Ex-Botswana President Lists Bane Of African Leadership

Stakeholders at the first Prof Claude Ake Memorial lecture have  underscored the need for a total re-engineering of the political and economic sectors of the country in order to drive Nigeria on the path of recovery.

Making their views public at the memorial lecture of Late Prof Ake, titled, “Doom to Boom: Political Economy of Rivers for Citizens Prosperity. Lessons from Botswana”, organised by the Friday in Port Harcourt, the stakeholders also stressed the need for an alternate economy from oil.

Former president of Botswana, Mr Festus Mogae who declared that change could  be hinged on purposeful leadership, pointed out that the bane of Africa’s development cannot be divorced from corruption and visionless leadership, which according to him had provided the fodder for the various conflicts that were recorded in the continent.

The former Botswana leader asserted that many of the conflicts would had been avoidable if the leaders had  democratic principles and pursed human development rather than selfish ambitions.

He observed that Africa’s natural resources had turned into a curse because the few elites who would had used the resources for the common good failed to utilise them, noting that such resources were depletable.

Mr Mogae stressed that Nigeria despite its huge oil and natural resources had remained stagnant due to too much reliance on oil and therefore called for an alternate economy anchored on human development, democratic institutions and participatory governance.

He opined, “ it’s not all gloom and doom for Africa because democratic process is sweeping across Africa and new leaders are emerging, adding that what the citizens want are accountable, participatory and transparent leadership.

Chairman of the occasion, Minister of National Planning, Dr Shamsudeen Usman noted that oil had become a curse more than a blessing to the country.

Dr Usman submitted that the country’s economy needed re-engineering as the present administration had already begun efforts to re-tune the economy based on vision 20:20.

He stated that the vision 20:20 contains the  road-map for revitalisation covering the 36 states if the federation and would provide the bench of progress in the next for years.

He disagreed with the view that Nigeria’s economy was not improving,” “changes are happening and when we get the politics right them the economy would be right”.

Dr Usman said for the changes to be sustained there was need to show commitment, consistency and continuity and enjoined the citizenry to join hands to move the country forward.

The minister stated that the federal government have developed 105key performance indicators that would provide the benchmark for national rejuvenation.

Earlier in his remarks, Governor Amaechi condemned lack of accountability especially in the oil sector as it encouraged corruption.

He pointed out that the agitation in the Niger Delta goes beyond resource control but equitability in the polity and called for a shift to agriculture as a way of curbing unemployment and poverty.

Governor Amaechi argued that the zoning formula does not encourage emergence of good leaders, a problem besting the polity.

Chairman of the organizing committee, Hon Charles Levi Gogo remark that the lecture was to chart a new course for the state and country in general.

He noted that the lecture was timely as it would revived some of Late Prof Ake’s political thoughts relevant to the polity and at the same time immortalize the political economist and his contributions for Africa’s development.

Former Botswana President, Festus Mogae (left) fielding questions from newsmen at the memorial lecture in honour of late Prof Claude Ake held in Port Harcourt. With him is the Minister of National Planning, Dr Shamsudeen Usman. Photo Chris Monyanaga