1950-2000
… the intense Years
From the early 1950s Leadership in Africa entered into a period of birthing nations as the colonizers beat the retreat. Nationhood would throw a complex array of challenges at leadership in Africa. How did Africa handle these challenges? A single volume cannot hope to tell the full story of any one nation; we shall not even try. What we will consider is how leadership in Africa has fared in governance and social concerns.
The intense times of the nations were characterized by changing decades. The 60’s were a period of relative honeymoon as Africa cracked the nut of colonialism and produced nations. Governance changed hands from foreigners to leaders in Africa. For the first time in centuries communities in Africa had voice again and rejoiced at the prospect of self- determination. The euphoria and grandeur was unmatched a historical first in so many ways. What may not have been clear is that independence did not mean a return to the old community order it was to be association on a new social plane (order) and identity – the nation in a global village.
By the late sixties it became clear that the integration of communities into nations was to be a major concern for many years to come. Many ethic battles were to be born out of the failure to make a success of the transition to nationhood. Some of these battles culminated in ethnic atrocities of inhuman proportions. No doubt efforts were made to create a national identity; Anthems, Dress & Language, Flag etc but perhaps not all of leadership in Africa understood the importance or the significance of forming nations and not enough was (or has been) done. Leadership in Africa must examine its role in sustaining internal conflict. By not resolving the matter of national identity, nations can expect continued distraction and sub optimal performance of nations.
By the seventies cracks began to appear in the landscape. Dictators and military regimes shot to the foreground. Civil wars, unrest, Governments in trouble and news of tense situations in Africa emerged. These were trying times for the nations and leadership in Africa. Many of the Great Ones had held on to power, some had been deposed. This was a time in which regimes began to change face. Why did internal conflicts emerge so quickly after independence? Was this freedom? Why were the people dissatisfied? Were they not reaping the fruits of independence? Did the people feel cheated of the fruit of victory?
Did leadership in Africa go into hiding? Perhaps too the people were saying: “we have achieved independence-so what’s next? Give us another challenge!” did leadership in Africa have an answer to this question? Was leadership in Africa fully engaged participating and contributing to national affairs or was it left out in the cold as leaders ran down government? Self- determination had been realized, now social responsibility beckoned. Where was leadership?
The 1980s will be remembered for the biggest feeding campaign the world had ever known. The place: Africa. Besides natural calamity, the use and management of land and utilization of resources came sharply into focus. It was far from adequate. These were the years when world players were no longer impressed with Africa’s independence bravado and demanded to be paid back loans, grants and started to use aid to manipulate governments, collapsing Africa into a cycle of poverty hitherto unknown. Economic despondency forced African governments to go hat in hand around the globe. Again we must ask where was leadership in Africa during those years? What happened to all that energy that moved the nation at its formation? What happened to initiative and enterprise? Was it absent or just not appreciated? Where was leadership had it dissipated to a point of insolvency? Was foreign aid really the solution? By the eighties it was clear that economies in Africa were not managing.
The 1990s saw a new rise of popular movements in Africa. This time they were of an internal nature. They were labeled the forces of democracy. Africa was hit by new waves of protest against leadership. There was something new about this uprising against leadership. It was new. It was from a new generation. The participating population this time had been born into freedom so to call it uprising against oppression may be wrong, but it was a wave of protest against something. Upon close examination the “democratic” forces of the 1990s were not about – one man one vote. They were about populations fed up of living without a hope. The people were simply dissatisfied with the current state of affairs and at a loss for future opportunity.
As the nations patriarchs were forced to hand over power, Leadership succession became a major concern across the continent. Meanwhile populations were still ravaged by hunger and disease while ethnic conflict returned with a vengeance. The end of the millennium would have little good news for a continent that had been through so much pain.
THINKING
Why did the success of the freedom struggle not follow through after independence? Within a short time after independence leadership dynamics seemed to have changed. Many of the new nations descended into turmoil as they struggled with the new reality and new responsibility? Is this the failure of success or the failure of preparation for success? Did the leaders claim leadership and then fail to manage it or did the people abandon leadership to the leaders after the success of independence. Did freedom translate into social responsibility? And what is the role of leadership in Africa in the formal environment?
Weaving its thread through the affairs of the nation for 100 years has been politics. In the first 50 years politics rose and ruled. In the last half century it has reigned but also seems to have ravaged the land. Before we move to delve into the key issues of the intense years, we must reflect on the conditions surrounding organization and order as Africa changed state and describe a leadership framework that will help us understand some of the challenges faced by leadership during this period.