The Senior Associate for Africa and Regional Director at the National Democratic Institute, NDI, Dr Christopher Fomunyoh has questioned the ability of long-serving African leaders to adapt to the changing times.
Amongst others, he cited their lack of versatility with technology and we’ll as the rapidly changing mentality of youths. “How can you explain that someone like that can be able to compete with today’s technology; and respond to the worries of the youths?” He questioned.
“The world,” he explained, “has evolved and it is about time we too evolve our leadership so we can galvanize our resources and leverage them so that it can benefit the African people.”
Speaking during an interview on Nigerian media, he blamed poor leadership for several problems plaguing the African continent.
“Africa is not a poor continent but it is poor leadership that is placing us where we are. It is poor leadership that is giving Africa a bad name. How can u explain that somebody close to 90 years old; President Biya just celebrated his 88th anniversary a few days ago has been in power for some 40 years; Obiang has been in power for 42 years…” Dr Fomunyoh questioned.
It was necessary for leaders, he said, to understand that there are better ways to resolve differences other than through violence. “We as Africans have to do everything we can to bring our leaders to understand that violence only bequeaths violence and that political grievances should be resolved through negotiations and political means,” he said.
Africans, he stated, “… have to do everything to silence the guns on the continent so that we can all focus on building a better Africa than the one we might have inherited from the previous generations”.
Lauding the recent election of Nigeria’s Dr Ngozi as head of the World Trade Organization, Dr Fomunyoh said: “…Africa needs to get a seat at the table and that is the only way it can get its voice heard…”.
Quizzed over his intentions to run for the office of president of Cameroon, he said the conditions laid by the authorities in power remain unfavourable and are aimed at enabling the regime in place consolidate power at all costs.
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