True leadership is discovered, not taught. However, it is an icing on a cake when you acquire some training. One of the 10 principles of leadership I learned while at Cornerstone Leadership Academy, Rwanda, where I attended high school, is having vision and a sense of purpose. To me this is the most important leadership principle any leader must have. The ability to set out a vision and clearly articulate it to others. The ability to serve and empower others remains the noblest of all human qualities. In resonance with Africa, our mindset and ideological capacity has hindered our progress as a continent. I am aware that development takes time and no doubt some countries have made tremendous progress. However, Africa is like that A student scoring a B or C because we have all it takes to be the most modern and prosperous continent that ever existed in history. When it comes to human capacity; we have the best intellects, talk of market and the labour; we have the youngest population full of energy and innovations, talk of land; 60 per cent of arable African land is uncultivated. Crazy enough, people still die of hunger and are being fed by the World Food Programme. Poverty and wealth are human factors. The difference is one is a success of leadership (wealth) and the other one is a failure of leadership (poverty). There is no doubt that we need a rebirth in our political systems, governance, economic prosperity and a clear ideological orientation that guides our place in the world. Over 60 per cent of Africa’s population is under the age of 25 and by 2030 Africa’s youth will constitute 42 per cent of the global youth populace. Therefore, anyone who thinks about the future should think of transforming young people for the better. Imagine such a number without jobs, education, hope but full despair. It is a disaster and part of the insecurities Africa is facing; is that the majority of our young population are jobless chronically and ideologically. This is dangerous to the future of Africa. However, on the flip side imagine if this huge populace is educated, informed, ideologically oriented to a higher purpose in life, dignity and self- confidence for a bright future. It will spark unimaginable innovation, creativity which will lead to massive industrialization, hence economic prosperity in Africa. At African Rebirth, we started this endless search and cultivation of a renewed mindset. A mind that is tired of mediocrity, a mindset that is deeply rooted in the ideology of excellence, prosperity and accountability. I have no doubt that we shall and will have this achieved. The young people across Africa are ready. I say this because I have grown up around East Africa and I have learned that Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya are linked in culture, political organization, geography and history. I have always had an African view in relation to our place in the world. Also, throughout my experience engaging with the young leaders across Africa; I have discovered that we are actually more connected culturally, historically and ideologically. Therefore, our differences could be an advantage. However, over 70 per cent of the young people admitted to our programs confessed that they had little or no knowledge of other African countries in terms of culture, history, economy, geography and political organization. For example, many believed that some countries like Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Cape Verde and Morocco, didn’t belong on the African continent. Second, some also believed that our North African sisters and brothers aren’t African enough just because of their skin colour. This is unfortunate but African Rebirth answered the call of enlightenment through partnerships with our the world renowned institutions like United Nations- Burundi, where our headquarters are, to strengthen peacebuilding initiatives and strengthen strong advocacy for Sustainable Development Goals amongst the young leaders in the East African region. Through our organisation, I strive to enlighten, empower and inspire others to noble limitless possibilities of human endeavour. We link young people from all the corners of Africa to meet, interact and connect, and learn opportunities about business, employment and education in various African countries. Since our birth as an organisation in 2021, we have mentored directly and indirectly over 2, 000 young leaders across Africa with the high level training in diplomacy, leadership, entrepreneurship and peace-building. We have hosted ambassadors and career diplomats, ministers, members of parliament, CEOs and executives of civil society organizations to facilitate these workshops and networking webinars. We have also established an incubation platform where all young innovators and entrepreneurs from all corners of Africa interact exchange ideas for innovation, and have successfully created an ecosystem where top government leaders, business and civil society and young leaders can network and be mentored hence encouraging a bottom-up approach hence creating a more formidable force of good to challenges that face Africa. One of our key programs is the mentorship leadership initiative; young people across the 55 States of Africa are recruited, oriented and trained by top African and global government leaders in politics, business and civil society. The aim for this to enhance the following: Close the inter-generational gap that exists between top leaders and the young the people. At African Rebirth we are bridge where senior top leaders in governments, business and civil society organisations across Africa meet, interact, connect and have meaningful African cantered discourses. This is great for young leaders to connect with senior leadership but also a big opportunity for top leaders to have knowledge and the real meaningful challenges and solutions that would propel our continent to another level of greatness. Cultural diplomacy; many times Africans have been convinced that they are so different and diverse; it is true diversity is real because even twins have different fingerprint details. However, even though our target audience are young people, true excellence is achieved through synergy. We therefore, call governments, private sectors and civil society organisations to truly engage in the transformation of young people across, not in excellent rhetoric but real commitment to a new generation of young leaders full of hope, dignity and prosperity. Enoch Tumwine is a political scientist with special interests in diplomacy, international security, economy and military strategy. He is also the founder and President of the African Rebirth, a Pan- African non-partisan organisation that seeks to empower young African leaders.
