The observation by African leaders meeting during the Second African Governance, Leadership and Management Convention 2011 that the continent needs a radical shift from the current ‘rudderless leadership’ ought to be pursued.

Africa is awash with abundant natural resources and brilliant, hard working people. Its representation in the United Nations is immense. It has Diaspora who have made impressive inventions - even enabling enabled developed nations explore outer space. A darling to developed and emerging economies, the contient has no excuse for underdevelopment.

It is clear that  the political turmoil, disease and hunger plaguing the continent  is to a great extent attributable to leaders who have surrendered leadership to nature and foreign capitals and have failed to harness the physical and intellectual resource for common good. The continent risks losing this decade if those in positions of authority  uphold this trend.

Whereas such leadership forums are good for reflection, they will be reduced to mere talk shows if they don’t include the ordinary citizen’s voice and set reviewable practical targets aimed at positively positioning the continent to reap from global partnerships and improving living standards in Africa.