Recognition and Appreciation
By Madi Jobarteh
Glad to share this Award presented to me today by the Young Africans Network for Global Goals (YANGG http://yangg.org/) at their Africa Youth Summit taking place at MDI in Kanifing. It is inspiring to see young Africans seeking to play their part in uplifting their society. YANGG is a continental youth movement founded in 2018 in Nigeria.
In my statement, I reminded the delegates that Africa is not short of youth leaders, political leaders or leaders in any sphere. I reminded them that since I was a schoolboy and throughout my youth years in the community, I had joined several youth groups of all sorts. I reminded them that there’s no shortage of youth groups, movements, structures and initiatives in each and every African country.
Yet, the reality is that the youth of Africa continue to be challenged by poverty, deprivation, lack of opportunities, misgovernance and conflict among other ills. Today, more African youths want to flee the continent than to stay at home. I told them that Africa is not poor rather Africa has been a donor to everyone around the world especially to the US, UK, EU and China.
The evidence lies in figures about ODA, FDI, illicit financial flows, and trade which show that Africa gives more to the outside world than they give to Africa. Even the remittances that the African diaspora send back to Africa are more than the combined aid and investments from the US, UK, EU and China to Africa.
I told them to ponder over why every foreign president would call all 54 African presidents or prime ministers to summits in their capitals. I told them to ponder over why Africa is the underdog of the world when Africa has been the source of wealth for everyone else. In the UN, while Africa is the single largest bloc, yet Africa is the weakest bloc, with no membership in the Security Council. Meantime, every so-called power or so-called donor country has military bases spread across the continent as their multinational companies can be found in every part of Africa raking billions out of Africa daily!
I told the young people that the time had come for young Africans to begin to question the status quo, the narratives, and challenge leaders and voices like myself, and not fall for populism, propaganda and empty rhetoric of leaders, intellectuals and technocrats.
I concluded by telling them that Africa has no resource problem. We have no knowledge shortage or capacity challenges in any field. Africa has no shortage of ideas, plans, tools, materials or finances. Rather, I told them that the only challenge Africa has is the lack of ethical leadership. Period.
Africa lacks leaders who uphold the laws, principles and standards and are committed to the best interest of their people and willing to serve them with commitment, integrity and character. Africa’s leaders who are in charge of its institutions of governance and development disregard laws and values hence are the greatest obstacles to the freedom, development and shared prosperity in Africa.
Hence, as young people they must prioritize ethical leadership because it is what makes or breaks a society. For over 60 years of independence, every African country is facing immense challenges of poverty, conflict, inequality, injustice and corruption simply because of unethical leadership. So long as the continent remains in the hands of unethical leaders then there is no hope for the present and the future.
As young people, I urged them to uphold values and standards as a personal commitment without compromise.
African Youths, Rise Up and Demand Ethical Leadership.
