SPPG graduates 182 leaders, advocates for governance by individuals with character
By Dominic Sunday
The School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG) has graduated 182 leaders who will change the narrative of leadership in Africa on Thursday, 5th October, 2023, at the Shehu Musa Yar’dua centre in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, Dr Oby Ezekwesili advocated for the need for Africa as a continent to be governed by persons of character with the requisite competencies.
Speaking at the inaugural conference on the theme “The African Conference: The Era of Citizens Shaping a New Leadership Model of Good Governance”, Dr Ezekwesili said that the conference heralds the birthing of a new genre of African leaders who will lead with integrity and the requisite competencies and the capacities that we know transform nations.
“We just simply are tired of the bad leadership of our continent and the frequency with which that comes up in conversations within the continent and outside of the continent as being the reason that Africa has lagged behind all other continents”
“This is a really big challenge at every one of us, the educated, even the not yet educated on our continent, we cannot simply accept the idea of poor leadership in the public management of our continent.
“A continent with incredible pool of talent, talent that have done incredible things both within the continent and outside of the continent, and yet finds itself poorly led in the public space. That’s why we’re here today.”
“It does matter that citizens make an effort to change things that are not acceptable. That really is why we are all on this stage to convey the message that Africans are taking charge of changing the leadership paradox on our continent.”
She stated that the SPPG has worked to bring an interconnectedness that also mirrors where Africa is going with the integration arrangement as exemplified by the Africa continental free trade area and agreement that brought it into existence.”
Also speaking at the African Conference, Hon. Martha Karua who is a veteran politician, and former minister of justice, Kenya, said that Africans cannot afford to give up on the political future of her continent.
Buttressing on the need to rekindle hope again, Hon. Karua said that African leaders need to reignite hope in Africans.
“Politics is life, and life is very essential. So, we must do all that we can to ensure that people don’t lose hope in promise to restore to Africa her true glory”
In her closing remark, Dr Ezekwesili made the call for more Africans to wake up and assume their constitutional offices as empowered citizens, and actively demand for good governance.
That, “For as long as Africa continues on the path of very poor politics, a political culture that subordinates the common good for personal, private, or narrow interests, there is no chance of Africa achieving economic development”
“So if Africans need to transform our politics and we just sit back as citizens, hoping that those who have entrenched for government’s benefit as a matter of political culture will someday fall in the kind of situation of apostle Paul and have “Damascus experience”, we will wait forever”
“It is that simple. So those who think that we can stay as we are, and that somehow we will achieve the across the countries of our continent, I need you to know that data proves it, that we will not”
“Africa has chosen the path of democracy. And if you looked at historical numbers, more countries that have enjoyed prosperity have come through the democratic path”
“Democracy comes with political freedom. With political freedom, there is the rule of law. And that rule of law is the cornerstone of economic freedom.
“So if we know all this evidences about the world, we cannot then sit back and hope that somehow change will come. Nothing happens that is not made to happen”.
