Page 13 - Demo

LeadershipISSUE 36 APRIL 2025 13who is starting the new journey. You are sharper. Wiser. Stronger. And the person you are now may need something different from what you once wanted. Some doors are meant to be closed. And when you find the courage to close them, you make space for the right ones to open.The Kagame effectThe above paragraphs might sound like some fine motivational speech; however, motivation is not my aim for this article, but rather a call for a change in perspective for all Africans. It%u2019s a call for a shift in consciousness for all Africans and how they deal with the issues that affect all of our lives as Africans.Meaning that we cannot be those people who continue to talk about improving the lot of Africans, but we don%u2019t think twice when it%u2019s time to sell our innovation to the money-bags in Silicon Valley. How is Africa supposed to grow if we keep selling the things that can make us grow to foreign companies? Same thing with Africa%u2019s natural resources. Some even delude themselves with the falsehood that when they sell such innovations or when they sell their amazing ideas or their natural resources (especially the raw ones), then they can make money to build Africa. It%u2019s pure delusion. Money does not build countries; systems that create true wealth and which also distribute it accurately are what do. If you doubt what I am saying, almost all African countries sell mineral resources to foreign countries, so where are the projects the funds are used for? We must stop lying to ourselves while wasting precious time talking big grammar. Interestingly enough, I am not even sure what I mean by the title, The Kagame Effect, even though it sounds very cool to my mind. I guess what I am trying to say is, as Africans, wherever you find yourself, irrespective of who is watching or who does not give a toss about your presence, you must wear your Africanness with dignity, strength, grace, a deep consciousness of truth, and a deep sense of commitment to the positive African narrative. Just like President Kagame, let people say what they want, think what they want, and even act crazy all they want, but know when to cut off their feet when they overstep their boundaries into your place of peace. Learn not to sacrifice your peace for people who really don%u2019t care if you die the next minute. Maybe 2025 should be tagged the year of cutting off bad influences and limitations.