African leaders must be role models — Nana Dr S.K.B. Asante

The Paramount Chief of Asokore Asante, Nana Dr S. K. B. Asante, says “African leaders are expected to be role models for society, serve as a general source of inspiration and a stabilisation factor”.

He described the African leadership model as, among other things, “inclusive and consensual”.

At the maiden edition of the innovative Gestalt Africa Leadership Programme (GALP) in Accra, the lawyer and statesman said he was delighted to see leadership training in Africa integrating leadership principles from the African continent.

Nana Dr Asante, the Special Guest of Honour at the opening ceremony, said African leaders “are expected to be accountable to the societies that they serve, and face sanctions when they do not behave as expected”.

Settling disputes

Speaking on “African ways of being, organising and leading”, he stressed that “in settling disputes, the objective that chiefs have is the restoration of social equilibrium and not the vindication of rights.

 The process employed ensures that all rules of natural justice are respected”.

A six-member faculty of accomplished Gestalt Facilitators, drawn from Ghana and South Africa, facilitated the journey of personal and professional growth with the participants.

The GALP training consists of enlightening, interactive sessions, hands-on workshops and immersive experiences, all aimed at fostering creative thinking, leadership acumen and adaptability in an ever-evolving world.

GALP is committed to excellence and innovation and provides a unique platform for participants to explore and enhance their leadership competencies, taking into account their specific context.

The faculty members were John Nkum and Chantelle Wyley, initiators of the programme; Jeremy Timm, Michael Henderson, Esther A.N. Cobbah and Ato Kwamina Nkum. 

Modules

The seven-module GALP is delivered through in-person and virtual sessions over a year.

Participants leave the programme equipped with the tools, insights and inspiration to lead in a rapidly changing world.

The programme encourages participants to embrace innovation, foster diversity and adapt to new challenges. 

This year’s participants were drawn from both the public and private sectors, as well as development agencies, with the next programme scheduled for early 2025.

“GALP has been designed with current and aspiring African leaders in mind.

Our faculty members have worked together to design and deliver an Afrocentric leadership programme that seeks to stimulate participants to come up with innovative approaches for responding to Africa’s leadership needs,” Mr Nkum said.