The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has finally announced its recipient for 2011 Achievement in African Leadership award, after no winner emerged for the last two consecutive years. The foundation was established in 2006, by a Sudanese native and telecommunication mogul Dr. Mohamed “Mo” Ibrahim. The foundation is aimed to support good governance and to recognize as well as celebrate excellence in leadership in Africa.

The Achievement in African Leadership prize is awarded to a democratically elected former African head of State who has served their term in office within the limits set by the country’s constitution, has left office in the last three years, and has demonstrated excellence in office. The prize consists of five million dollars, disbursed in a period of 10 years and $200,000 annually for life thereafter. The foundation can also consider granting a further $200,000 per year, for 10 years, toward the cause espoused by the winner for the purpose of serving public interest.

Since its inception, the winners of the prize included Joaquim Alberto Chissano (2007), Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (2007) as an inaugural honorary recipient, Festus Gontebanye Mogae (2008), and Pedro Verona Pires (2011). Joaquim Alberto Chissano was democratically elected as President of Mozambique in 1994, in the country’s first multiparty elections. He was reelected for the second term in 1999, and then, he stepped down from presidency, refusing to seek reelection, even though the constitution did not restrict him from pursuing the third term. Chissano was instrumental for ending Mozambique’s 16 year-old civil war and he allowed for establishment of multipartism to flourish in the nation. He managed and oversaw the country’s post conflict reconstruction, which was characterized by great reforms in economic, health, education and empowerment of women.

Nelson Mandela was awarded the prize as an honorary laureate for his role model and for being one of the greatest statements of the time who will continue to inspire generations. Mandela endured personal sacrifice and dedicated his life for the struggle to end a racial apartheid regime of South Africa. In 1994, Mandela was elected President of South Africa, in what was the country’s first ever multi-racial elections. After forming a national unity government and serving only for one term, Mandela resigned, and never wished to seek a second term in office. Mandela’s chances to continue in presidency for life was unchallengeable.

Festus Gontebanye Mogae is the third President of Botswana. Mogae first became president in 1998. After his party, Botswana Democratic Party won the elections again in 2004, he went on to serve for the second term, ending his reign in 2008, in accordance with the country’s constitution. During Mogae’s tenure, Botswana experienced steady economic growth, better management of resources, and improved social services. His strict enforcement of anti-corruption measures, puts Botswana among the least corrupt countries in the continent.

Pedro Verona Pires won his first presidential seat in 2001, and then prevailed again in 2006 for his second term. Despite wide publicized speculations that Pires could amend the country’s constitution to allow him to run for the third term, he instead stepped down in the end of his second term, saying, “this is a simple matter of faithfulness to the documents that guide a state of law.” While in office, Pires instituted significant reforms that transformed Cape Verde into a model for democracy, stability, prosperity, good governance, and respect for human rights. Under Pires stewardship, Cape Verde has become only the second African country to graduate from the United Nations category of the Least Developed. In spite of these winners, who all posses impeccable track records, the fact that the foundation was not able to find any African leader who meets the criteria for the award in year 2009 and 2010—demonstrates a disturbing trend of an Africa inhibiting the progress of practicing good and quality leadership. This means the Dark Continent is still long way to improve performance in excellence in leadership.

Even though the Mo Ibrahim Foundation initiative is a noble cause, intended to encourage good governance and excellence in leadership, the award has its shortcomings. For example, the whopping awarded monetary amount is misplaced, because it is in the presidency that African leaders earn most of their cash; not when they leave the office. Hence, these leaders cannot simply be enticed by cash in order to leave office, when they can just snatch more of such money on their own. In essence, the award is rewarding the rich of the rich in Africa. Normally, African leaders transfer power peacefully after negotiating and securing hefty package for themselves that will ensure their livelihood for eternity. Otherwise, these leaders cannot see any incentives in giving up power, which is actually generously fuels their wealth.

As much as it is important to recognize and reward excellent in leadership in Africa, more attention should focus on empowerment at the grassroots, which in turn can hold the leadership accountable. There are enormous need to support functions of institutions and sustainable self reliance programs to ensure human dignity and equality as well as elevate poverty and prevent diseases. By solely recognizing only the elites, the Mo Ibrahim Achievement in African Leadership prize will continue to reaffirm the “principle of the big man,” where rich people reward themselves with their wealth.

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