Military junta not needed for Nigeria’s transformation – Leslie
Dr Rachel Leslie, a vital Pan-African scholar, has mentioned that Nigeria possesses adequate natural and human resources to transform itself without resorting to military rule, urging the country to embrace visionary civilian leadership as an various.
Talking on Channels Television’s Incredible Africans programme, Dr Leslie praised Burkina Faso’s transitional leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, for his daring developmental policies, describing him as a most up-to-date successor to African revolutionary icons esteem Thomas Sankara, Kwame Nkrumah and Julius Nyerere. Alternatively, she stressed that Nigeria’s articulate is mainly assorted resulting from its scale and resources.
“Nigeria would not require a military junta to transform itself,” Leslie mentioned. “The country is extraordinarily effectively off – from oil and gas to uranium, gold, diamonds, fertile land and a inhabitants of over 200 million. There's nothing Nigeria lacks, and that contains expert and educated voters.”
She argued that Nigeria, no topic its challenges, has the skill to now not most productive emulate but surpass what Traoré is in the meanwhile doing in Burkina Faso, offered it will get its leadership priorities impartial.
The student, who became born in Paris all over the mental period of Paris Noir, described Traoré as piece of a lineage of African leaders committed to repurposing nationwide resources for human construction and regional empowerment. But she warned of the hazards of militarism turning into dominant in African political existence.
“He must obtain a stability between placing ahead sovereignty and guaranteeing that civil and mental spaces live initiate,” she mentioned, whereas moreover expressing anguish over his private safety resulting from the geopolitical tensions his policies might well perchance per chance merely provoke.
Leslie, whose academic background spans the US, Germany, and Nigeria, mentioned Africa’s true fight remains heart-broken leadership and the failure to learn from the past.
“What we desire is leadership that learns from our ancient past, now not governments that repeat its mistakes,” she added. “Nigeria’s blueprint as a continental leader is long past due. It's time to rise.”
