The Founding Executive Director of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), Otive Igbuzor, has called on African leaders to embrace indigenous leadership values as a strategy for tackling the continent’s persistent governance and development challenges.
Speaking at the Convening of Emerging Leaders and Creatives on African Leadership Philosophy in Nairobi on Thursday, Igbuzor said Africa’s progress depends on nurturing leaders who are not only competent but also ethical, culturally grounded and committed to serving the common good.
The two-day gathering, organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development in partnership with Yiaga Africa and the Open Society Foundations, brought together young leaders, innovators, creatives, storytellers and digital influencers from across Africa to discuss pathways for strengthening democratic governance and leadership.
Concern Over Governance and Youth Exclusion
Addressing participants, Igbuzor highlighted what he described as a paradox facing the continent, where economic growth and transformation continue alongside rising youth unemployment, widening inequality, exclusion and increasing dissatisfaction with leadership systems perceived as disconnected from citizens’ aspirations.
According to him, the convening is part of the Africa Leadership Development Project (ALDP), an initiative designed to strengthen democratic governance through leadership development anchored in African values, cultures and ethical traditions.
“Our leadership challenges are partly linked to leadership models that have drifted away from indigenous standards of accountability, communal responsibility and ethical stewardship,” Igbuzor said.
African Philosophies Offer Solutions
The leadership expert stressed that conversations around African leadership philosophy should move beyond academic discourse and focus on practical application in governance, entrepreneurship, digital innovation and community development.
He cited several indigenous African leadership philosophies, including Ubuntu of Southern Africa, Omoluabi of the Yoruba people, Sankofa of Ghana, Ujamaa of Tanzania, Harambee of Kenya, Oha na Eze among the Igbo and Mutumin Kirki in Northern Nigeria.
According to him, despite their cultural distinctions, these philosophies share common values centred on integrity, justice, service, consensus-building, human dignity and collective responsibility.
“Leadership is not primarily about titles or positions. Leadership is about service, character, integrity, responsibility, community, justice and human dignity,” he stated.
Igbuzor argued that indigenous African philosophies provide practical responses to contemporary governance and development challenges while offering a moral alternative to leadership models driven solely by personal ambition and the pursuit of power.
Youth and Creatives Have Critical Role
He encouraged participants to explore how sectors such as music, film, literature, entrepreneurship, social media and civic activism can be used to advance values-based leadership among Africa’s younger generation.
Describing the attendees as future custodians of Africa’s leadership narrative, Igbuzor said the continent’s future would be shaped not only in classrooms and policy institutions but also through creative industries, digital platforms and grassroots community initiatives.
He challenged participants to engage actively throughout the deliberations and contribute to developing narratives, platforms and tools capable of inspiring a new generation of ethical, inclusive and transformative leaders across the continent.
Recommendations Expected
The convening is expected to produce recommendations on strategies for transmitting African leadership values to younger generations and integrating them into contemporary governance systems and democratic processes across the continent.
Stakeholders at the event expressed optimism that strengthening leadership through indigenous African values could help address governance deficits and contribute to sustainable democratic development across Africa.
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