Transformational Leadership In Africa

Introduction

Leadership is the process of influencing a group of people to achieve a common goal. There are two types of leadership, they are

1. Transactional leadership- a type of leadership where the leader either punishes or rewards his or her employee based on their performance at work or an organization. This type of leadership is often seen in the workplace. Some examples of such leaderships are CEOs, Managers and Coaches etc.

2. Transformational Leadership- a leadership style where a leader motivates and empowers the organization or company to success. This type of leadership is often seen in the Presidential role. Some examples of transformational leaders in Africa are Doctor Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela and Aliko Dangote.

Development

It has made in impact in the health sector, infrastructure, transport sector, education, communication and agricultural sectors. Science and technology has helped the world move from an analogue to a digital systematic way of doing things. Communication is now through the internet (social apps like Facebook, twitter). The medical sector, thanks to technology, is able to develop a cure for disease causing agents such as viruses.(Godwill, 2014)

Bad leadership and governance

Corruption is one cause of leadership and governance. Leaders in power would want to enrich themselves through the country’s resources. Most leaders in Africa have power over some branches in the economy such as the electoral commission, security forces, the central bank and the media. An example of such a leader would be Robert Mugabe. He has spent many years in power enriching himself, making political opponents angry and failing to meet the needs of the people of Zimbabwe. (The Development of Africa, 2018) Figure 1graph representing inflation rates in some African

Foreign Aid has both a positive and a negative side to Africa. The positive side is that they can help improve governance with the improvement of civil service, establishing central institutions and strengthening policies. And on the negative side too much foreign aid can block governance improvements through a high level of transactional costs that accompany aid. (Brautigam & Knack, 2004)

Future of Africa

Africa goes green in electricity

Solar energy has contributed massively to off-grid areas in Africa. Some companies such as Kenya’s M-KOPA or musician Akon’s solar power project, ‘Akon lighting Africa’, is engaging Africans in seeing the benefits of using natural resources to generate power at the lowest costs to customers. In the future Africa is expected to shift from (Matshego, n.d.)

Urbanization in Africa

Urbanization in Africa is seen as the driving force of economic growth, human welfare and the rising of new cities. With this there will be an increase in productivity, as well as the creation of new jobs and