Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea Leadership Analysis

sierra Le whizz and equatorial guinea Leadership AnalysisThis musical composition analyses the impact of poor leadership in sierra Leone, and equatorial greaseball. Africa is the humankinds richest continent in terms of natural resource endowment. Africa contains 50% of the world deposit in Gold, 90% of cobalt, 65% of Manganese, 40% hydroelectric power, billions of acres of land, chromium, and diamonds (Rotberg, 34). However, despite the availability of these natural resources, the African continent is salvage lagging behind in terms of victimization. People atomic number 18 poor, and close governances depend on aid for purposes of meeting their budget deficits (Rotberg, 51). It is most-valuable to check that Africa has millions of talented and skil take innovators, but due to poor leadership, reads ar otiose to hold unto these talents and retain them for purposes of utilizing them. Some bulk blame the problems of Africa to imperialism, and colonialism. According t o scholars, colonialism contend a significant role in advancing the problems of Africa. For instance, Rotberg (27) gives an example of congou, whereby the Belgiums left the field with issue preparing its leaders for independence.As a result of this, Congo is a rural area that is characterized by in iron outing, depravity, and struggle for leadership. However, these allegations are non true, as denoted by Rotberg (27). Shaw (274) denotes that countries such as India, the join States, and even southeast contendd Africa were to a lower place colonialism. However, these countries have developed economies, and some such as United States is the most(prenominal) powerful and richest country in the world. On this basis, the problems of Africa are associated with its poor leadership style. This is witnessed in all of Africa, including Kenya, below chairman Moi, Uganda, chthonic death chair Idi Amin, Sudan, down the stairs chairman Omar el Bashir, Nigeria, under successive mi litary leaderships..Equatorial ginzo is conduct by chairman Teodoro Obiang Mbasogo. This leader is the longest serving President in Africa, having taken power in August 1979, in a bloody coup, against his uncle Francisco Nguema. Equatorial Guinea is found in West Africa, and it is one of Africas largest producers of oil (Lewis, 28). In as much as Equatorial Guinea has one of the highest per capita income in the world, most citizens of this country are reinforcement poverty, they die of preventable diseases such as malaria, are otiose to door basic services such as education, health care, clean drinkable water. Equatorial Guinea has the highest child mortality rates who are under 5 years, in the world. This is because 20% of their children die before reaching the ages of phoebe bird years. The remaining 80% of these children do not have an access of prime(prenominal) health care, and educational facilities. The problems of Equatorial Guinea are blamed on the leadership style of the President Teodoro Obiang Mbasogo (Lewis, 18). For example, President Teodorin Mbasogo is accused of practicing nepotism while employing elderly members of his cabinet and state officials.For example, in the years 2013, President Obiang appointed his firstborn boy, Teodorin Obiang to a cabinet position, and as the second vice president of the state. This is for purposes of preparing his son as his successor, once the president leaves power. Teodorin Obiang is always accused of embezzling millions of dollars of state money, in order to fund his own lavish life style (Solo-Trillo, 139). Teodorin Obiang has been a polemic figure in Equatorial Guinea, and attracting international criticism for spending more than ten million South African rands, on a South African trip that included champagne parties, property renovations, and buying of cars. disciples intrust that the personal fortune of Teodorin Nguema emanates from his corrupt activities connected with gas and oil geogr aphic expedition in Equatorial Guinea (Solo-Trillo, 140).Lewis (37) denotes that the unusual interests of Teodorin Nguema includes two luxurious houses in South Africa, which have a combined value of 50,000,000 South African rands, and house in California estimated to be worth 31,000,000 United States dollars, a home in Paris, and a music recording label. Mr. Teodorin Nguema also has a series of luxurios cars, and in 2008, he bought a sports car estimated at 1,100,000 million euros (Solo-Trillo, 138). Others include a Maserati model estimated at 700,000 euros, and a Bugatti Veyron model (Lewis, 33). However, in the year 2009, the government of France seized these cars, together with his other collections because of corruption claims, and in 2013, these cars were change on an auction.The US government also seized properties belonging to the President and that of its sons, estimated to be valued at 70 million US dollars. In 2012, the United States issued a warrant of arrest against Teodorin Nguema on primes of corruption, and money laundering. The luxurious lifestyle of Teodorin Nguema did not reflect the salary that he was earning as a state minister (Solo-Trillo, 139). The cabinet of President Teodorin also receives billions of undisclosed oil revenues, which ordinarily goes to finance their luxurious lifestyle. In a bid to prevent such kind of information from reaching the existence, the government of President Teodorin Mbasogo constantly harasses the media, and foreign nationals seeking to report on the conditions of Equatorial Guinea (Solo-Trillo, 133).Despite these allegations and accusations against Teodirin Nguema, president Nguema government defended him against them, and even appointed him as the second vice president of Equatorial Guinea, and a possible successor of his father. Other family members holding positions in Guinea include, Gabriel Mbaga, who is another son of the president, and he is the minister in charge of energy and oil, and Cand ido Okomo who heads GEPetrol, the official oil comp either in Equatorial Guinea (Solo-Trillo, 131).It is significant to witness that corruption plays a great role in undermining culture in spite of appearance a given state. This is because the funds that could be channeled to development projects, are misused and stolen, as a result, at that place wont be any money to fund the development projects in the country. It is important to denote that because of nepotism in government appointments, senior officials in the government of President Teodorin are not accountable for their activities (Solo-Trillo, 132). This is because they know that in case they do not deliver, or are engaged in corrupt activities, their patrons, who are high in the government circles, lead protect them. Nepotism and corruption are not the only problem affecting Equatorial Guinea.Another major(ip) problem affecting this country is lack of a free press. local anesthetic journalists in Equatorial Guinea are unable to speak against major scandals and corrupt activities in the country (Solo-Trillo, 125). This is because the press and the media are heavily censored, and at that place is always a risk of reprisal in case the media highlights an issue that does not augur well with the government. It is further important to take in that the local media in Equatorial Guinea are always owned by mickle closer to the President, and on this basis, it is always difficult for them to criticize the policies that the President enacts. Scholar denotes that without free flow of information, it is in truth difficult for a state to progress to economic, political as well as social development.This is because with availability of information, public officials within a given state will be held accountable for their actions, as well as a free and an independent media will promote democracy (Solo-Trillo, 127). It is important to denote that elected countries are characterized by economic growth and dev elopment. Furthermore, the judicial dust of the country is not independent, as the President is considered as the Chief Magistrate. He oversees a body that is responsible for(p) for appointing and dismissing judges, and on this basis, the President cannot be held accountable for his actions (Solo-Trillo, 129). This promotes corruption and lack of responsibility amongst senior government officials, and on this basis, Equatorial Guinea lacks behind in terms of development.Another country that has been typed with poor leadership system is sierra Leone. After approximately 10 years of the civil war in Sierra Leone, the government and the people of Sierra Leone still face a wide variety of challenges, and this includes widespread poverty, weak governance, and systematic corruption (Shaw, 272). The anti-corruption institutions established in Sierra Leone do not have replete resources such as skilled workers to tackle the problems associated with corruption in Sierra Leone. With the p eaceful elections of 2007, there are some positive developments in Sierra Leone in regard to fighting corruption and weak governance in the country. The new government established in 2007 has been able to strengthen the capabilities of the countrys anti-corruption commission, and its ability to prosecute high level corruption cases (Shaw, 279). The country also boosts of an independent media that is free from government regulation and censorship. The country also benefits from a good international image, with an increase in international investors within the country.However, it is important to denote that the road to political stability and economic development in Sierra Leone has not been easy. This is because since independence the political leadership in Sierra Leone was characterized by corruption, nepotism, a weak social society, electoral violence, and a founder of the countrys education system (Shaw, 281). It is important to pick up that Sierra Leone gained independence fro m the United Kingdom in 1961. It is important to understand that during the first four years after independence, Sierra Leone under the leadership of Milton Margai was prosperous (Shaw, 276). This is because Milton Margai, the first prime minister saw leadership as a chance to serve the people, as opposed to following self-centered interests. However, after his death in 1964, the new leadership of Sierra Leone, led by Albert Margai was undemocratic, corrupt, and they practiced nepotism.For example, in the 1967 elections of Sierra Leone, Albert Margai could not tolerate any person opposing his party. He used violence and threats to intimidate the confrontation parties into submission (Bangura and Marda, 22). It is important to understand that due to corrupt related activities, there were riots in Sierra Leone, leading to the fall of Albert Margai. After the fall of Albert Margai, the army under Steven Sisaka carried out a coup, and installed Steven Sisaka as the new leader of Sier a Leone. This was in April 1968. Sierra Leone was characterized by military coups that replaced one military leader, with another (Bangura and Marda, 41). It is important to denote that with the entry of Sisaka Steven, a military leader, Sierra Leone turned into a one party state, as opposed to the constitutional democracy it was, during the leadership of the Margais. The leadership of Sisaka Stevens saw the destruction of the parliament, and any other forms of accountability such as the judiciary and other governance institutions.The leadership style of Stevens was characterized by executions, torture, control of information, and corruption. In 1985, Major General Joseph Momoh took power from Sisaka Stevens, who opted to step down. Momoh led Sierra Leone for seven years, leading to widespread corruption, and a total collapse of the Sierra Leonean economy (Bangura and Marda, 49). Due to lack of accountability and poor leadership, the government was unable to pay the salaries of its civil workers, and important commodities like energy were very scarce in Sierra Leone. The education system also collapsed, with more youths roaming the streets of Free town idle. This also led to a brain drain, where headmaster of Sierra Leone fled to country, and went overseas in search of a good life. By 1991, this country was ranked as one of the poorest nations in the world, and an all out civil war broke out in Sierra Leone (Bangura and Marda, 36). On this basis, it is important to understand that due to poor leadership, Sierra Leone the government of Sierra Leone was unable to provide services to its citizens, leading to the fall of the government under consideration.In conclusion, poor leadership is one of the main reasons as to why Sierra Leone experient a bitter civil war, and Equatorial Guinea is lagging behind in economic, social and political development. It is important to understand that due to poor leadership, people in Sierra Leone became very poor, and they were unable to afford education and other basic needs such as food and clean water, as a result, they were lured by rebel movements to fight within its ranks. Sierra Leone learnt from this bitter civil war that took place mingled with 1991, to the early years of 2000s. As a result, Sierra Leone is a practicing democratic country, having established good institutions of governance, for purposes of checking the executive government. On the other hand Equatorial Guinea still continues with this practice of poor governance, and this is mainly because its hasnt experienced a change in hands in terms of governance. As a result, Equatorial Guinea is considered as one of the poor countries of the world, with its people lacking the very basic needs.Works CitedBangura, Joseph J., and Marda Mustapha. Sierra Leone beyond the capital of Togo Peace Accord. NewYork Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. Print.Lewis, Marvin A.. An introduction to the literature of Equatorial Guinea between colonialismand dictators hip. Columbia University of Missouri Press, 2007. Print.Rotberg, Robert I.. Governance and leadership in Africa. Philadelphia Mason whirligig Publishers,2007. Print.Shaw, Ibrahim Seaga. The politics of humanitarian intervention a critical analogy of the Britishresponse to end the slave trade and the civil war in Sierra Leone. Journal of GlobalEthics 6.3 (2010) 273-285. Print.Solo-Trillo, Eduardo. Equatorial Guinea an perpetual Present. Journal of Conflictology 4.2(2013) 124-159. Print.