Africa needs enlightened leaders ― Former Ghana president, John Kufuor

FORMER Ghana president, Mr John Kufuor, has said that Africa must be in search of enlightened and creative leaders in all spheres of life and in respective African countries to surmount present challenges and ensure exciting future in the continent.

Speaking after he bagged honorary doctorate degree in Public Administration by the Kwara State University (KWASU) Malete on Tuesday, the former Ghana president said that poor governance in African continent came about through poor leadership and poor allocation of resources.

The former President, who called for true servant leadership among future African leaders, said that such leaders must have grasp of geopolitics around them and resolve to render peaceful and prosperous service to ensure sustainable development in the continent.

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“Future leaders in the continent must be made to know that true governance will be brought about with respect for the country and the people, respect for individuals and general humanity, which will make it possible for sustainable development to be achieved while keeping corruption to the barest minimum. Such leaders do not happen by chance”, he said.

He also said that African leaders should be guided by the challenge of climate change to prevent against possible clashes, disruption of peace and ethnoreligious wars etc, adding that they should tackle such other challenges of globalization, youth unemployment and low infrastructural development.

As Nigeria goes into election early next year, President John Kufuor advised that people must accept that democracy has come to stay in the country, saying that government should encourage participation by majority of the people.

“You’re the most populous country in the continent. Whatever you do here reflects on life and everything else on the African continent. So, my prayer is that the people of Nigeria will exercise their rights of choice in accordance with the federal constitution to give themselves a sort of leader they desire. When they get such leader, they should ensure checks and balances system of government is respected by government and the media should be the watchdog when things go awry. And that should be done according to law. Everything should be as decided or determined by the constitution”, he said.