A PHILOSOPHICAL INVESTIGATION OF IBRAHIM TRAORE’S QUINTESSENTIAL LEADERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT: A CRITQUE OF CORRUPT LEADERSHIP IN AFRICA

Abstract

This paper explores the persistent challenge of underdevelopment in Africa, attributing it largely to poor leadership and entrenched corruption. Despite long standing effort by African leaders to drive development, corruption remains a major impediment. The 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International ranks Nigeria’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kenya’s William Ruto among the most corrupt leaders globally, highlighting the need for a fundamental change in leadership mentality. The paper argues that any meaningful and sustainable development in Africa must begin with the transformation of the African mind – emphasizing holistic human development across social, political, religious, and ethical domains. As a counter example to prevailing leadership failures, the paper highlights Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso, whose leadership under a military regime has demonstrated a tangible progress in several sectors. Traore’s call for a united Sahel and a broader united Africa is presented as a viable part towards a true independence from lingering Western neo - colonial structures. Using Philosophical analysis as its methodology, the paper calls for a rethinking of leadership, development and identity in Africa.