Dubai Expo 2020 a chance for African leaders to learn from the compelling legacy of Shiekh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

Now that the most powerful, top decision makers and the styled visionaries of Africa are converging in Dubai for the globally hyped Dubai Expo 2020, let us hope that among the things that will strike the keen eye will be the realization how a vision of a leader can actually change and transform a previously barren and empty desert into a magnificent wonder of the world.

The aura of beauty, the glamour of development and the scent of opulence is what currently describes what previously was a fishing village governed by fishermen. Shiekh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan couldn't settle for the fishermen ideals and principles instead he was determined to employ every faculty at his disposal to cause a transformation that has for sure become an awe and envy to the whole world.

That is the legacy he left and it is what his successors are continuing to build on. Palm Jumeria Island is one of the most innovative, ambitious and construction marvel of the modern world that the rulers of UAE have managed to pull off. The Dubai Expo provides a perfect opportunity for the display of this human ingenuity.

Going by the anchoring the visions and principles of Shiekh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yu of Singapore and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed of Malaysia, many countries of the world including those of Africa should have by now actually achieved similar transformation.

However, when leaders whether knowingly or unknowingly decide to adopt retrogressive methods in the name of visions, it becomes easy for even the naturally most beautiful and enormously endowed countries to remain so daunted by all sorts of challenges including continuing to record dismal global positive visibility. Unfortunately, this seems to be the situation in all African countries and the African people continue to just dream of the breakthroughs that have happened in the Middle East and Asia.

Well, six months during which Dubai’s achievements will be on full display on almost a daily basis on TV screens globally, it will certainly be a good period for a lot of reflection, learning, benchmarking and attitude change. However, this change can only happen to those that certainly willing to be humble enough to shrug off their bravado and the always the "I know it all" attitude. That is the “sacrifice” that the African leaders must make if they want to emulate Shiekh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.