Fmr President Sirleaf Bemoans “Political Dinosaurs” -Raises Women’s Leadership Suitability in Africa

While trying to copycat others’ leadership culture and/or governance system, African people carry in their blood that gene of hegemony and autocracy; this has accounted largely for the trials and challenges that have befallen nations of the continent. Not only do most people and nations of Africa have a repulsive tendency to much freedoms and liberties, they however pattern their leadership arrangements after Western nations that are obsessed with the sense of freedom and liberty. In most cases, the evidence that comes out is the high temptation for autocracy, expressed in leaders’ tendency to hold on to power nearly perpetually. Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who served just two terms and turned over power peacefully, thinks this is wrong, and it seems she also thinks the women species of Africa could change the narrative and stick to Western democratic practices. The Analyst reports.

Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been on the backs of tyrants who attempt to mask their innate totalitarian traits with democratic elections but when the process unfolds consistent to law, they turn the other way and superimpose themselves.

In an interview with the famous British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the former Liberian president said despite multiple attempts by several African leaders to perpetuate themselves in power, and there could reason they do so, the voices demand change is very strong to ignore.

Madam Sirleaf observed that many African leaders that have stayed in power for too long, some of them have justification regarding the need for sufficient authority to continue development, but the truth of the matter is, the call now for change is very strong and this is coming from the young people of Africa.

“Those that represent the major of the population that say you cannot continue to take their time for leadership, and we must join that particular movement that calls upon our age African leaders to exercise the wisdom that they have shown in so many ways to give us power to be able to establish the system from transition,” Madam Sirleaf noted.

She said Africans, particularly their leaders, must practice what they preach. According to her, the African leaders set the rules for democracy, and they established the system and institutions that protect democracy and so it is time to deliver according to what they have put forth.

She said the international community has been too slow, to engage and to mediate, though acknowledging that the African Union which is perhaps rated internationally is slow to be able to engage.

“We must to develop a system that will protect women and children,” Madam Sirleaf, who turned over power after her two constitutional terms. “There is lot of pressure you know we still have men who feel that they can rule the world and they have the entitlement to continue to do, and so we must continue that path to show our equality in every aspect to be leaders that you leave 50 percent of the population to deny them opportunity to achieve their own dream and be able to contribute freely to the development of the country and the world.”

Said added that to ensure they stay in power, men often support other men to continue in power.

“But in so many ways women are now in the ascendency,” she said.

Since Madam Sirleaf’s debut to the African Presidency, when she headed Liberia for two constitutional terms, the crusade of women leadership has heightened, according to some pundits.

There have been so many other female leaders globally emerging, including Joyce Binda Malawi, President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania and other global women leaders in national and bilateral institutions.

Liberia has also produced its first female Vice President Madam Jewel while the United States of America followed suit by producing its first female Vice President Kamah Harris.