Throwing Mo Good Money After Bad?

By  Samira Edi

Folks,

Here is a bizarre offering to Africa's corrupt Presidents. A Mo-tivational Prize of $5 million for good governance!! Africa's problems have been often  blamed on a cycle of corruption and poor leadership. Now One African Billionaire believes he has a novel solution to solving the continent's endless problems. Mo's Money! Mo Ibrahim Africa's richest entrepreneur is offering a 5 million dollar prize to Africa's most effective head of state. Many world leaders like Clinton and Koffi Anan are already backing the plan and have sent encouraging messages to Mr Ibrahim for his initiative.

Come on people, who will believe this new scheme, when corruption by Africa's presidents is accepted as read? Why should "leaders" elected by the masses be motivated to do their duty only by the promise of a colossal sum of money each year? It simply is a screaming shame for the men who rule one of the richest continents to be virtually bribed into doing what they are supposed to do.
In spite of the richest concentration of minerals in the ground in Africa, many live on less than 1/2 a dollar a day. Billions of aid has been pumped into the continent, and billions have also been hemorrhaged by corrupt leaders. The names of many of Africa’s past and present leaders are synonymous with corruption. It is alleged that Sani Abacha of Nigeria stashed away some 4 billion dollars, Mobutu left Zaire crippled with debt, Oma Bongo is bathing with Oil Money, Idi Amin, Bokassa, Daniel Arab Moi, etc.

To help solve Africa's problems and curb corruption, one of the continent's richest men, Egyptian born mobile telephone entrepreneur launched this bizarre but radical initiative on Thursday 26th October 2006-- Reward good African leaders with  Mo money. Mo Ibrahim plans to rate each of the 53 nations in Africa according to performance, of the quality of their governance. Each year, the leader judged the best will get the prize of $5 million dollars, phased out over 10 years, and $200. 000. 00 for life there after. Mr Ibrahim admits some people call his idea barmy, but it is the same reaction they had when he started selling mobile phones to Africa. He claims he is driven by the need to eradicate corruption, disease, poverty and backwardness. He wants to drag the continent forward and bring stability to the whole continent by giving its leaders an incentive to lead without resorting to stealing from the national coffers.

Pessimists claim there is no way a leader already steeped in corruption can change. I tend to lean towards this assertion. Africa's presidents who are bereft of feeling will never be moved to change. Those who are inclined to do good for their countries are already doing so, with or without Mo's money. As generous as the incentive seems to be, what is $5 million to an African president who is not accountable to anyone? What is that puny sum of five million when you can have all the oil wells to yourself, acres of bauxite, diamonds, gold, etc.

So those who are stealing state resources are going to carry on regardless. And those who accept the offer of Mo's money as justifiably deserving may as well admit they are ready to accept the bribe otherwise they will not do their jobs well. Mo's money could have been better put into education-- scholarships and grants to bright and promising students to study in the best institutions. Hospitals-- improve the quality and facilities. Motivate the fleeing doctors to stay in their countries and cater to the plethora of heal issues. Road infrastructure. Subsidize the farmers in the fledgling agricultural industries which are being undercut by their over-subsidized rich western counterparts to bring up up to par. Etc. But "rewarding Presidents for good governance" with Mo's money, seems like "fond illusion" excuse the pun.

They say "do not look a gift horse in the mouth." But then when an entrepreneur whose business success seems to rely on the goodwill of these rulers whose good governance he wants to promote, it seems the prize is not all as innocent as it seems to be. It appears like a well-disguized bribe to curry favour. Or is it just a red herring for something seedier?

Millions of African lives are dependent on good leadership. But Mo Ibrahim will find out that it is less of a problem to convince the already impoverished masses on the continent on the affordability of mobile phones, than for corrupt African leaders to change their ways, even with the promise of a $5 million dollar tantalizingly beckoning. Instant gratuity borne of corruption is more beneficial and they usually go for the disingenuous option.

Africans hardly invest in the future!! Who will rise to take the bait? Who will be the first to win? Could Biya of Cameroon surprise the world by distinguishing himself? Whatever happens, the world is watching.

Samira.

New Foundation/New Prize
Mo Ibrahim, Chairman of Celtel International - operators of cellular networks in 13 African countries - is launching the Mo Ibrahim Foundation in London on Thursday 26 October 2006.

There will be a keynote address by Graca Machel; a presentation of a new index to evaluate and benchmark good governance in Africa and details of the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Acheivement in African Leadership.

Contact Robert Watkinson for more details on the new Foundation.

Comments

[Merde]

That prize. It can pay for Madame Biya's shopping spree? Not. Biya is not motivated by $5million and a niggardly $200,000. What is that for? Toothpicks?

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