From Negative Leadership to Healing Leadership

Abstract

Since their independences, the issues of leadership in African countries has been a challenging notion both practically and theoretically. After the long Cold War, regimes of strong states with one national party as an expression of power had priority. However, with the event of democracy in the 90's, freedom created by liberal economies brought back the concept of leadership in Africa as a key element of sound management of the public affairs. Yet the issue of leadership is still unclear in African pysche due to historic legacies. The need to invent a new mode of governance that would not compromise the democratic process became evident starting in 1990. In this chapter, Mr. Rais Boneza explores the probable historical and political source of the leadership crisis particularly in Africa and gives a therapeutic attempt to remedy the direct and structural violence which resulted from bad governance. The leadership should inspire a certain sense of pride and dignity for the people whose conscience is still marked by major trauma: A restorative but healing leadership.