It’s time for intellectuals to step forward

When Kenyans read in their newspapers that “A Harambee Stars player was paid millions to let in goals,” they wonder and ask a pithily question: “Are we living in the times of the apocalypse? Who else is paid millions to let in goals from our enemies?” Yes, goals from criminals, poverty, ignorance, diseases, national disunity, unpatriotism, wastages, inefficiencies, and all other forms of tidal corruption in public and private sectors.

Any nation is in trouble when many of its high-IQ intelligentsia risk takers don’t lead in front and instead become part of the social problems. One American businessman, Lee Iacocca, wrote of the US, “The most famous business leaders are not innovators, but the guys in handcuffs”. He then asked a fundamental question. “Where have all the leaders gone? You can’t call yourself a patriot if you’re not outraged.”  Kenyans too are asking, are our famous professionals, elites and business people the guys who let in goals, clean dirty money in exchange for millions? Where have all our intellectuals-intelligentsia, warrior leaders gone?

In the battles for better life and at critical moments, sea worthy leaders who were heroic, intelligent and civic minded emerged from the larger spectrum of the respective societies. This group of intelligentsia, selfless warrior leaders, which I call the “Row Fronters” would have prophetic ideas and provided necessary motivation and vision for their people. That way on average humanity was able to beat the phantasmagorical violence of the state of nature that was hobbessian, “a war of everyone against everyone, nasty, brutish and short”. 

Prof Ali Mazrui called the intelligentsia, warrior leaders as “philosopher kings.” He cited as examples first generation African leaders such as Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Dr Julius Nyerere, Nelson Mandela and Kwame Nkrumah. Philosopher kings are not only top national leaders. They could be anybody who possesses knowledge, is gifted with intelligence, trustworthy and is civic minded. When brilliant, energetic, high-aspiring individuals are mixed together with a solid democratic system such as ours and free market, we expect socio-economic magic to happen.

Poor governance

Nation states are supposed to deliver superior quality of lives, happiness for their own citizens. Why independent Africa is the home of 75 per cent of the world’s poorest with average per capita of $1,809 which is only 10 per cent of the world’s average? Yes, poverty is partly to due to historical and geographical factors. However, history of nations shows that poverty is greatly due to poor governance together with the “cannibalistic acquisitive mindset, culture,” that is reigning in the world today.

The principle of infinite capital accumulation is by and large the ‘light house’ that guides the modern day super rich. According to World Economic Forum, Davos 2018, whose theme was Global 4.0: Shaping a Global architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the richest 1 per cent owns more than half of the World’s wealth which is about $280 trillion.

The problem is, for some reasons, many of Africa’s civic minded, intelligentsia, warrior leaders though always in short supply, don’t rise to the occasion and claim their space. Most even don’t realise that today, more than ever before, our national security depends on the quality of our education system. This is the basic cause of a national failure.

As Confucius said many centuries ago, “Man is born for uprightness. If man lose his upright, honor, and yet live, his escape from death is the effect of mere good fortune.’’ In Kenya today, we have men and women who are creative, row fronters, have the commitment to make life better for all with intellectual integrity and visions. As a country we are not short of high spirited intellectuals, university academics, warrior leaders. However, many of us are missing in action and the people are asking, “Where are they?” There is therefore urgent need for us to step forward and respond to the concerns of Kenyans and be counted.

- The writer is a strategic management consultant in Nairobi.