African Politics does not need Pensioners.

It is not a disputed fact and I hope readers will not dispute the statement that a majority of African leaders are over 50 years old. The reason, I am sure, is deeply rooted in African culture i.e. the elderly are deemed to be very wise and cannot be challenged by anyone else except someone of the same age group or even older. It therefore goes without saying that African culture places emphasis on the respect for the person with the greyest hair. Or maybe not as my brother, the youngest of us all, has the greyest hair.

But you get the point I am trying to make. If not then the point I am making is “with age comes great respect” regardless of the person’s background. That is not a bad thing and I am not saying the elderly do not deserve the respect they are due as a result of their age. The justification for the respect accorded to age lies with the fact that a person acquires vast experience as they grow older. True. And the next generation can certainly benefit from their experience. Again, this is very much true and I agree.

So then what is my problem you may ask? Why is Kow Essuman writing this piece if he agrees that "with age comes experience and respect"? Simple – Africans tend to be less interested or not interested in politics until they hit 40 years and in some cases 50 years. And those with presidential ambitions wait until they are over 60 years before realising their ambition. This is wrong. Why should people nearing their pension age or people past pension age be making decisions for a country? Africa does not need leaders who are continuously ill, unfit or die whilst in office.

To solve a problem, you must first understand the problem. Most of today's problems require today's solutions. Yet we elect leaders from yesterday. How do we expect them to solve today's problems with yesterday's solutions? That is even if they understand today's problems. Even if they were to solve today's problems with yesterday's solutions, I can guarantee that it would be at a snail's pace. Africa can never be economically independent at such a pace.

So what am I proposing? The youth should be encouraged to participate in government not just voting and campaigning. They should be an integral part of the administration of the country. That way today's problems will be solved by people who understand today's problems and with solutions which are today's solution. It will also prepare the youth who have presidential aspirations to gain practical governing experience so they can be ready to govern when the time comes. Not when they hit their pension age.

The youth should be encouraged right from when they attain voting age or even earlier. It would interest you to know that a majority of electorates are the youth. So why then do we have pensioners in government? I may be called disrespectful for some of the statements in this piece and that is one of Africa's problems – the elderly can never be criticised by the young. Well, this is severely hindering our progress so it must cease.

To end this, I introduce an organization committed to ensuring that the youth are not just dormant participants in politics but very active participants even at the administrative level – NPP Youth UK. I strongly suggest that if you believe in solving Africa's problems, you join this group. To join, simply send an email to nppyouthuk@gmail.com indicating your intention to join. Let us solve today's problems with today's solutions.

Written and Edited by:

Kow A. Essuman Esq.

LL.B. Hons (Westminster), PgDip (BPP), LL.M. (Cornell)

Barrister-at-Law (Lincoln's Inn)

Attorney and Counselor-at-Law (New York)

All comments, corrections and contributions should be sent to kaessuman@yahoo.com.

This post is based on the thoughts, observations and opinions of Kow A. Essuman Esq. Any attempt to reproduce all or any part of this article without the express permission of the above named person shall be an infringement of intellectual property laws; following which the author reserves the right to commence an action/suit against any such person(s) or body for breach of copyright and/or any other action/suit the author sees fit.