African leaders who covet personal wealth are not fit for leadership in government.
One of the leadership preconditions of every person who aspires to work in African government, and who is committed to properly governing for the welfare of the people is that they must NEVER desire to be rich! To be paid fairly and well, but never to be rich.
The person must be content creating opportunity and wealth for their people, even watching people they govern and help become millionaires and billionaires over them, but they themselves must never personally desire such things.
Their desire must be rooted in building and maintaining the policy environment that enables the collective progress and advancement of their people, over and above personal wealth. They must desire this progress above everything else, otherwise they are not fit for leadership and should remain in the private sector!
The role of leadership and the functions of government are irreconcilable with the accumulation of personal wealth. People should be paid fairly and well, and even somewhat comparable to similar roles in the private sector, but it is impossible for any human being who desires to be rich to properly discharge their duties in government in a way that truly furthers their people. Impossible.
The true wealth in leadership is the advancement of the people through building policies, institutions, systems, frameworks, and social services that bring out the creative best in the people to innovative and drive national progress. Such leadership should be paid handsomely well and fairly, but becoming abundantly rich is not possible unless there is corruption somewhere.
Assessing Africa from this standard, one can conclude that probably 95%+ of people currently working in government have no business being there, and should be terminated and relegated to the private sector. Many even cast and chained in prison.
It is important to have the right mentality for leadership, otherwise one will make big mistakes. The desire for collective progress must always be greater than the accumulation of personal wealth in one who desires to truly lead. Otherwise they are not mature enough and fit for leadership, and should stay far away from government. Every great government leader in history has exemplified this quality of collective progress above personal wealth accumulation, for none became great without it!
Leaders should definitely be paid fairly, and perhaps their pay can even be partially adjusted on commission based on the performance of the economy. But all this negates the mass accumulation of wealth, instead it directs energy to create the environment through which citizens can build wealth and opportunities for themselves and their communities.
Leadership principles.
Onward & Upward!
~Dr. Ikenna A. Ezealah, JD, PhD, MBA
Builder of the African Future
Nation Upbuilding 