Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday identified good
leadership, governance and development as the elements for economic
progress in Nigeria and Africa.
Mr. Obasanjo said this at the 15th Centre for Values in Leadership
(CVL) Annual Lecture and International Leadership Symposium in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the
symposium was entitled: ‘Leadership and Performance in Africa – The
Challenge of the Continent’s Economic Competitiveness.’
Mr. Obasanjo said the economic challenges facing the country were
as a result of lack of continuity in government policies among other
reasons.
“Our leaders must prioritise adequate infrastructure as the basis for our development.
“We must embrace new technologies to tackle security challenges
in the country, build strong institutions to uphold our core values.
“In Nigeria, there is the need to acknowledge and appreciate our diversity and not make it a liability.
“We are called the giant of Africa because of our huge human
resources and diversity, meaning that it is an asset that we should
appreciate and not make it a liability.
“Nigerian leaders should not think of the well-being of
Nigerians alone, but the well-being of the African continent as a whole
to promote a common prosperity,” he said.
Mr. Obasanjo said that terrorism was thriving in the North-east due to the poor level of education in the region.
“The level of education in the South-west is 85 per cent, 83
per cent in the South-east and less than 30 per cent in the North-east.
It is sad that we are having this statistics in the same country.
“Our leaders should invest in education because it is very important for human growth and development,“ he said.
According to him, Nigeria has transited from pre-colonial to
colonial rule, one military regime to another and from one political
party to another taking over government.
“But we need to transit to a popular movement where people will feel the impact of quality governance,” he said.
In his keynote address, Kandeh Yumkella identified bad leadership
and governance, sit-tight leaders, ethnicity, too much book sense rather
than digitalisation as some barriers to the development of Africa.
Mr. Yumkella is a former Director General, United Nations
Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and also a Presidential
aspirant in this year’s election in Sierra Leone.
He urged African leaders to include business experts and
intellectuals in their cabinets, to bring in knowledge that could
trigger the era of hope and opportunity in Africa.
“African leaders must be able to manage demographic transition
where young men and women will be properly mentored and empowered to
prepare them for the future.
“African leaders should also begin to support and invest in
industrialisation, energy and infrastructure, especially the rail
project, to connect our people and our economy.
“They should also recognise that governance structure should be about development, research and evident-based policies,” he said.
In his remarks, Pat Utomi, Founder CVL, said that the current
socio-economic challenges facing Africa require a reflection on measures
to reverse poverty challenges to human dignity on the continent.
Mr. Utomi said at the heart of the challenge was a poor leadership
which made efficient utilisation of human resources and natural
endowments a failed mission.
According to him, most leaders fail, not because passion to lead is
missing, but because they lack respect for Rule of Law and Public
Governance Institutions.
“In spite of our challenges, hope is not lost, because Africa
has the strong potential to rise from the present ashes of poverty and
decay.
“The current wind of change blowing across the globe is the
rise of young leaders in business and government. Africa cannot be an
exception to this global trend.
“The lesson is that leadership without adequate successor is failed leadership.
“African leaders should, therefore, start the process of
bringing up new generation leaders who are destined to be part of the
future of the continent.
.“If technology will rule the future of almost every human
endeavour, the transition to youth-led leadership in business and
government should start today. Otherwise, Africa will be left behind
again,” Mr. Utomi said.
The annual lecture series is CVL’s commitment to engendering
conversations that will aid initiation of policies that are business
friendly and capable of lifting the continent, particularly Nigeria out
of poverty.
It is also to help in growing leadership that can make these happen.
(NAN)