There is a sense in which the forceful change of Government via Coup de tat in Bukina Faso few days ago makes a stark statement about the state of health of leadership in Africa nation-states. The current putsch was preceded by others in from of attempted and successful endeavours since 2019 in Guinea, Mali, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Niger, Sudan, Ethiopia, CAR and Togo and others.
Two deductions present themselves for critical consideration. One, the preponderance of these unconstitutional change of government happened in the sahel region countries of the west african coast as well at the Horn of Africa. Two, the raison-deiter advanced by the coupists are, as usual, failure of leaders of governments and the dilapidated standard of living of the people. Perhaps it serves a brighter purpose to also state that the age of the leaders of these “revolution” fall within the youth age bracket of 30 – 45 years.
Meanwhile, a peep into the inaugural speeches of the young leaders reveal mostly uncoordinated, irrational, unrealistic and highly exuberant declarations, many of which indeed ask more questions than provide answers. Now that the nose of the goat is already poaching through the garden nets in these arguably small, economically almost insignificant African countries, where corruption, poverty, unemployment, dictatorship and absolutism under all guises, are like second skins, pundits are wont to ask if a colour pattern of what is to come upon the African space, albeit, in escalating proportion, is not already emerging ?
The seemingly choreographed timing, content and sequence of these unenviable change of governments further resonate the silently asked questions about the quality of leadership, relevance and credibility that the current ruling elites in Africa is providing. It seems easy to spin the escapist yearn which goes thus : “Kings rule, peasants don’t” but there is also the corollary which warns that “Kings must rule well, with fairness, vision, compassion and courage!”
In point of fact, the quietude and apparent mummification of the ineffectual ECOWAS and AU cooperation faculties raise a critical question on their current relevance as a driving tool for regional and continental revival, prosperity and stability. It begs the question of whether there is a center to behold at all, talk less of holding it upon an anchor?
Lets face the facts, this insufferable military action of usurpation of governments that is silently emerging unremedied in Africa, is postulating a clear indictment on the leadership credentials of the current ruling elite in Africa. It is important to point out an earlier position one had canvassed elsewhere about the lack of clear ideological conviction, posturing or pursuance, identifiable with the cross section of high men of Governments in Africa. Unlike in the past where clear cut, robust and renowned (though sometimes contentious ) ideology of domestic and foreign policies of countries in Africa identify them and offers predictability for their actions, the mentality of African leaders today seems like “everyman for nobody and nobody for everybody”.
In the glorious past fondly described in the foregoing, we heard of the foreign policy of many African countries, most loudly Nigeria, as : Africa first before the world, Regional trade integration for prosperity, Cultural aggregation and renaissance, Peer review protocols for good governance, Regional security for self defence and the ambitious concept of Medium world power collegiate, promoted by the then mecurial Nigerian academic and doyen of foreign affairs policy formulation, Bolaji Akinyemi, Professor of political science and international diplomacy, former Director General, Nigerian Institute for International Affairs (NIIA) and later external affairs minister of Nigeria.
Today, few of such discourses or pronouncements emerge from the state “palaces” and neither are there forceful professing and postulations that are committal to any ideological beacon, from the ivory towers.
The point bears being made again that the peoples of Africa are heavily harangued. They are under the brunt of economic stagnation, physiological deficiency, stinging poverty, environmental degradation, cultural mystification and political instability. The future seems bleak for Africans. The level of frustration, gloom and hysteria are better not imagined than talked about, even in hushed tones. Today our youths, as evident, for instance, in the pop culture – music, drama and fashion – being produced and consumed, seem to be racing or better put, wrestling with the multifarious uncertainties which are traducers and reducers of their frittering future.
Though uncharitable to the elders who should know, the youths today have not hidden their preference for westernised, even basterdised self identity, so long as it promises commercial prosperity. The attraction is for success rather than the being of an African with a cause. For instance, many commentators have asked why our young musicians in Africa prefer dressing and talking like American rappers and the western hip hop performers while deliberately relegating and subverting their own African languages, existential codes and modes? Is it a form of protest against the inertia of Africa or in order to elevate the vanities and inanities of western cultures or simply a response to globalisation? The answer is simply that our young people are only interested in and are willing to do anything for commercial and popularity breakthroughs, at all costs, and in any weather. Unlike before where the codes of societal values are entrenched in family values which were somewhat canonical. Today, lewd coinage, elevation and justification of crime and criminality, sexual perversion, drug abuse and trafficking, robotic dance locomotion and obdurate fashion expressions, present more acceptable cultural curriculum to the society.
Succinctly put, poverty and loss of self confidence due to inequality and failed leadership in our nations have boxed the teeth of sense, value, confidence and sensibility out of the mouths of the general people of Africa.
The immediate dangers loom large as the pandora box is gradually opening. Among the last and perhaps most expensive “gifts” in the box of Pandora may be the emplacement of illegal and peripatetic regimes in African nation – states. It will certainly include a forceful installation of hothead youths who are renegades, angry, idealistic, largely misguided and armed. They will promote the capture of leadership through Coup de tats. Whatever remains of Africa might then produce a weakened, disjointed and centrifugal denomination of international multilateral relationships, amidst a fast growing homogenous world. Other concomitants may include a reinstatement of the crude, rude, arrogant and obnoxious rule of the might as happened in the dark days of Africa in the colonial and neo colonial years.
The thesis of this intervention therefore is to blow the bugle for an early rise to leaders of African continent across all institutions of leadership – politics, governance, academia, economy, cultural among others – to rise up to their responsibilities by providing an engaging philosophy of leadership. They must, as a matter of urgency produce progressive activities, tractions and ideologies, capable of fast uniting, orientating and mobilising the African towards a genuine Africaness and its unique advantages. They must provide quick win indices of prosperity and hope in order to recover, particularly our largely growing and impatient youth population whose anger and frustration is qualifying in the blight of COVID 19.
Instead of building individual mansions and paradise of fools in the air, African leaders are enjoined to activate a doer mentality with definitive and sustainable agenda for development. Such agenda must focus at inspiring true prosperity for our people. A prosperity which mobilises the individual to believe in Africa, think Africa , love her, live and work for her growth and transformation.
In conclusion, for the loud, empty barrel, oratorical African leaders for whom the answer to the question of “when will it begin” is the rote : “time is now”, the critical question to ask them is, “when is the nowness of now?”. A stitch in time saves nine.
Kunle Adebayo
Akure
24th January 2022