In 1973,Gen Yakubu Gowon was then the Nigerian Military President.He was seen then shaking hands with baby Justin Trudeau-the son of the then Prime Minister of Canada,Pierre Elliot Trudeau.Justin Trudeau was born in December 25, 1971.
Now in 2016,october,Jusin Trudeau who is the 23rd prime minister of Canada, and the leader of the Liberal Party is the second-youngest Canadian prime minister after Joe Clark.
Now,in Nigeria,we are still having recycled leaders who are brain dead who are still wanting to come back to power.
When will the young men and young women,vibrant and intelligent men,the youths of today contest in a free and fair election?
Look at the United States of America for example,the youths have refused to come out to become leaders so they give old people who are brain dead to become their leaders.look at the candidates for their upcoming elections in November and you will cry for America
What is even more frustrating about the “African paradox” is
the huge age gap between the leaders and the common citizens. It sounds
incredible, but 85% percent of Angolans were born after Dos Santos had
come into power in 1979; 83% of Zimbabweans were not born yet when
Mugabe came into power as prime minister in 1980; 79% of Ugandans came
along after Museveni had assumed office in 1986. It means that only
between 15% to 21% of the people were alive when these presidents took
the helm of the respective states.
The issue of the age at which African leaders for some reason refuse to retire is a rather urgent one. After Robert Mugabe had mistakenly denounced his own party it became clear – he was no longer able to retain the needed alertness and keep up with the times. Why is Africa so “overcrowded” with
the leaders who should be enjoying their retirement in peace and quiet,
instead of in the political corridors, campaign trails and taxing
political brinkmanship challenging even younger leaders?
One common feature that unites most African states is the presidents “for life” of venerable age. One of the most long-serving presidents has been ruling for whooping 36 years (editor’s note: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the leader of Equatorial Guinea; became president in 1979), while Robert Mugabe, the president of Zimbabwe, who is now 91, appears the oldest leader in the world.
In general, the median age of the 10
oldest African leaders is 35 years more than that of the leaders of the
world 10 most developed countries – 78.5 vs. 52. At the same time, in
comparison to other continents, Africa has the smallest proportion of
young leaders between 35 and 50.
Why so?
Reason number one: the masterly use of
brute force and violence to terror the opponents. Reason number two:
the combination of political machinations and corrupt practices. Reason
number three: the supporters of the “old guard” argue that with
age come wisdom, foresight and experience. This is rather questionable
judging by their declining economies and sociopolitical uncertainty.
However, being seen as “fathers of the nation”, such leaders still enjoy reverence and loyalty of the people.
With no doubt, the longevity of the
old leaders in the office is one of the reasons why there are no
credible and youthful successors. But this does not explain why
most African countries are still stuck to the leaders in their twilight
years. The question is: are African youths unable to exercise their
ability to decide on their own destinies or the correlation between
their leaders’ age and their floundering fortunes?
Unfortunately, the answer is
affirmative. Much of the progressive world has embraced the
innovativeness of youth – its energy, vibrancy, adaptability,
willingness to embrace change and enthusiasm to learn. Africa, on the
other hand, is lacking behind, unable to keep pace due to its
outdated aging leaders.
I remain yours
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