“Africa has got all the factors to succeed, but what is lacking is how to harness all the factors to make headway. The topic of leadership in the 21st century is all the more important, because in my estimation the lack of good leadership in all aspects of our lives, is the bane of the African as we seek development.”
With these opening statements, former President of Ghana, H.E John Agyekum Kufuor, started his lecture on what it takes to be a good leader in Africa in the 21st Century – a lecture which explored the stories and ideas of some of the world’s most renowned leaders, that had inspired him and had helped mould his leadership style as President of Ghana.
In a lively conversation with students, staff, faculty and alumni, the former President shared personal experiences in politics, and the intricacies of decision making when one is the leader of an entire country. He spoke at great length on the evolution of the world’s political environment, and shared stories of some of the people who had helped set a standard for good governance and the good society.
H.E Kufuor also explained that throughout his political career the two most important attributes he had come to understand any leader should have was vision and conviction.
“As you leave this citadel of learning, you will undoubtedly be called upon to offer leadership in all spheres of social life,” he told his audience. “As a leader your one cardinal attribute that you should possess is vision. Your vision should lead you to accept that things can be made better, and that you’re prepared with the knowledge you have acquired, consultations with fellow stakeholders, and wisdom that you must have as a leader to make it happen – the betterment of society.”
“Above all, you should have the courage of your conviction,” ex-president Kufuor added. “You should possess the ability to mobilise people and resources toward a common objective. Additionally, you should ensure that you carry your people with you at all times, otherwise you will realise you’re leading without a following.
H.E Kufuor also emphasized the need for leaders everywhere to understand and appreciate the importance of reaching out to others, and learning from others experiences. He admitted that even though Africa may have lost the chance to create novelty, it was not too late to leverage on partnerships to leapfrog the mistakes and challenges other leaders had faced when starting out.
"We should not try to reinvent the wheel,” he explained. “We should rather focus on using already developed expertise to grow. All our partners and would be partners are working for their own best interests, but with right leadership we should be able to negotiate partnerships that can provide wins both ways. It is the mark of a good leader to be able to negotiate fairly.”
The address, read by the President, paved the way for open conversation, and H.E John Kufuor took questions from students on subjects that spanned from how he managed expectations of political campaign contributors to his side of the story on some controversial decisions his government took when in power. It was a rare opportunity for many in the room, as the former President openly discussed his thought processes and debated the audience with good humour.
This was the first time H.E John Agyekum Kufuor was visiting campus since Ashesi’s inception in 2002, and he commended the Ashesi community for being recognized as one of the best universities in the country.