African Leadership Magazine July - August 2020 edition

PATRICIA SCOTLAND SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH

RACE AND RECONCILIATION: TIME FOR A

TRUTH-SEEKING TRANSITIONAL MECHANISM

Can Covid-19 Accelerate Samuel Edoumiekumo: Leading a Silent Change in Africa? Revolution at Niger Delta University

Cover

PATRICIA SCOTLAND: RACE AND RECONCILIATION- TIME FOR A TRUTH-SEEKING TRANSITIONAL MECHANISM Commonwealth charter, which really commits all of our countries to 16 core values, including opposing all forms of discrimination, whether rooted in gender, race, colour or any other ground The Commonwealth, one of the addressing these challenges. There has been large scale world's oldest political associations In this exclusive interview with protests in the United States and of states, has its roots in the British African Leadership Magazine UK, across the world in response to Empire, when countries around Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, the the recent death of George Floyd the world were ruled by Britain. 6th Commonwealth Secretary - an African American, throwing And ever since 1949 when the General and first female to lead up the agelong issue of Racism. modern Commonwealth was the institution, shares some of the What are the implications of these founded, the institution has been efforts of the institution towards developments on Africa and at the forefront of promoting addressing these current issues minority groups globally; and how world peace, representative around systemic racism; and calls is the Commonwealth Secretariat democracy, individual liberty and for a truth-seeking transitional responding, in line with its freedom, and the pursuit of mechanism. Rt Hon Scotland who mandate of promoting justice equality, among others. As the was also the youngest person to and human rights? world battles the twin issue of be made a Queen's Counsel, QC COVID-19 and Racism, member at the age of 34, talks about her I think the really important thing is nations and citizens look to the efforts towards empowering to identify what the institution to lead and help in young people. Excerpts. Commonwealth stands for. And July - August 2020 African leadership Magazine 13

we choose, and I'm very proud of

have seen changes where black people, women, people of different religions, people with different economic positions, people with disabilities, have been treated differently, and that's what the Commonwealth stands to change. What's your final word in terms of what Africans should be looking forward to from the Commonwealth Secretariat in the coming days? I think that we are focused on the future. This is a radically changed world, a digitalized world which is interconnected, interdependent, and needs that connectivity to make sure no one is left behind. We have intellectual powers and we have the desire to deliver on all the sustainable development goals. However, we have to choose, because this time in our history is an inflexion point, and what we do will determine what the world will look like tomorrow. You know people seem not to always to take on board that history doesn't just happen, history is made; it is made by the decisions that we take or refuse to take. So at this moment of global inflexion, where we are together facing a climate crisis that we have never encountered before, and we are the first generation to suffer from this crisis but the last generation to be able to do something about it. So, I would say to the leaders of Africa, we can do this. We just have to choose. The Commonwealth is choosing. I hope that all our leaders will choose with us and difficulties it is having on our has called for the women affairs need, to have the future our countries. What she said, and I ministers meeting. Amina children deserve. We have to agree with her, is that there is a Mahammad of Kenya is the chair make that history because potential that all of these traumas for the sports ministers meeting, nobody is going to make it for us. could put us back a hundred and we are going to be looking years; and we're not going back at how sports culture can on the race issue, we're not going contribute to our recovery. And back on gender either, because that virtual ministers conference is we know we need to go forward again going to be led by a to have the world that we want to phenomenal African woman, and have. So, I wish I could tell you that is Amina Mahammad. that all our struggles are behind Hence, I think we are united in us, but they're not all behind us. saying equality for all includes Some of them are, and we can balance on gender, and race, be the final judge of our future if and disability, and religion. they will be the difference that we how the leadership of women are We are not leaving anyone coming to the fore. For Kenya, it is behind. The truth is most of us Professor Margaret Cobia, who have seen so many changes. We July - August 2020 African leadership Magazine 20

Commonwealth charter, which really commits all of our countries to 16 core values, including opposing all forms of discrimination, whether rooted in gender, race, colour or any other ground

£5 $8 N3000 ZAR100 JULY - AUGUST 2020