaniker. The concept, which aims at bringing together the most promising young African leaders from across the continent and empowering them with cutting-edge tools in order to transform the fortunes of the continent, won my heart and have ever since become a faithful apostle: preaching the message of a new leadership wave for Africa.

A few months ago, the call by the Sudanese telecommunication giant, and the founder of celtel Africa, Mr.Mo Ibrahim for a new crop of leaders to lead the continent and salvage her from her current leadership turmoil served as a sun which to sparkled light on my campaign. Indeed the frustration that led the founder of the Mo Ibrahim foundation to take off his coat and address audience at the University of Ghana tells everyone about the seriousness of the issue.

There is enough evidence to prove that most of the problems that face the continent are as a result of the crisis of her leadership. The continent lacks those servant leaders who will serve their people. Politics has now turned out to become the easiest way to amass wealth once one finds himself or herself in a public office. The poor who do not sit in the row with the eminent ones (Politicians) wallow in the muddy waters of poverty whiles the latter bath in the Jacuzzis of state funds. Indeed the cry for a new leadership order is worth it.

The hues and the cries of the continent is in no uncertain terms a Trojan horse. The misplaced priorities are just bamboozling. It is fallacious to assume that the continent can be rescued from her leadership woes if consented efforts are not made to develop her youth in order to challenge the status quo. African leaders are intoxicated with the doctrine of Savatocracy (my coinage for 'till God save us').The time has come for the

big promises that garnish campaign platforms, to give room to simplicity and practicality that can impact generations. The creation of a congenial atmosphere for the leaders to emerge is critical. Aside putting up schools and upgrading infrastructure the school curriculum must blend the academic work with culminating service projects from elementary level to the tertiary. These projects must encourage new ideas in the areas of community development as well as in science and technology. The youth must also be provided with adequate funding and support and allow them to form global networks to develop themselves and their career. If the youth are trained to experiment leadership they will certainly be ripe for bigger tasks with their experience.

Knowing the importance of a correct attitude to a nation, Africa's proud son and exponent of continental unity called on the people of Ghana for a change in their attitude when he declared the independence of the country at the old polo grounds on the 6th of March, 1957. There is no denying the fact that the populace of Africa fail to give adequate moral support to their governments. Destroying state property, deliberate refusal to obey laws and the apathetic attitudes to national exercises is just but a few. The danger that the continent stands is that these attitudes are being transmitted to the younger generation. Civic education is earnest. There is the need to psyche the populace and provide grass root education to the unlearned masses. If the masses are given enough education about what their duties are in selecting leaders they will certainly not be bribed. Since it is not possible all can get education, we should not be oblivious of the fact that some sections of the public will remain illiterates and thus the necessity to provide them with this civic education in order to merge them beautifully in the garden of leadership in order that they do not turn to be thorns.

One of the favorite quotations I learnt at the Sunday school, whiles growing up concerns Jesus' teaching that a man removes the mote in his eye before he takes the one in his neighbor's eye. A physician must certainly heal himself first before he administers a medicine. I speak of Africa's current leadership that rarely leads by example. It seems that the yardstick for standard is comparison. If party A did so and so then we party B should not be questioned. Excusing legality under the guise propaganda is the greatest shame that falls down Africa's roof. According to Ivan Pavlov's social learning theory, individuals are shaped by the configuration of society. Thus the younger generation is understudying the older generation and will grow up to become a replica of their deeds and misdeeds. A call for caution. Let us beware!

As we celebrate the life of Nkrumah, a selfless leader whose dream lives on, let us remember that everything rises and falls on leadership. Africa shall be saved if only our leaders will preach and live by their long sermons. The time to walk the talk is now.

In God we trust
The writer a student at the Ghana Institute of journalism; is the leader of Orange Education Ghana and a member of the African leaders' project of the African leadership Academy based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

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