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Leaders from 19 African countries converge on Zambia (and later Senegal) in the spirit of togetherness. Part of the agenda was to name and celebrate the boundless assets on the continent, and for the participants to use the insights so gained to affect their respective communities. Network Africa's Editor Pelu Awofeso joined in the journey to infuse Africa's leadership landscape with fresh ideas and new blood

Sometime last October in a well-appointed hotel complex in Livingstone (Zambia), more than a hundred leaders from 19 African countries rose to their feet and started to dash in the direction of the hall's south wall. Everyone had in their hands between one and three A4-size papers symbolically described as building 'bricks' on which were written, printed, designed, painted and pasted what the bearers considered to be the most significant value their countries have added to the global community.

An African-inspired song played in the background as the bare brown wall got plastered all over with the gems - from Senegal to Ethiopia to South Africa. An hour on Africa's grandeur as a continent had been established on a wall that measured 10ft by 40ft.

Each country made its statement, loud and clear: The Zimbabweans brandished the Macademia nuts and a record of sporting and Educational excellence; Sierra Leoneans revelled in their diamonds, the Lion mountains and the description “Athens of West Africa”; Kenyans prided in the Swahili language,Bird Sanctuary (Lake Nakuru), the country's sporting greats and the phenomenon often referred to as the “Great Wilderness Migration” of wild beets; there was the famed Kente cloth and crafts from Ghana; Architectural masterpieces of both Cameroun and Mozambique, plus the food, drinks, music and dances from Ethiopia as well as the almighty Eritrean bricks.

Of course, there was the glowing tribute to Africa's founding fathers right through to their successors in power over the past half decade.
Just staring at the “Wall of greatness” alone, it was hard to match the awe-inspiring sight of an endowed continent with the oft-peddled perception that often associates Africa with the “begging bowl” culture. “All I saw was God in action,” Enobong Ezekiel, a banking executive from Nigeria, said of the camaraderie with which the exercise was carried out. True, there was mild pandemonium as participants claimed a space to 'plant' their country's flags and national treasures; but still there was civility on display in equal measure.

The mission finally accomplished, and everybody back to their different tables, the leaders got into conversation. “Having worked, having built the walls and discussed your bricks, and having worked with your learning partner and noticed things on the wall, what have you identified in terms of the details of the success of Africa that we can use to transform our continent? What have you noticed or what myriads of possibilities did you notice for African transformation?” asked Ketsile, the facilitator from Botswana.

Similar discussions took place concurrently on 16 tables, around each of which sat at least nine persons from as many countries.

“First of all Africa has produced great leaders and we see them from various countries. People are very proud of their leaders; we know them from the media and these are very rare leaders who are recognized on the world stage, so we don't have a shortage of leadership material in Africa which to me is one of our greatest tragedies,” Allan, the Zimbabwean miner offered on table six. “We have a leadership crisis in Africa and yet we have a lot of 'leadership material' people in Africa. So maybe all that transpire here at InterAction will be the seed of leadership that will take Africa in the right direction.”

Acha, the human rights lawyer from Cameroon, observed that inter-dependence is the key: “I think that from what we've seen on the wall there're a lot of talents in Africa spanning religion, academics and then to sports. So it just needs for us to network and these various talents will blossom. For example we have talents like the Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka; in fact, he is such a talent that if every African country would have such people we would have gone far since.”

Then the question was asked: Having established all of these assets, which everyone appeared to marvel at, what's the right and next step to take to move the continent forward? What can Africa do with all it's got to surprise the world in a big way?

The answers, some quite avant-garde, came pouring in. First to take the floor was Nigeria's Tolu Abari, who works for a telecoms company. “Africa has given so much to the world in the form of potentials but it is time for us to take responsibility for Africa to give to [also give] to the world in terms of performance. Imagine this: we give cocoa to the world and they sell back chocolate to us; we give crude oil to the world and they sell back petrol to us, sometimes we can't even get it to use, even though it came from us in the first instance; we have to look at 20 years from now and make up our minds that we won't just have the cocoa, we will have the chocolates as well; we will have our own Cadbury and our own versions of Nestle,” she said. “We must make up our minds not only to give primary resources but in their secondary and tertiary forms as well.”

The hall became energized with applause and cat calls. Reuben, head of Transparency International in Zambia added: “Back in my ecology class many years ago, I learnt that resources are not what is but what becomes. It is not the tree lying there in the forest; it is the paper and the amazing technology that you make out of it.”

On the table where I sat with other leaders from countries like Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa and Malawi, I had contributed my thoughts, focusing mainly on what I saw as the most dominant element on the wall Tourism. My exact words:

“I have noticed that almost every country has something touristy to share. You know, you go to the wall and you'll see so many things about tourism there that gladdens my heart. When you talk about global tourism, Africa doesn't really rate highly on the map; a few countries on the continent have excelled really, but when it comes to Africa as a block, what we generate as income is far too negligible compared to other continents of the world.

“So if we have all this diverse assets, tourists assets they call them, I think we should begin to explore the potentials in them and try to probably market Africa as a single entity. It has been suggested that we could market East Africa with what it's got, we could market North Africa with whatever it's got, the same with West and Southern Africa. By the end of the day we can always push Africa as a single entity so tourist will just determine or decide where to go, knowing what each region of Africa has on offer.

“Tourism is a strong force and it is something we could use to change peoples' impression or perception about the continent. Of course, tourism is closely related to the culture of the people. Culture and tourism can help us a great deal in Africa.”

A clean-shaven chap speaking on behalf of the group on table 10 rose up next: “Let's take another look at that wall and let's assume that the wealth on it belonged to one country, can you imagine the power such a nation would wield?” he asked, clearly not expecting an answer. “But we know they belong to different countries. So we see this to mean one thing: there is strength in our diversity. Africa has got, first of all, a lot to offer itself and thereafter a lot to offer the world. Therefore, Africa has every reason to celebrate.”

“All of us, in short, represent the greatness of Africa,” the dramatist from Ghana observed. What Africa needs, he said, was a complete change of mindset, a paradigm shift. “We have made ourselves believe that there are no great or good people in Africa. It is time that perception is changed we on table 14 are saying, 'catch them young'.”

Two afternoons later former Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda, 83, was our guest. The old generation would be in conversation with the new. For a man his age, he was amazingly sprightly (he actually jugged into the hall and onto the stage, his trademark white handkerchief firmly in his grip). As expected, he went back in time 50 years ago - to describe the horrendous Apartheid years, his active participation in the ANC, his decision to go vegetarian, the Zimbabwe situation, Religion and lots more.

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“What's your impression of the Africa you and your peers fought for and the Africa that is today's reality?” one of us wanted to know.

Kaunda cracked a joke about the sound system in the room before answering. “Young people, that you're coming together like this to talk about africa gives me hope that you're inspired by what is right,” he said. “There is no other way other than to convince yourself that what you're doing is right. You have read and listened to the individuals who fought for independence for their countries: Nkrumah, Nyerere, Kenyata and the rest. I am saying to you please go right ahead; do it for the good of Africa, to enable Africa grow.

“I am confident that Africa would rise up to the occasion. Why do I say so? Today I understand that the wealth of black people, the last time I was there, was put at billions of dollars - I'll urge black people to come and invest in Africa. Have two homes if need beone in Africa and another in America. Today there are troubles in Sudan, Somalia, and the Congo. All of us must rise up together.”

To wrap up the session, Kaunda thought it fitting to do a bit of mediating: “Are there Ethiopians here? Do we have Eritreans here?” he asked. Yes. “I want you to come out here and shake your hands together.”

Later on, at the earliest opportunity, I sat one of the Ethiopians down for a chat on relations between both countries. “It is more about the government than about the people,” Selamawit Ferede told me. “In the past we used to have a negative attitude towards one another but we don't hate ourselves.” Time was, she added, when Diaspora Eritreans and Ethiopians (students mainly) could kill if their paths as much as crossed. Not anymore.

The Sudanese came to Livingstone smiling and in very high spirit. Just relating with them alone, you couldn't tell they were witnessing a war situation. “The problem in Darfur is the result of an accumulation of hot air in the hearts of the people who feel marginalized,” Fareed Abdul-Hameed

Ismail, a poet and aspiring author, told me during our conversation at tea break. “People by nature are peaceful but when politics comes in it sets them off in a direction different from reality.”

Enough said. Livingstone was a watershed experience. It was where a new Africa was born in the hearts of those present; it was where invalid stereotypes were reshaped; it was where we learned to say: “Ubuntu I am, because you are, because we are.”

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