April 8, 2018//-The former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo has disagreed with the assertion that, Africans need big institutions and not big men.
According to him, Africans need effective leadership and institutions that are strong and well managed which can endure the test of time.
The former United States President, Barack Obamaa statement years back when he visited Ghana that African need strong institutions. He stated that “African doesn’t need strongmen, but it needs strong institutions”.
But the former Nigerian President said he was in firm opposition to that statement saying strong institutions alone cannot be the answers to the problems of African countries, they also need strong leadership.
“Patrick I think it is President Obama who said that, and I don’t agree with him, we in Africa what we need leadership that knows its honour whether its big or thin or small or huge we need effective leadership and we also need institutions that are stronge that are well managed and that can endure and serve our countries”
Mr Obasanjo said this while speaking at the Presidential panel discussion at the just-ended African CEO Forum in Abidjan in Cote D’Ivoire.
The panel discussion also had Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa as one of the speakers and was anchored by Patrick Smith, Editor-in-chief of the Africa Report.
Mr. Obasanjo, touching on corruption said, in the fight against corruption, there was one principle to be respected which is having strong institutions and effective leadership.
“It’s good to have a law that sets up a strong institution. But you have to have the men who go with them, effective people. If not, we will not complete our mission. Our goals will never be achieved.”
Allow Civil Societies Organizations
Mr Obasanjo advised that African leaders should allow Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to function and serve the course of ordinary people but the latter should also refrain from interfering in politics.
“When civil societies appear to be doing the bidding of the executive in our continent, you will never hear any complain, “If Transparency International comes up and say something that we like, we hail it, if Amnesty International says something that we like, we hail it, I think it is all part of wanting a particular institution doing your bidding.”
He added that, the local CSOs which might not really doing the bidding of the executive but are as well serving the ordinary should be encouraged.
Mr. Obasanjo, however advised CSOs to be watchful not to be interfering in politics, “If your objective is humanitarian make it humanitarian and live it there”.
Bottlenecks of land acquisition
The former Head of State of Nigeria said Africa as whole have vast arable lands that can help to improve growth but often, land acquisition becomes a deterrent to investors to venture into it.
Mr. Obasanjom therefore urged leaders to make things easier for farmers, emphasising that agric could help increase economic growth by increase food exports.
No CSO should say this is our aspirations follow it-President Mnangagwa
The President of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa, on his part said he has no problem with any CSOs support communities in terms of logistics and training in his country and Africa as a whole.
According to him, there are several CSOs whether foreign or domestic who will come into ones country, “Saying a Civil Society has come to your country and we want to give clean water, borehole water I have no problem.”
He said in that case they are helping that community to access clean water or in terms of capacitating institutions he has no problem.
But some will also interfere in the directions and aspirations of a particular country by introducing what they think will be better for that country.
“You do not come from outside and say you community here what is good for you is the following, no each community know what they want, they know their challenges, they know where they want to go, assist them to achieve their aspirations rather than saying, no this is not good for you, this is what is good for you.”
He however said, what he was not ready to accept is for the CSOs to try to interfere with governance and try to impose their lay down plans.
President Mnangagwa lamented that, the CSOs who will usually organized individuals from different countries during elections and say they are going to train people how to vote “Some they come with gifts, rice sugar” are not necessary.
African leaders need vision and mutual aid
Speaking on challenges facing Africa, he believes the problem of leadership in Africa is the absence of vision. “Africa needs leaders that have visions for the future.”
He also addressed the importance of agriculture to African economies, and how it can help increase economic growth by reducing food exports.
Sharing his thoughts on how Africans can support each other for mutual growth, he said “Geographically, my country is far from Nigeria but that did not stop Nigeria from helping us when we needed it.”
He reiterated that, the vision of African leaders sharing mutual aid will go a long way to help.” Africa needs to learn how to manage its own problems, and this starts with the balance between leadership and institutions,” he noted.
African Eye Report
