Leadership is an Engine of Economic Development: The Covetousness of Pre, During, Post and Neo Colonialisms in

Abstract

This paper provides a comprehensive examination of leadership as a central determinant in Africa’s economic development, contextualized within the historical epochs of pre-colonial autonomy, colonial domination, and contemporary neo-colonial entanglements. Anchored in the theoretical frameworks of political economy and dependency theory, the study interrogates the multifaceted ways in which external interference, institutional erosion, and socio-cultural fragmentation have systematically debilitated indigenous leadership structures and obstructed pathways to sustainable development. While the continent possesses an abundance of natural resources, the persistence of weak and extractive leadership—often influenced or manipulated by global powers—has entrenched economic stagnation and social deprivation across much of Africa. Employing a qualitative, interpretivist methodology, the study analyzes historical governance legacies and structural constraints to illuminate the paradox of wealth amid poverty that characterizes many African states. The paper culminates in a set of transformative policy recommendations, advocating for a reorientation of leadership toward African-centered governance paradigms that prioritize self-determination, equitable resource management, and inclusive institutional reform.