The premise of democratic governance is that people who are entrusted with leadership should govern with the best interests of the people at all times. This is where most leaders fail. John Magufuli’s presidency is a contemporary case study in leadership that gets it right on one level, and absolutely falls apart on another.
Mr President, the buck stops at your table, and history right now records that you presided over the killing of your citizens, and you proceeded to threaten them in your distasteful speech afterwards. You acted neither like an elder, a Nigerian statesman or a President.
Public leadership must always be held in trust. The privileges that we hold today must never be equated with lifetime mandates. Individuals who have been called to serve must truly approach their tenure with an element of humility and a commitment to decisiveness. In these uncertain times, people cannot afford many apologies. Who knows what new challenge lurks around the corner?
I have often been asked what prompted me to establish the ALA Model African Union (ALAMAU) in 2013. Truthfully, I cannot take sole credit for the idea. The bottom line is that I was inspired by the passion of the young people whom I found at African Leadership Academy when I arrived in August 2012. So, let’s rewind. I was… Read More »Why I Founded The ALA Model African Union
Louise Linton was incredibly reckless with her memoir, and she deserves all the criticism that her book will get. In attempting to justify herself, she wrote on Twitter that “I wrote with the hope of conveying my deep humility, respect and appreciation for the people of Zambia…” No, you did not! You disparaged, belittled and disrespected Zambia. You perpetuated the exact same stereotypes of Zambia and the rest of Africa that little white saviours like you have publicized over many generations.
I was beyond delighted when I got the invitation. For many years, I had heard, watched and read so much about Rwanda and I could not wait to be on the ground. For a nation that had come to be defined almost solely by one word, I could not wait to take the environment all in for myself and make… Read More »Kwibuka! A Week in Rwanda
I have just returned from a three-day experience in Istanbul, Turkey, where I had the great privilege of attending the third edition of the annual Al Sharq Youth Forum, and to network with leaders of some of the world’s foremost youth organizations. My insights from the weekend supersede the fact that global change is indeed possible, and that consensus on… Read More »Change Is Possible; Consensus Requires Effort
Nigeria has come a very long way as a democratic entity in 16 short years, and the promise of democracy is only just beginning to yield its first bud. Nigeria is not a changed country because a new president was sworn-in on the 29th of May, it is a new country because catalysts in positions of authority demonstrated exceptional leadership in the days leading up to and succeeding the 28th of March, 2015.
On this day, June 16, 38 years ago, about 20,000 students from across schools in Soweto, South Africa took to the streets to protest the injustice in the South African education system. These protests were in concert with the nationwide outrage against the oppressive Apartheid regime. As those children stared down bullets and police batons, they demanded for an education… Read More »Day of the African Child
Having spent the last seven years of my life in and out of education – teaching in six schools in three different countries -, I attended the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE 2013) in Doha, Qatar seeking clarity about my capacity and my role in helping to transform education, with a strong focus on Africa. As a young African… Read More »Emerging Thoughts on 21st Century Learning Skills
It’s a very beautiful afternoon, and I’ve just had an extremely sumptuous lunch at the expansive dining hall of the newly-commissioned Qatar National Convention Centre. Besides the aesthetics of this gorgeous architectural masterpiece, I’m bowled over by the professionalism and courtesy of the staff here; everywhere I turn, someone is making a slight bow to say hello. At lunch, the… Read More »Heartbeat of the African Diaspora
Has anyone ever attempted to paint a picture of a hardworking, determined global change-maker, without preconceived biases? We all have. Barring any sophisticated scientific postulations, our ideal change maker has the stern face of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the intimidating physique of Michael Jordan, the booming voice of Barack Obama, the overall clout of Nelson Mandela, the soaring networks… Read More »The Power of ONE: Fred Swaniker’s Audacious Mission to Transform Africa