Rulers not Leaders ~ Africa's Greatest Nightmare to Sustainable Development.

Think about Africa's Agenda 2063 and the current political environment in Africa; are we really working towards the dream? Does what is happening in our African countries reflect our commitment to Agenda 2023? Are we walking the talk?

For sustainable development to take root in any country, governments have a key role to play. From developing frameworks and policies to guide sustainable practices, to creating a conducive environment for innovations and sustainable actions to thrive. As a matter of fact, no country can ever achieve sustainable development when its government is doing otherwise.

Just to give an example, over taxation of green start ups and businesses in a country results in them closing up and to cover the demand gap, imports fill the market ~ Which is not a sustainable way to meet local demand.

As such, for Africa to advance sustainable development, it needs leaders with a shared vision with their people. Leaders who see beyond their selfish political ambitions and leaders who listen to the voice of their countrymen. Africa need leaders who truly talk and walk the commitment for a better and sustainable Africa and not rulers who, guided by their greed for power and wealth, are taking every opportunity available to compromise our sustainable development dream and agenda.

Unfortunately, most of Africa's countries lack such leaders and are under ruler who want their words to be final, do not want to be held accountable and who never care about the future as long as the current situation is serving their political interest and ambitions. Such is the sad state of our continent.

Talk of political wars, high and unreasonable taxation, tiresome and discouraging business registration processes, retrogressive agricultural and production policies, poor production infrastructures, corruption deals, among many others that characterize Africa's political environment. All we see are rulers who want to use the power they currently have to amass wealth for themselves and secure the next election.

While the continent has the potential to even go beyond the Agenda 2063, has the youngest population to drive sustainable innovation and boasts of having among the most arable land, the biggest nightmare is the kind of people running our governments. They are not leaders but rulers. I hope and pray that one day, the story will change and we will have leaders who will lead us to a better, sustainable and beautiful future of Africa.