Renowned historian and academic icon Prof. Toyin Falola has urged African leaders to revolutionize their approach to governance.
With a wealth of experience lecturing at universities in 65 countries, Falola emphasized the need for leaders to prioritize people-centered policies and programmes.
Sadly, he noted that many African leaders are more focused on enriching themselves than driving development, with funds meant for progress being diverted into personal pockets.
Falola’s call to action underscores the need for a new era of leadership that truly serves the African people.
Falola spoke on Sunday night as guest on the popular monthly interview discourse, “Boiling Point Arena,” hosted by a media professional and public relations strategist, Dr Ayo Arowojolu, monitored by Persecondnews.
The current affairs programme which is the 27th episode via Zoom was broadcast live by three radio stations — WASH 94.9FM, Lagos, Sweet 107.1FM and Roots 97.1FM located in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He spoke on the topic: “The Socio-Economic and Political Survival of Mother Africa–The Dilemma and Viable Options.”
Falola, therefore, urged leaders and the people to shun greed and avarice so that democracy can become meaningful to the people as a vehicle for human and
national development.
“African leaders only involve themselves in money sharing. No development is on their agenda. What this means is that we are only shortchanging ourselves.
“Corruption will slow down development when leaders are misusing resources. The money that is meant for development are being diverted to personal pockets.
“But, when will this stop, this age of greed, such that we can now begin to use our resources to develop our people.
“Yet there are bigger problems of illicit transfer of over $88 billion every year from the continent through trade mis-invoicing, loss of natural resources, tax evasion by foreign companies in collusion with our officials in the continent.
“That is a big issue, huge with devastating impact. There is a capitalist domination that makes that illicit financial flow possible. The amount of money that Africans steal from their own revenues even in the domestic arena is mind-boggling”
On Nigeria, Falola warned that Nigerians are increasingly loosing faith in democracy, calling for a reversal of the faith deficit.
“We are facing democratic recessions. Our people are losing confidence in this democracy. There is pain in the land and because democracy doesn’t deliver, it has accentuated the problem of corruption which people are talking about.
“It reduces the number of people who can fight for justice and who can fight against corruption,” Persecondnews quotes him as saying.
A foremost traditional ruler, the Olowu of Owu Kingdom in Abeokuta, Oba (Prof.) Saka Matemilola was the keynote Speaker on the Zoom interview discourse.
Falola predicted a fresh wave of peoples angst and revolution n many African countries except the leaders and Heads of State in the region take urgent steps to reverse the hardship being faced by the people.
He also said the obscene profligacy and high-scale corruption by African leaders might contributory to push the people of the respective countries into what he called “revolutionary options”.
“The revolutionary options are preventable if the leaders reverse their current disconnect from the reality on ground. I think it is becoming urgent that African leaders must do everything to reduce the pain and hardship being faced by the people.
“Because if power is just about sharing resources, if it is not about using revenues to develop people, to what extent can you say the democratic dividends are spreading?
“Corruption will damage everything. Can we reform this democracy? Yes. But it’s going to involve what those in power do not like, And they must be careful not to push citizens to revolutionary options. They must be careful not to push citizens to violence.
“There are some African countries today, as in the case of Cameroon. We want to prevent situations like that. They are preventable to the extent that you govern well, manage resources, and govern with sincerity and passion,” the internationally-acclaimed professor said.
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