African leaders should learn from Zuma’s resignation – Expert

Thu, Feb 22, 2018 | By publisher


Africa

A PROFESSOR of International Relations, Ogba Oche, has said there were lessons for African leaders to learn from former South African President, Jacob Zuma’s recent forced resignation.

Oche told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that Zuma’s resignation was an indication that Africans were becoming conscious of who they wanted as their leaders.

“Let me say that there are very, very important lessons for African leaders to learn from Jacob Zuma’s recent resignation. From what happened in South Africa, it is imperative for African leaders to know that Africans are now becoming more and more conscious of who they want as their leaders.

“African leaders must now know that the people are more than ever becoming ready to hold their leaders to good leadership. The people are now ready to hold their leaders to what they want and no longer what the leaders want,’’ he said.

According to him, Jacob Zuma’s resignation is something that has been long awaited. The former Director of Research at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), said that Zuma had for a long time been under pressure from South Africans to leave office.

Oche also said that the former South African president had also been receiving resignation pressure from even outside the country for corruption and other issues.

“For a long time, Jacob Zuma has been under a lot of pressure within South Africa and even outside the country to resign as South African leader. The fact that he has finally bowed to these pressures should tell African leaders that Africans are now ready to hold their leaders to good leadership,’’ he said.

Zuma officially resigned as President of South Africa on Feb. 14, after becoming president in May 2009. With the intervention of the ANC, Zuma has handed over to the new President of South Africa, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, who will be the country’s president for the next eighteen months.

The new South African President, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, a successful businessman, has pledged to prioritise the fight against corruption as well as boost the country’s economy within the months. (NAN)

– Feb.  22, 2018 @ 04:15 GMT |

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