There is no question that Africa is in dire need of good leaders, the question has been asked and we are in search of Africa's true leaders, but are there any true leaders in Africa?”. Last year the leaders of Africa where put to the test, with the announcement from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, who is looking for a leader to award the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership.
The award is the first of its kind, and will be awarded to a to former African executive Head of State or Government, who ‘has demonstrated excellence in African leadership’. The first of its kind, and of unprecedented scale and scope, the Mo Ibrahim Prize, which is an astonishing $5 million dollars, which is awarded over period of 10 years. In addition the prize will award the winner an additional $200,000 a year for the duration of the recipients life, and an additional $200,000 per year may be awarded in receipt of ‘good causes’ exposed by the recipient, over the course of the ten years. It is interesting to note that the Noble Peace Prize, only awards 1.3 million dollars to recipients. Some may raise concerns over the fact that the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, has placed no controls on how the award money is to be spent. In a country ripe with HIV/AIDS, poverty, child soldiers, and so much more, one can only hope and pray that the money will be used to assist those African's in need, especially children.
"Nothing, simply nothing, is more important for Africa than good governance" Mo Ibrahim
Leaders in Africa are often infamous for their failure to protect the masses, for greed and corruption, and as one clearly sees when reading any news on the country, that the children are suffering the most from this failed leadership. It was for that reason, that so many praised the announcement of the award last year, hoping it would deter much of the corruption that plagues the continent. Even the least political and worldly of persons can quickly jump in with a list of names of those whom are unworthy of the award, therefore the task of finding a suitable recipient is a task few would desire to take on. The true question appears to be, 'should we essentially be bribing people to be the leaders that they should be?”, the leaders of a fair and just nation, or continent!
For now the question remains, will we see a true leader for this years prize, the winner of the first Mo Ibrahim Prize is to be announced on 22nd October 2007. However even in a continent such as Africa, true leaders have emerged, most notably, Nelson Mandela, who appears to be the forerunner of the prize. For others it may appear that the foundation shouldn't look to the unlikely leaders in Africa, for a recipient of the prize, but maybe some of the victims of Africa's worst political struggles…the countless children on the continent who struggle to overcome hardship on a daily basis. Children who where thrust into adulthood at an early age, many of whom accept their fate with pride and strength, leading others down the same path. Children like Nkosi Johnson, Kimmie Weeks, The children leading the Children's Parliament in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and so many others.
I look forward to hearing your comments on the award, and who you believe is the candidate who fits the bill as Africa's true leader. Therefore please feel free to begin a discussion of this post's comment board.
