No Winner for Mo Ibrahim $5 Million African leader Prize

Mohammed Ibrahim aka Mo Ibrahim is a British-Sudanese mobile telecommunications entrepreneur who sold his telecoms company for $3.4 billion in 2005. An enthusiast for African development, Mo Ibrahim decided to start various initiatives geared towards encouraging better governance and an overall improved standard of living in Africa.

After establishing the Mo Ibrahim foundation in 2005, he went further in his quest to improve governance in Africa. His thoughts and efforts in 2007 resulted in the commencement of the "Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership". The idea is to reward, honest hard working African leaders who deliver security, health, education and economic development to their constituents and democratically transfer power to their successors. The reward is $5 million initial payment over 10 years, and a $200,000 annual payment for life.

The situation now is that no African leader won the prize this year, 2013 and there were no winners in the year 2009, 2010, 2012 and now 2013. The reason given is that no leader did enough to earn it. Yes, African economies are developing but most African leaders always want to make their respective Presidential villas their grand-father's house. They never want to leave the seat of power.

I'm not surprised as the only winners since its inception are Joaquim Chissano of  Mozambique (Second President), Pedro Pires of Cape Verde (Third President) and Festus Mogae of Botswana (Third President). If only Mr. Mo knew how much Uncle Joe & co. makes a day or how much Jagaban & co. make a day in Lasgidi to make them consider the plight of the common man.

Mo Ibrahim is also a member of "The Giving Pledge", rich people that pledge large portions of their wealth to charity. Bless you Mo Ibrahim.