Leadership In Postcolonial Africa

Leadership in Post-Colonial Africa examines the leadership concepts and lessons that emerged during and after the attainment of independence with insightful studies of Africa's first female presidents, gangster elitism, Nelson Mandela, and beyond.

Leadership in Post-Colonial Africa examines the leadership concepts and lessons that emerged during and after the attainment of independence with insightful studies of Africa's first female presidents, gangster elitism, Nelson Mandela, and beyond.

This book explores the economic and development challenges seen within post-colonial Africa. Particular attention is given to governance and political leadership challenges within Africa and how they have resulted in poor education facilities, a lack of infrastructure development, corruption, and economic insecurity. The ways in which Africa’s natural resources and agricultural land have not been utilised to drive development and economic growth are examined in relation to internal political conflicts. Broader issues, such as labour exploitation, financial leakage, and the exclusion of women from decision making, are also discussed. This book highlights poor political leadership within Africa and presents a framework for inclusive economic growth within post-colonial Africa. It will be of interest to students, researchers, policymakers and leaders working with development of African economics.

This book contains different reflections on leadership and institutions in Africa. Drawing from different ideological and methodological orientations, the book highlights how leadership and institutions have shaped and continue to shape the trajectory of Africa’s political and economic development. The book explores different epochs in Africa’s history, from the era of colonialism to the period of nationalist movements, and up to post-colonial Africa. Essays in the volume engage with major actors and important institutions that defined each era. By presenting various reflections and representations of leadership and institutions in Africa, this book attempts to make the connection between leadership and institutions on the one hand, and between these variables and Africa’s development on the other. Similar to most studies on Africa’s political economy, the book considers the role of external forces whether operationalized through direct interventions as was the case during the colonial era, or through subtle imposition of policies as has been the new model in post-colonial times. Drawing from these lenses, issues around Africa’s dependency on external interventions, neo-colonialism, neoliberalism, and disregard for Africa’s culture are explored and contextualized within the framework of leadership and institutions.

Resolving the African Leadership Challenge: Insight From History examines leadership in pre-colonial, colonial and postcolonial modern Africa, exploring the origin of Africa’s leadership challenge, and providing lessons to enhance leadership effectiveness.

George Ayittey’s Indigenous African Institutions presents a detailed and convincing picture of pre-colonial and post-colonial Africa - its cultures, traditions, and indigenous institutions, including participatory democracy.

Taken together, the chapters in this book represent a tapestry of leadership frameworks and cultures in colonial Africa. Scholars across disciplines explore the nature and evolution of leadership born of the colonial encounter between white colonialists and native Africans as well as the leadership that ultimately led to independence. Leadership in Colonial Africa highlights colonial disruptions of traditional leadership patterns in Africa and how African leaders, traditional and nationalist, reacted to these disruptions. Jallow examines the emergence of modern leadership cultures in Africa and argues that leadership studies theory may usefully be deployed in the study of African leadership

Focusing on both pre-colonial and post-colonial eras, this book aims to cultivate a greater understanding of globalisation processes in the context of leadership behaviour in Africa. Analysing empirical evidence and theoretical frameworks, the author evaluates the role of leaders in the failure of African globalisation and seeks to propose an initiative for change. As emphasis shifts from world control to regional and sub-regional control, the new face of globalisation offers an opportunity for Africa to grow and develop with a new leadership perspective. Presenting servant leadership as a solution to Africa’s global failures, this timely book explores the challenges of governance, resource management and regionalisation, and will be of value to anyone interested in the development of Africa as a continent.