Obiageli Ezekwesili Calls for African Unity and Leadership Change

• Obiageli Ezekwesili highlights the pressing issue of poor public leadership in Africa and the need for transformative change
• Speakers at the School of Politics, Policy, and Governance graduation stress the importance of education and a new generation of leaders

Obiageli Ezekwesili, Nigeria’s former Minister of Education, has emphasized the importance of African unity and the need to change leadership styles on the continent. She made these remarks during the third graduation of the School of Politics, Policy, and Governance in Abuja.

Ezekwesili noted that leadership remains a fundamental challenge in Africa and that if the continent can address this leadership anomaly, it will be better poised to claim the 21st century. She further stressed that Africa’s primary issue is poor public leadership, which the continent has acknowledged.

The School of Politics, Policy, and Governance (SPPG), founded by Ezekwesili, was established to groom leaders with integrity who can bring about positive change in the political and business sectors. She urged the graduates to uphold the values of character, competence, and capacity. She warned that their certificates could be revoked if they fell short in character or competence while serving in public office.

In his keynote address, Zimbabwean lawmaker Gift Siziba emphasized the transformative power of education. He advocated for free education for all Africans, as education is a source of ideas and solutions that Africa desperately needs. Siziba encouraged African citizens not to lose hope in the continent and expressed confidence in a brighter future.

He stated, “If we cannot run, we will walk; if we cannot walk, we will crawl; if we cannot, we will keep moving on. A day will come when we will get into power, make the required changes and make life better for our people. All of us here, I have no doubt that one day, we will join hands to tell the success story of Africa.”

The school’s Vice Chancellor, Mrs. Alero Ayida-Otobo, announced that 184 students graduated in the 2023 class. She referred to the graduates as custodians of Africa’s future and urged them to uphold integrity, excellence, resilience, and tirelessness while never compromising their values.

Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi echoed that leadership is Africa’s biggest problem. He stressed the need for young people to take over from the older generation and break the cycle of neocolonial stooges, as African stolen wealth is stashed in advanced countries. Mwangi also noted the adverse impact of excessive religious focus on Africa’s development and emphasized the urgency of fixing the continent’s leadership issues.