Can young Africans lead change in the continent?

Are leaders born or made. This is a subject in which countless books have been written, and we are not likely to have the final answer to this question anytime soon. The other more pertinent question is whether African youth can be trusted with power. Can youth below the age of 35 years be elected into office, and bring much more meaningful change to the continent.

Telecoms billionnare Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese Briton, introduced a 5 million dollar prize to award former African leaders that during their term, left office democratically, and were also instrumental in promoting peace and stability, and above all, initiated an economic empowerment in their countries. That the prize has not been awarded for a number of years is telling of the appalling levels of leadership in the continent. However, a critic would say that Africa is not the only place where there is a dearth of leadership. In deed, there are many places in the world with untold levels of suffering that has been occasioned by poor leadership. What sets these countries apart is that they have strong institutions and systems that are able to withstand any winds that a bad person may bring along.

Could African youth fill this dearth of leadership in the continent? If facts are to be believed, more youth are getting higher education, and thanks to the internet, they are exposed to first class systems of the way things are done in other parts of the world. They therefore could begin to mobilise and ensure that effective change takes place. For this to happen, African youth must be detribalised, and be able to engage across ethnic boundaries. It is sometimes astounding that even though African youth are very highly educated, sometimes, some of the most heinous tribal hatred emanates from us. When we realize that there is more that binds us than separates us, it is time that the youth begin to be more unified, and take Africa from the sidelines of world affairs to the center where Africa will be respected as an important player in the world.