K4or Centre for Leadership

Recent reports that Ghana's former President, John Agyekum Kufuor is “trying to set up a centre in Accra for the study of leadership, governance and development has attracted a number of reactions from both within and without the country. The proposed K4or Centre for Leadership will be a centre of study, research and of writing and inviting people with information and experience and track record to come and share views. Ex-president Kufuor told Capital FM in Kenya. He also hopes to be able to share my ideas and values by writing something on leadership, governance and development and put down his views on this matter.

Some of the comments can be said to be unsavory, sarcastic and connotes intense personal hatred for the person rather than the issues at stake. Take a moment  to read the content of one such comments. "Ex-President Kufuor to set up leadership centre? What sort of leadership? We don't want the kind of bad leadership we experienced during his tenure under the NPP.The saying is true that two heads are better than one so if he is genuinely trying to give good leadership to Ghanaians and Africans as a whole, then he should join Dr.Kofi Annan to expand the Kofi Annan centre in Accra or extend it to other regions. What he is trying to do is to attract money into his pocket since his taste for money knows no limits.The saying is also true that Africans are too self centred; every body wants my own, this is nonsense".

How sad to read such comments. They can best be described as myopic in scope and depth and smacks of pure animosity and intense hatred of the man as a person rather than any well-founded issues against the ex-president.

Coming to the substance of commentator's contention, I wonder if the commentator is aware that Ex-president Kufuor was indeed the very person who built the Kofi Annan International Peace-keeping and Training Centre (KAIPTC) and Kofi Annan Information and Communication Technology (KAICT) centres at Teshie and Ringway Estate respectively in honour of arguably Ghana's number one and most renowned diplomat. How then can anyone turn around to accuse him (ex-president Kufuor) of self-centredness in same matter?

In any case, what is wrong having many more leadership centres built and ran in Ghana? Is anyone thinking like this commentator thus also accusing former US President, Jimmy Carter of same charge because there already many such election monitoring centres before he set up the Carter Foundation in the USA?

I think such jealousies will only further the already bad situation of pull him down (PHD) syndrome existing in the country mostly fueled by ethnic hatred and such animistic tendencies. This has in no uncertain terms stalled the development of our motherland. Juxtaposing what we would have done if we had similar opportunity is not just evil but hypocrisy of the highest order. It also smacks of lack of ideas and defeats the very foundation and tenets of democracy. Democracy is about diversity and not narrow-mindedness. 

Look, despite all the attempts by President Attah Mills and his cronies to mudsling Kufuor, have you heard him (Kufuor) ever say any evil about President Mills like Rawlings did to Kufuor from June 4 2001? It must tell us that the man is a very mature politician and knows where all this will lead to. That the Al Qaeda and Taleban smear propaganda tactics will backfire and hit those engaging in it in the face.I believe Kufuor's silence is heaping tonnes of coal upon the heads of his detractors in government today. Only time will tell.   

I feel very happy that lately many Africans are trying to build institutions which seek to train generations coming up for leadership roles in the society in future. This augurs well for sustained development in our communities and countries. Take for instance the soccer academies which are set up to equip our young footballers help them to learn and view the game from its professional perspectives and gradually the continent is beginning to enjoy the fruits thereof. Hitherto, it would have been unthinkable to hear or read that European big soccer leagues and club giants like leaders Chelsea in the UK are feeling uneasy because in January and February 2010 they will lose the services of their African players (Essien, Drogba, Obi, Kanou, etc,). This has generated huge debate and interest about the timing of the CAF tourney. Personally, I think it is good for CAF not to shift its position on this issue and in no time i can confidently foresee that, 'if Mohammed does not go to the mountain, the mountain will move'. It tells you we are getting our recognition and due which African Footballers really deserve for their contribution to the development and growth of the industry.

Similarly, through such leadership institutions like the one proposed by Kufuor, we can blend our traditions and make more scientific deductions out of our practices which often condemned due to lack of proper appreciation and understanding of their roles. I have no doubt in my mind, that this will surely improve our parliament debates and enhance policy formulation. Recently, I took part in a course organised by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) based in Geneva, Switzerland, on financial negotiations. One of the key themes identified as the bane of many African nations when the engage in international negotiations is lack of requisite and qualified people. Thus there is no gainsaying that the need for leadership centres in Ghana and other African nations is long overdue and hence all must embrace and support the K4or Centre for Leadership wholeheartedly. Slavery and colonialism have already robbed us of so much knowledge and development ideas and we can not afford not to bridge the generational gap both in information and development paradigm suited to our cultural and traditional practices. The time to act is now.