Oby Ezekwesili, founder, School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG), says there is a strategic need to raise leaders that will turn around the fortunes of Africa through good governance.
Ms Ezekwesili, a former vice president, World Bank’s Africa Region, and ex-Nigerian minister of education, said this at a briefing to close the second edition of the African conference of SPPG in Abuja on Saturday.
The conference was themed “Good Governance in Africa: Leaders and Citizens Driving Systemic Change.”
She explained the need for substantial systemic changes in governance to facilitate meaningful development across Africa.
“Our continent is failing the majority of our people. Not the continent actually, but there is a leadership-failing majority of our people.
“We want to change that story and reality so that factually we begin to populate the public space with minds that have character, that have competence and capacity.
“Minds that will govern for the public good, and the African citizen will be at par if not ahead of the most advanced societies in our world, ” she said.
Mrs Ezekwesili expressed concern about the present cost of living crisis, poverty, and poor democratic governance in Africa.
She said that the conference, which attracted representatives from 12 African countries, recommended systemic change in governance to meet the developmental needs of the continent.
“Every country that is represented here, we see them as the voice of the citizens of this continent asking for systemic change.
“This is because if the system of governance does not change, we will only be making progress on the margin or, in fact, going backward,” she said.
The SPPG founder called for robust collaboration to achieve the desired systemic change.
She described the Africa conference as an initiative aimed at fostering effective leadership in Africa.
“The SSPG, which we have in Nigeria, in Senegal and we will soon have in Ghana, in Kenya and in Zimbabwe, trains people who will form a new generation of African politicians.
“It will also train public servants who serve the people as custodians of the African public space.
“This will ensure that the wellbeing of African citizens will be at the centre of the rule of government on our continent,” she said.
The conference brought together participants from countries including Ghana, Cameroon, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
(NAN)