Where are the Philosopher Kings?

Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius usually comes to mind when one is asked to give an example of a philosopher king. In Meditations, his guide to life rooted in stoic philosophy, Aurelius stressed the importance of freeing oneself from selfish desires that hinder personal development. Today, Aurelius’ style of leadership reads like an emblem of a bygone era when leaders were not just political heroes of their nations, but moral torchbearers as well. The Africa of today is in dire need of good, virtuous leadership that will steer the region’s growth along the right path. As the continent finds itself on the fault lines of a shifting world order, many wonder if this may catalyse the long-anticipated African Renaissance: a period of exponential economic growth, cultural vibrancy, and diplomatic potency. However, the real spanner in the wheel of this great feat is not ability, but volition. With the emergence of new nodes of power, wealth and diplomacy, Africans must now ask themselves whether their societies are well-equipped to produce the kinds of exemplary leaders that will oversee their national advancement. Essentially, it is time for Africans to take national virtues seriously and it starts with demanding greater accountability from themselves, and their leaders.

PROBLEMS THAT RUN DEEP

The Africa of today is a place where varied and, sometimes, contradictory realities exist. Despite Africa’s significant contributions to global processes of development such as the industrial revolution for example, the region has historically been excluded from global conversations; where the continent is either silent, not invited to the table of discussion or is viewed simply as a theatre or empty space where global power competition plays out. Presently, the continent is both home to the world’s youngest population, as well as a large portion of the globe’s poorest. Even the continent’s modernization efforts appear inconsistent: for example, from 2015 to 2020, financial backing received by African tech start-ups grew six times faster than the global average, even as returns on venture capital investments in Africa were almost four times less than returns in regions like the Asia-Pacific and Europe.

The reality on national levels is even more precarious, as the collective experience of perverse democracies and poor institutions characterized by bureaucratic indolence has left many Africans convinced that the continent remains a place people flee. As an observer overlooking the myriad of problems the continent faces, one is left to wonder if there really are foreign puppet masters pulling the strings behind the scenes to ensure these problems never go away. While foreign influence has very little to do with this directly, international and regional pussyfooting of the continent’s dysfunction implies an underlying disdain for African countries and their peoples, a silent assertion that the continent cannot amount to better and so there is no reason to expect better from it. What lies at the root of these aforementioned problems is twofold: the selfishness of leaders who put their individual needs over those of the collective and the civic apathy of the citizens who have the power to change these circumstances.

THE FISH ROTS FROM THE HEAD DOWN

Much like the struggle for independence from colonial rule, many African countries are still engaged in a desperate fight for their survival. However, rather than colonial powers, the adversaries in this battle are what former US president John F. Kennedy described as the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war. Good leadership remains one of the key missing pieces in Africa’s post-colonial development puzzle. Rather than rise up to the challenge, the ruling elite across Africa have made themselves enemies of their countries’ progress. Like buccaneers, establishment politicians have captured the state: robbing their citizens and future generations of their dignity and agency. They have weaponized poverty, lack of education, ethnic rivalries and the people’s perceived helplessness to further their own selfish interests and those of global multinational institutions that profit from a destitute and failing Africa. The worst part is that regular people in some of these countries seem almost defeated by the chaos and have instead resorted to making excuses for these rulers, some even going as far as defending their oppressors.

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Where are the Philosopher Kings?

PROBLEMS THAT RUN DEEP

THE FISH ROTS FROM THE HEAD DOWN

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