By Akaba A James
Each time a new leader emerges by universal suffrage or the decision of a few in the ruling class, there is much euphoria and renewed hope; expectations are heightened, and the spirit of patriotism electrifies the country! The political trajectory witnesses a sharp rise before becoming fairly steady over time!
Bob held-tight the baton for 37 good years! He didn’t realize that he was tired and needed some rest till when it was time to install his successor, after he was made to resign! At the young age he took power which permitted him to rule this long, he did not believe anyone that young or anyone else was qualified for office. Thus he had to stay that long, almost close to the life expectancy in some countries!
For 37 years, the country suffocated under the limited ideas of one regime instead of opening up the political space to more revolutionary ideas from more reformers if everyone had a fair shot. Many people will remember him for his land reform program and a bunch of other achievements! Overall, the country could have achieved even more if within this time, four other leaders he inspired, led the country in succession while he took the back sit and played the advisory role from within the council of the wise as a senior statesman!
He, like some other African leaders, had a very long stay in power and his successor as well as Zimbabwe may be measuring time using Mugabe’s time frame in office as a reference (an extension of the general laxity in efficient time management loosely referred to as Black Man Time)! Who knows for how long Emmerson will stay? We know elections are a sham in many of these countries!
Parkison’s law states that, “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”. Give a President 5 years in office and he will work 14 hours a day – but give him 10 years and he will work 7 hours a day! Give a sprinter 10 minutes and he will wear out within the 10 minutes running extremely fast to arrive first, but give him 10 days and he will start with a walk, and he will take many rests within the walk! But suppose 10 sprinters did a relay run within the 10 days as opposed to one long-distance runner! Imagine how much distance will be covered! The more leaders stay long in office, the lower the average of their productivity over the time span! Most new leaders, overflowing with productive innovative ideas are efficient and effective in office within the first three years (and the first 100 days in office are a litmus test of what lies ahead).
After that time, they lose steam, and sometimes have to start defending the success or failure of their policies! This makes 4/5 year presidential terms renewal once more results-driven and efficient and good for any country! The incumbent presents a balance sheet after the first term for the people to evaluate and dismiss or renew confidence! Thereafter, the country turns over a new leaf with a new leader full of fresh and innovative ideas, and these ventures often bring about the desired results!
It is time for Africa to reset its time frame, and start sprinting its growth, economic development, industrialization and technological development! It has enough manpower and ideas! It is time to stay trendy and overhaul the system at shorter time intervals – 4/5 years – time to start sprinting! There are many other talented sprinters who can take the relay baton and help us stay relevant and ahead! No need holding on to it until we are out of breath! Patriotism calls us to put the interest of the country above personal interest and pass on the baton when we start waning! There are many Obamas in Africa who have lived their lives in obscurity, while a small class of octogenarians maintain their grip on power for decades and dictate the political pace of the country, most often stifling its progress with their enormous inertia to change!
Instead of investing in education, health, infrastructure, technology etc, they waste most of the state resources on political propaganda and rallies, blocking all avenues like the internet that is a powerful tool for change, and building a very strong and ruthless military to crack down on any form of descent. These are measures that do not favour economic growth; they do not create new opportunities for the nation to blossom!
In the new age, many aspiring leaders with creative ideas count on new communication technologies including social media (Facebook twitter, Whatsapp) to ascend to power, while many dictators shut down these media platforms to manipulate the people, monopolize the narrative, chock off descent, keep the people blind and uninformed in order to maintain their grip on power as long as possible!
We have had to make-do with a number of ruthless sit-tight leaders until nemesis catches up with them! Many Africans have surrendered any change in the leadership of the country to fate; they count on the day they wake up and hear some dramatic news and watch from a distance some form of change by the class that holds power.
When I pick up photos I took in the 80s, there is always something about it I feel like adjusting! Many African leaders are leading people of a generation different from theirs, very much like a Nokia 3 phone heading a generation of the Androids and I-phones or 1/2 G dictating the pace to 5 G and they expect harmony. Tastes are different! You cannot teach old dogs new tricks!
When the age of sprinting starts in more African countries, that is when we can have greater hope of bringing home the gold medal in economic growth and development! We cannot continue to be the third world, at least not politically!