ELON HUSK: African Leaders Not Taking Advantage of Priceless Human Capital – By Richard Odusanya

The times are changing, and with the changing times, few individuals push the envelope for the change, and if this were interpreted in the 20th century, then the people who pushed for change would have been Einstein, Marie Curie, Lenin, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and so forth.

Elon Musk did not only become the world’s richest person, as his net worth crossed $185bn (£136bn). Musk’s innovative ideas, responsiveness and futuristic tendency set him apart. It is estimated that Elon Musk’s IQ is around 150 to 155. Great geniuses like Einstein and Hawking had an IQ of 160, which puts Elon in a very great position. He can actually be considered a genius.

At the slightest prompting by Mykhailo Albertovych Fedorov who is a Ukrainian politician, and businessman currently serving as First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital communication. “While you try to colonize Mars — Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space — Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations,” Fedorov tweeted at Musk.

In about 10 hours later, Musk responded, granting the request by activating SpaceX’s internet service, Starlink in Ukraine while more terminals are being sent to the country. Elon Musk’s instant reaction has signposted the events of the coming days.

Vladimir Putin had ordered Russian forces to attack Ukraine and invaded the country on Thursday amid warnings from leaders across the world that it could “spark the biggest war in Europe since 1945.” With Elon Musk standing with Ukraine, it is very clear that his response to the plea from Ukraine has signposted the beginning of the end via technology.

All despots fell due to a misadventure. Waterloo was to Napoleon what Poland was to Hitler; just as Kuwait brought Saddam Hussein down. Putin’s misadventure in Ukraine will eventually lead to his downfall.

It is on this note that I will be empathizing with the need for the African nations to redouble their efforts in the area of human capital development which I consider as priceless!

Ukrainian current situation and the response of the leaders and the citizens which reflects a great deal of patriotism on the part of the leaders and citizens is a great lesson for the African continent.

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy not only called on all citizens who are ready to defend the country from Russian forces to come forward, saying Kyiv will issue weapons to everyone who wants them; he, as a leader, armed himself and stepped into the battlefield. Seeing their leader ready to defend the nation, citizens followed suit. It is on the news that a newly-wed couple spent their first day in marriage collecting rifles to defend the Ukrainian territory.

This height of patriotism, certainly, is lacking in Africa. The Nigerian government, for example, urged Nigerian citizens in Ukraine to be very vigilant and “be responsible for their security and safety” amidst the ongoing crisis. This is what you get when patriotism is lacking in the citizens and leader at the helm of affairs – leaders that do not show sufficient care about the welfare of their citizens.

“In view of the development, the embassy urges Nigerian Nationals resident in Ukraine to remain calm but very vigilant and be responsible for their security and safety,” Nigerian Embassy had said in a statement

Though the conflict may have put many African leaders in a difficult position and attempting to forge a neutral position, it is time for African policymakers to begin to look inwards and invest in its human capital. This has been grossly mismanaged and neglected by African leaders over the years.

Africa needs to get more from our human capital. African leaders should now see the popular demands for accountable and responsible governance, and a real, rather than superficial, investment in human capital, as an opportunity to make meaningful reforms.

ARISE ‘O COMPATRIOTS

Richard Odusanya is a Social Reform Crusader and the convener of AFRICA COVENANT RESCUE INITIATIVE ACRI.

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