society
Shaping Tomorrow: The Power of Collective Action for Africa’s Future
Shaping Tomorrow: The Power of Collective Action for Africa’s Future
By George O. Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
“Rethinking Leadership, Responsibility and the Role of Every African in Shaping the Future.”
Today Reflects Yesterday’s Promises.
Every generation inherits not only the dreams of its predecessors but also the unfinished tasks they left behind. The Africa we see today, its beauty, struggles, potential and paradoxes is a reflection of promises once made by those who led before us. The present we live in is the very “TOMORROW” that past leaders vowed to build for future generations. Yet as we look around, the reality before us often falls short of those hopeful assurances.
Broken promises echo loudly across the continent. They echo in the empty factories that once promised industrial revolutions; in the poorly equipped schools where the future sits on broken desks; in hospitals where hope runs thinner than medicine and in roads that lead nowhere because corruption consumed the budget halfway. These broken promises have become the architecture of unfulfilled dreams, forcing us to ask an uncomfortable but necessary question: IS THIS TRULY THE FUTURE WE ENVISIONED?
We Must Rise: Building the Future We Deserve.
When reality fails to meet aspiration, it is not enough to COMPLAIN or simply hope for CHANGE. Hope without action is a hollow prayer. If we want transformation, it must begin with COLLECTIVE DETERMINATION, MORAL COURAGE and an ACTIVE SENSE of RESPONSIBILITY.
Africa’s story cannot continue to be written by those who thrive on mediocrity and self-interest. The same poor leadership that failed to deliver YESTERDAY cannot be trusted to define TOMORROW. History teaches us that nations rise not merely on the shoulders of politicians but on the strength of citizens who refuse to settle for less than excellence.
Every generation must define its own role in SHAPING DESTINY. The torch of change has been passed to us, not by CEREMONY, but by NECESSITY. The time for passive observation is over. The time for active contribution has arrived. If we sit idly by, complaining on SOCIAL MEDIA while others make decisions that affect our future, then we become silent collaborators in our own decline.
Africa’s Future: A Shared Responsibility.
Development is not the exclusive duty of governments; it is a shared mission that demands the participation of all. Every TEACHER who inspires a STUDENT, every ENTREPRENEUR who creates a JOB, every FARMER who feeds a COMMUNITY and every ACTIVIST who speaks TRUTH to POWER is part of the architecture of progress.
When citizens retreat into apathy, corruption thrives. When we assume that progress is someone else’s job, stagnation takes over. TOMORROW’S regrets are born from TODAY’S silence and indifference. The transformation of Africa (its growth, prosperity and sustainability) requires all hands on deck.
True development is not imported; it is cultivated. It grows when citizens embrace ownership of their communities, when innovation replaces dependency and when integrity becomes a national culture rather than a rare virtue. Leadership may set the direction, but it is the people who build the path forward.
From Dependency to Responsibility.
For too long, AFRICA has waited for salvation from outside forces; international aid, foreign investors or multilateral agencies. While such partnerships can help, they cannot substitute for self-driven development. No nation was ever truly built by external benevolence. Japan rose from ashes through discipline and innovation. Singapore transformed from slums to skyscrapers through visionary leadership and citizen responsibility. Rwanda emerged from genocide to stability because its people decided to own their future.
AFRICA, too, possesses the human and natural resources to write a similar success story. What we lack is not potential, but UNITY of PURPOSE and CONSISTENCY in EXECUTION. Our minerals, talents and cultural wealth must be matched by governance that serves, citizens that participate and a shared determination to uplift the continent beyond rhetoric.
The Role of the Youth and Diaspora.
Africa’s young population (over 60% under the age of 25) is both a challenge and an opportunity. If this energy remains untapped, it becomes a ticking time bomb. Though, if harnessed through education, technology and entrepreneurship, it becomes the most powerful engine of transformation in the 21st century.
The African diaspora also plays a crucial role. Across Europe, America and Asia, millions of Africans are excelling in technology, medicine, academia and business. Their remittances already exceed foreign aid, but their skills and networks are even more valuable. A united diaspora, working with local institutions, can help transfer knowledge, mentor emerging leaders and finance COMMUNITY-DRIVEN projects that governments often ignore.
We must reimagine the relationship between the continent and its diaspora not as charity, but as strategic collaboration; a partnership for progress. The African dream will only thrive when Africans everywhere see themselves as CO-BUILDERS of one destiny.
Leadership Beyond Politics.
Leadership is not about occupying office; it is about influencing positive change. A leader without followers is merely taking a walk. When citizens rise with clarity of purpose, moral conviction and unity, even weak governments are forced to listen.
We must redefine what leadership means in our context. It begins at home; with parents teaching values of honesty and hard work. It extends to schools, where teachers instill curiosity and civic responsibility. It continues in businesses that prioritize ethics over exploitation and in communities where solidarity replaces selfishness. Every African can lead from where they stand.
As Nelson Mandela said, “It is in your hands to make a difference.” The greatness of Africa will not come from speeches but from service; not from slogans but from sacrifices made daily by ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
A Dose of Hope for a Better Future.
Despite the challenges, there is hope. Africa is rising in many areas; digital innovation in Kenya, renewable energy in Morocco, agriculture in Ghana, creative industries in Nigeria and governance reforms in Botswana. These are not isolated successes; they are signs of what is possible when vision meets collective will.
As we begin a new week, let us reflect deeply on our individual and collective roles in shaping the future. Let us dream bigger (ACT BOLDER) and work harder to create a legacy that generations yet unborn will celebrate. The Africa we desire is within reach; but only if we rise to the occasion.
Let us choose unity over division, innovation over imitation and courage over complacency. The continent’s destiny lies not in the hands of a few, but in the determination of many.
The time has come to rewrite the narrative of Africa, from a continent of POTENTIAL to a continent of PERFORMANCE. Together, we can build a future that surpasses the broken promises of yesterday and fulfills the dreams of tomorrow.
STILL ON DELE MOMODU by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode
I saw Dele Momodu’s response to my article on him & was amused.
I tried to be polite & restrained in that write up & I didn’t realise that it would hurt him so deeply. Yet for that I offer no apology.
I said he sounded tired & worne in his interview with Seun Okinbaloye but from his response today it is clear that he is now completely unhinged.
He has blown his gasket & his reaction is rooted more in emotion than it is in logic.
Frankly I feel sorry for him because it is clear that he is fighting a lost cause, he is badly diminished & he is now a shadow of his former self.
For Bobby Dee the glory days are certainly over & I suspect that by 2027 when Tinubu emerges victorious he will crawl back into the hole that he originally came from.
Perhaps at that time he will go back to taking pictures of former Governor Nyesom Wike, the Adeleke’s & other prominent figures for a living & shining their shoes.
Playing clips of things that I said about President Tinubu 11 years ago when I was in the then opposition & when I led the media section of President Jonathan’s presidential campaign organisation will not help him to get rid of the stench of faeces that he has immersed himself in today & neither does it derogate from the fact that he was speaking rubbish when he said Tinubu is a dictator.
Unlike others I will never deny what I have said in the past about Tinubu or anyone else but at least I had the decency & courage to admit that I was wrong & ever since I left the then opposition and joined the APC in 2021 I have not looked back.
Not only did I fight for Tinubu in 2023 during the presidential campaign but I have remained loyal & committed to him & his cause since then and I have no apology for that either.
Unlike Dele I did not benefit from him for close to 40 years, eat from his plate, collect handouts from him, stay in his house, claim to be his brother and yet refuse to support him in achieving his dream of becoming President.
Bobby Dee’s nose is so far up the posterior of those he is now slaving for that he forgot to mention the fact that every single one of them, at some point or the other in their sorry lives & career, have not only changed political parties several times over but have also opposed Tinubu bitterly & even more vehemently than I ever did only to go back & later re-align with him.
I do not begrudge them or blame them for that because that is the nature of politics all over the world.
There are no permanent friends or enemies but only permanent interests and in my view it is in the interest of Nigeria that Tinubu continues the reforms that he started in 2023 after he was elected President.
It is also my view that Nigeria must never fall into the hands of the conglomeration of court jesters, sorry clowns & motely crew of insufferable jokers that Dele is now speaking, slaving & fronting for.
I will still be gentle with my old friend because I have a soft spot for him but if he ever crosses the line with me again I will stop being so restrained.
He does not have the stomach for a real fight because he is vain and thin-skinned. He also has an over- inflated opinion of himself and a huge ego.
These are weaknesses in this game and not strengths and as we get closer to the presidential campaign he will learn this the hard way.
Meanwhile he should stay in his lane otherwise I will give him plenty to write about.
For him to compare Tinubu to Abacha was wrong and if he was anything like the dictator that Dele claims he is both Dele and those he speaks for today would either be dead or in jail.
He should count himself lucky that our President is a democrat and not a monster.
Dele’s lies, duplicity & shameless perfidy have finally been exposed & are as obvious & glaring as his very large stomach.
I advise him to do some press ups & go jogging because unlike before I will no longer remain silent as he & his friends throw mud at our President.
Game on!
(FFK)
society
OWUTU FM 2026 Ramadan Lecture: Sheikh Jamiu Asanbe Urges Muslims to Avoid Showboating in Worship
OWUTU FM 2026 Ramadan Lecture: Sheikh Jamiu Asanbe Urges Muslims to Avoid Showboating in Worship.
The Chief Imam of Agelete Central Mosque, Ikoyi Lagos, Alhaji Jamiu Asanbe, has urged Muslims to remain sincere in their acts of worship and avoid the temptation of seeking public praise for good deeds.
The respected Islamic scholar gave this admonition while delivering a lecture at the OWUTU FM 2026 Ramadan Lecture, held on Saturday, February 28, 2026, in Lagos.
Speaking on the importance of sincerity in Islam, Sheikh Asanbe cautioned Muslim faithful against what he described as “showboating” — the practice of performing charitable acts or religious duties merely to gain recognition or admiration from others.
According to him, every act of worship in Islam must be done purely for the sake of Almighty Allah.
He explained that while acts such as prayer, fasting, and charity are fundamental pillars of faith, their true value lies in the intention behind them.
The cleric therefore encouraged Muslims to remain genuine in their devotion and avoid mixing their faith with the desire for worldly praise or attention.
Sheikh Asanbe also reminded the faithful that the holy month of Ramadan presents a unique opportunity for spiritual renewal. He urged believers to increase acts of generosity, particularly by supporting the needy, vulnerable members of society, and orphans.
Earlier in her remarks, the Convener of the Ramadan Lecture and CEO of OWUTU FM, Hajia Adejoke Muyibat Balogun, encouraged attendees to use the sacred month as a time for reflection, self-improvement, and community development.
She described the lecture theme as carefully selected to promote spirituality, strengthen faith, and encourage peaceful coexistence within the community.
Balogun expressed appreciation to the numerous guests and supporters who attended the event, noting that their presence reflected the strong bond within the community.
She further reaffirmed OWUTU FM’s commitment to sustaining the annual Ramadan Lecture, praying for Allah’s continued guidance and mercy in the years ahead.
The 2026 edition of the Ramadan Lecture attracted dignitaries and representatives from various organisations including Uzamot Communications, Okutex Fabrics, and the Yeye Asiwaju of Ojota Kingdom.
The event also featured engaging activities such as a quiz competition, where winners were presented with gifts. In the spirit of Ramadan, iftar meals were shared with guests, reinforcing the values of unity, generosity, and compassion that define the holy month.
Through initiatives like this, OWUTU FM continues to play a vital role in promoting faith-based dialogue, community engagement, and social harmony.
Tinubu Abroad, Nigeria in Chaos: The Spectacle of Elite Excess
By George Omagbemi Sylvester
“Government officials queue to bid him farewell as he departs, only to rush ahead and line up again to welcome him at his destination; a stark display of misaligned priorities in Nigerian leadership.”
Wednesday, March18, 2026
In a spectacle that has plunged Nigeria’s political class into fresh ignominy, a long line of federal ministers, governors, senators and political hangers‑on queued outside a London hotel this week to welcome President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR upon his arrival in the United Kingdom for a two‑day state visit.
Not only did these government officials send off Mr. Tinubu as he departed Nigeria (a ritual in itself excessive given the scale of pressing national crises) they rushed ahead to London to line the halls of his hotel, applauding and greeting him like conquering heroes arriving on foreign shores. This is how Nigeria’s elites now comport themselves while millions of citizens endure ever‑deepening hardship.
A Travesty of Priorities
Tinubu’s visit to the UK, hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, is officially billed as an effort to deepen trade relations, attract investment and strengthen bilateral cooperation between Britain and Africa’s most populous nation. While those diplomatic objectives in theory could benefit Nigeria, the optics of an entire political class fawning over a president abroad are unbearably grim against the backdrop of domestic suffering.
According to recent economic analysis, despite macroeconomic adjustments such as ending fuel subsidies and floating the naira, more than 60% of Nigerians still live in poverty and daily hardships are rampant. Security remains a grave concern with violence and banditry destabilising large swathes of the country. Instead of addressing these crises with urgency, Nigeria’s leadership appears fascinated with photo‑ops overseas.
“A System of Self‑Centred Elites”
Critics within Nigeria have not minced words. Political observers describe the spectacle as a display of self‑centred politics divorced from the realities facing ordinary citizens. One observer on social platforms summed up the broader sentiment: “Tinubu represents a system of self‑centred elites (elite consensus over popular will) and this is exactly the performative politics that lines like these embody.”
Dr. Godfrey Mwakikagile, a respected African scholar on post‑colonial governance, has long warned that bad leadership and lack of accountability are Africa’s greatest challenges. “Power in many African states is too centralised and concentrated in the hands of elites who use it to perpetuate themselves at the expense of the public good,” Mwakikagile recently argued; a critique that resonates all the more when ministers fly abroad not to pursue tangible policy but to line up like admirers.
The Cost of Foreign Pageantry
This isn’t the first time Tinubu’s foreign engagements have attracted scrutiny. His administration’s frequent travels (often with large entourages) have drawn criticism for prioritising optics over outcomes, especially when Nigeria’s economy contracts and its people struggle with food inflation and insecurity.
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has been among the most vocal domestic critics of these priorities, noting that Tinubu’s extensive foreign travel (including to the UK) distracts from urgent national needs and has become a “matter of grave concern.” Obi insists that such actions reveal a leadership more interested in global visibility than domestic wellbeing.
Nigeria Jagajaga!
The phrase “Nigeria jagajaga” (loosely translated as Nigeria being in disarray) has never felt more apt. A nation where ministers greet presidents in plush foreign suites while citizens queue for food and services is a country deeply out of balance.
Instead of being welcomed like dignitaries abroad, ministers and governors should be at home addressing the root causes of Nigeria’s struggles: insecurity that displaces communities and kills livelihoods, an economy that leaves the majority impoverished despite reforms, and the persistent failings of governance that erode public trust.
What Nigerians Deserve
President Tinubu and his entourage should be judged not by the number of ministers who lined up to greet him in London, but by the lives changed back in Nigeria.
As scholars like Mwakikagile and critics like Obi remind us, political leadership must be accountable and grounded in service, not spectacle. Nigeria’s leaders owe the people more than applause at international hotels; they owe them safety, economic opportunity, and genuine progress.
If this nation is ever to break free from the cycle of “jagajaga,” then those in power must demonstrate sincerity, not pageantry; action, not admiration. The lines outside a London hotel are not a testament to leadership; they are a testament to where Nigeria’s priorities have tragically come to rest.
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