Africa needs vibrant leaders aged 25–50, says Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged African countries to embrace a generational change in leadership by deliberately encouraging younger people between the ages of 25 and 50 to assume positions of authority, saying they possess the physical and mental strength needed for the demands of modern governance.

Jonathan spoke on Thursday in Abuja at the International Memorial Lecture and Leadership Conference held to mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of former Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed.

Speaking on the pressures associated with leadership, the former president recalled that during his time in office, he sometimes slept for less than two hours within a 24-hour period, noting that advanced age could make it difficult to cope with such demands.

“Why do we begin to think that you must be a hundred years old before you can rule your country?” Jonathan asked.

READ ALSO:PDP Crisis: What Jonathan told party leaders in Abuja — Turaki

He said leadership requires exceptional stamina and resilience, insisting that younger leaders are more capable of handling the strain.

“If they need to stay awake for 24 hours, they can stay awake for 24 hours. When I was in office, some days I did not sleep up to two hours. If you subject an older person to that kind of stress, the person will spend 50 per cent of the time in hospital,” he said.

Jonathan said his view aligns with the ideals of Nigeria’s “Not Too Young To Run” movement, which aims to lower age limits for elective offices and promote youth participation in governance.

“I have to reinforce the Not Too Young To Run movement. We have to bring some of these age limits down. If we are looking for people who can run nations in Africa, we should look within the 25 to 50 age bracket. That is when you can be very vibrant, physically strong and mentally sound,” he said.

He also criticised the habit of some public office holders spending long periods outside their states or countries.

“In a country like the United States, some governors do not leave their states for four years. But here, some of our governors spend 50 per cent of their time outside. So who runs the state? Why will we not have security problems? Coming of age must transcend many things. First and foremost, we must have the discipline to manage ourselves,” he added.

Recalling the leadership of General Murtala Muhammed, Jonathan said the late Head of State showed that age was not a barrier to effective leadership. Muhammed became Head of State at 38 and made a lasting impact within his 200-day tenure.

“General Murtala Muhammed assumed office at the very young age of 38. Despite a tenure of only 200 days, his achievements were profound because he was driven by a clear, unyielding vision.

“His leadership sent a clear message: leadership was to serve the national interest, not personal ambition,” Jonathan said.

He also cited other young Nigerian leaders, including General Yakubu Gowon, who became Head of State at 32 and later introduced the National Youth Service Corps, which still exists.

“A young man of 32 managed to pull the country through the civil war. So why do we now think leadership must only come at old age?” he asked.

However, Jonathan warned that being young alone does not guarantee good leadership, stressing the importance of discipline, patriotism and strong institutions. While commending Muhammed’s decisiveness, he said democracy depends more on institutions than individuals.

“Democracy requires vision rather than decree. It requires persuasion instead of command. It depends on institutions, not individuals. Above all, it requires respect for the rule of law and the willingness to submit power to the will of the people,” he said.

He urged leaders across Africa to see governance as stewardship rather than entitlement, while also encouraging young people to treat leadership as service.

“Young people must see leadership as service, not entitlement. Leaders must see governance as stewardship, not a right,” he said.

“I sometimes remember when I contested as a deputy governorship candidate. You had to be 40 years old before you could even be a senator, a deputy governor or a governor, not to talk about president. Yet the Head of State we are celebrating today assumed office at 38,” he said.

Jonathan called on Nigerians and other Africans to learn from history, noting that leadership should be judged by impact rather than length of time in office.

“As we mark 50 years of General Murtala Muhammed’s legacy, let us remember that leadership is not measured by how long you govern; it is measured by the courage to act decisively when the nation needs direction and by the impact you make on society,” he added.

He stressed that while military regimes operate through command, democratic governance requires strong institutions, credible electoral bodies, an independent judiciary, trained security agencies and accountable systems.

“While General Murtala Muhammed symbolised decisive leadership, our democratic future depends on strong institutions. Democracy requires vision rather than decree. It requires persuasion instead of command. It depends on institutions, not individuals. Democracy also demands restraint and respect for the rule of law,” Jonathan said.