President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital passed a damning verdict on African leaders, saying they are responsible for much of the conflicts and underdevelopment tearing the continent apart.
Jonathan who made the indictment while speaking at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Addis Ababa was reacting to questions on challenges of leadership on the continent tabled before him and some other Africa heads of state during a plenary session.
Other panelists at the session were: Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi; President Ali Bongo of Gabon and Namibian Prime Minister, Nahas Gideon Angula.
Arguing that it was the inability of African leaders to subsume their ego and personal interests under the state that made them manipulate their countries’ respective constitutions to extend their stay in office, Jonathan pointed out that short-term governments and instability, occasioned by military regimes have also thwarted development in the continent.
According to him, “If you look at the African country historically from where we are coming from, we have been having states, different governments because of military invasions.
But the leaders must not see themselves as being above the state and not put their interests above the interests of the state. This is the cause of most problems.
“Also, a leader may not be the best brain or the strongest physically to be the president, but he must have the ability to see potential and use the right people.