•Says African leaders are hypocrites
Folalumi Alaran in Abuja
A former director of the Kenyan anti-corruption agency, Prof. Patrick Lumumba, has described Nigeria as the missing link to the greatness of the continent.
He, however, blamed African leaders for the growing insecurity and economic problems on the continent.
He specifically chastised the leaders for discussing trivialities during the recent African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Speaking at the 20th anniversary of Stefanos Foundation on Wednesday in Abuja, Lumumba, blamed the challenges to Africa’s greatness on the problems of leadership structure and institutional corruption.
The anti-corruption czar, who delivered a lecture on “Census 2022: Concerns for Internally Displaced Persons and Implications on the 2023 general elections ” maintained that Nigeria was a missing link to Africa’s greatness.
“During the two day summit, I, like many Africans, waited to hear our leaders talk about the conflict in Africa, especially, Mali, Burkina Faso, about the insurgency in Nigeria, about the conflict in Central African Republic, Eastern Congo, Northern Mozambique, Southern Cameroon, Sudan and different part of Africa.
“But I only listen to them talk about whether Israel should have an observer status at the AU. Indeed, they did not stop there; they constituted a team of African heads of states whether Israel will have an observer status at AU. I was disappointed,” he stated.
He noted that the proliferation of IDP camps in the region, which should ordinarily serve as a temporary base but now permanent abode for many citizens was a result of lack of empathy from the leaders.
According to the professor of law, time has come for Africans to ask themselves painful and uncomfortable questions.
“We Africans have been nice to each other for too long. Now the time has come when we must speak the truth in all its nakedness that it will prick our conscience.
“Many times, when I think about the continent of 54 countries each of which all has a government, army, police, defence ministry, I asked myself, why is my continent so insecure? Why is my kit and kin so traumatised, brutalised and abused but those who we give the authority and power to preside our affairs enjoy security like no other?
“The tragedy of Africa is not that those in leadership do not know. They know. I can assure you that they know better than what is contained in this report because in every African government there is a unit whose only duty is on a daily basis to deal with intelligence and security. But somehow nothing happens.
“In the last few months I have been watching Africa. I have seen coups in Guinea, Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso and an attempted one in Guinea Bissau and I have seen those who are in position of leadership as president and who was once surrounded by security being humbled and almost been humiliated and i asked myself that do those in position know that it can happen to them?
“I want to tell you that before it becomes better in this continent, I fear it will become worst. I fear it will become worst because when one look at Africa today, there are IDPs in every corner. Camps, which was supposed to be temporary has become permanent accommodation. Those who elect are seeing the suffering. Sometimes you wonder if blood flows through their veins.”
While making reference to one of the works of the late foremost, writer and author, Chinua Achebe, Lumumba wondered how Africans at every election cycle foster on themselves dictators and yet they celebrate them.
Programme Coordinator, Stefanos Foundation, Mark Lidpo said terrorists’ activities in the country encouraged high level of crime with impunity and has now given room for political exploitations that is affecting the rule of law and good governance.
He maintained that bias, intolerance, marginalisation and sectional scheming has further deepened the fault lines, noting there are no signs of “these ills abating any time soon.”
