Barack Obama’s speech is straight forward and a simply commonly 101 course for African leaders. African is a continent with bunch of dictators and authoritarian parties and this culture has been a norm for decades and is also popping up in new forms in this century.

It is every African youth’s question why do most African leaders just want to be above the law? As Obama puts it when he talks about clinging to power for life he said “I have to be honest with you: I just don’t understand this.”

Yes Obama, we Africans never understood this too; Why Isayas of Eritrea, Bashir of Sudan, Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Museveni of Uganda etc—- want to stay in power for life????????????????

Obama’s advice to African leaders in particular to Isayas of Eritrea;

1. “Africa’s democratic progress is also at risk when leaders refuse to step aside when their terms end,” Obama said. “No one should be president for life.”
2. “Under our constitution, I cannot run again. There’s still so much I want to get done to keep America moving forward. But the law is the law and no one is above it, not even presidents.
3. “And, frankly, I’m looking forward to life after being president. It will mean more time with my family, new ways to serve, and more visits to Africa.”
4. “When a leader tries to change the rules in the middle of the game just to stay in office, it risks instability and strife, as we’ve seen in Burundi.” Clinging to power was “often just a first step down a perilous path“.
5. “If a leader thinks they’re the only person who can hold their nation together, then that leader has failed to truly build their country,” he said.
6. ‘Cancer of corruption’ Obama also called on Africa to end “the cancer of corruption” and embrace democracy to ensure continued progress.

Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/07/obama-chides-african-leaders-cling-power-au-addis-ababa-150728104939849.html