The keynote speaker of the African Youth Leadership Institute (AYLI) graduating class, Wilcom Duncan, has told the graduates and others that Africa and its citizens are like a “generator” which sits in darkness and electrifies people; writes Ojuku Silver-tongue Kangar, Jr.
“We live on a rich continent but we are the poorest people; it is not because we don’t have resources, but because we are not resourceful,” guest speaker Duncan said. “Amid all the resources, Africa still has problem with hunger, insufficient housing units for people, poor electricity, education, and do on.”
“Africa, the world third biggest continent, with several minerals and estimated population of 1.2 billion, according to the United Nations, is not developed as Europe and America.
“It is the way its leaders exercise democracy, which is far from the westerners. The resources of every nation should be properly managed by government to benefit the citizens’ needs and to develop,” he stated, “but it is pocketed by successive governments or groups of elites here, leaving the massive in abject poverty.
“As the gold, diamond, platinum, etc, are not renewable resources, let’s think how to develop our continent,” Duncan said, challenging the graduates to make the difference in Africa.
“As the world has become a global village as a result of technology advancement, Africa, which is the least in terms of development and other things, will become the world’s global market place by 2050, according to the United Nations survey. It will overtake Asia, which is the world current global market.
“As a result, Amazon, the world’s highest distributor of goods and services, has moved its headquarters to South Africa, and plans to extend its annex office to Lagos. Likewise, Google has taken its offices to Ghana and Kenya.”
Duncan, who spoke on the theme, “Exercising Local Leadership with a Global Perspective”, told the graduates and others to prepare themselves to take over the global economic trade by 2050.
“You must be prepared by that time to partake in the global economic trade by 2050. By that time Africa’s population will double from the current one, which is 1.2 billion, to 2.5 billion. Think about the investment influx that will be added to Africa’s population,” the keynote speaker said. “AYLI has trained you graduates to be the heads. Not to be passive followers but active followers. Use your knowledge to take the lead.
“To take the lead, you must not complete but create, always learn new skills and be consistent,” he added.
“According to the United Nations report, in 2019 one billion ton minerals came from Africa. It has 40% of the gold in the world, 90% of cremium and 90% of planium. In the same year, 63% cremium came from Congo.
“Africa has been supplying the world with its natural resources, and countries are making headway in terms of development, but Africa still sits in darkness as generator,” Duncan said with a frowned face.
The recent graduation ceremony, which was held at the Zion Ministries, Du-Port Road, brought together several dignitaries.
But the AYLI’s online training is challenged in a number of ways: it lacks sponsorship, students find it hard to freely participate in class due to poor network; leeward counties are sometimes cut off as a result of poor network and financial constraint to recharge their phones with data, among others, according to its Executive Director, Ambassador Christopher Touabli. Jr. He said that the school is recruiting a new batch of students to be trained and take over Africa and the world.
The graduates, in one accord, thanked the leadership of AYLI, and vowed to exert the knowledge acquired.
