African Leaders and Power

They cling to power like it’s their birth right

Sitting on a throne that only tolerates them

Ruling a people that despise and have long rejected them

They could care less if their own people languish in hunger and poverty

As long as their treasures keep piling up

And the west? They mock us

Seeing Africa as a land plundered by poverty, war and disease

We thought AU was meant to make African leaders see clearly and do what is right

But AU can be described using the Yoruba proverb:

“A group of folks facing the same direction while sleeping”

How can Mugabe, the chairman of AU make Nkrunziza of Burundi see clearly his people reject him?

When he himself has been ruling his country for over 30 years

It is in Africa you see a president richer than his country

Mobutu Sese Seko of DRC is a perfect example

Why can’t all our leaders be like Mandela?

Only a few may blame him if he chose to lead till his death

But he wasn’t power thirsty like most of our African leaders

If only our leaders will understand these words from one of Tu Face Idibia’s lyrics:

“The power is nothing if your people cannot get quality education

The power is nothing if your people keep dying of disease and starvation

The power is nothing if your people have no peace

The power is nothing if your people cannot live in unity”

Perhaps Africa will be better, envied by all