
Across Africa, where sunlit plains stretch into bustling cities and rivers weave through fertile lands, a challenge persists: a continent brimming with potential, yet a leadership ethos too often focused solely on the pursuit of wealth.
We are a land rich in resources, culture and ingenuity, yet how often do we stop to ask: What is wealth for?
What does it mean to truly succeed?
This week I am filled with a new optimism, let me share my vision and hope that it becomes a reality in my lifetime.
For too long, success has been measured by numbers—personal fortunes, GDP growth, profit margins.
These figures shine brightly in reports and headlines, but they overshadow the people and communities that remain untouched by progress.
Leadership confined to individual gain misses its highest calling: to uplift, empower and build a future that benefits all.
Africa needs a new definition of success, one that transcends personal ambition and embraces shared progress.
Imagine this: “Success is having a lot of money and a lot of time”.
Not time wasted, but time well spent— being present with family, nurturing relationships, mentoring the next generation and building a legacy that endures.
This was a new definition I picked up from Pius Muchiri of Nabo Capital and a financial advisor.
True wealth will always exceed your own needs.
It is not a destination; it is a river, flowing outward to create opportunities and hope.
Therefore, true wealth frees you to think of others, because frankly speaking if you are truly wealthy, you never have to worry about yourself anymore.
Too often, wealth in Africa stops at the gates of private estates.
Yet history and culture offer us a different model.
In many indigenous societies, leaders were stewards of their communities, guided by principles like Ubuntu: I am because we are.
Prosperity was shared, and leadership was rooted in service.
These values, distorted by systems that prioritised individualism, remain embedded in our collective memory, waiting to be reawakened.
Consider Wangari Maathai’s work.
Through her vision of environmental stewardship, she did not just plant trees—she created hope.
Green belts now encircle communities that once faced drought and erosion, a living example of what leadership can achieve when wealth and time are invested in a cause greater than oneself.
Or take Strive Masiyiwa, whose telecommunications empire laid the groundwork for connecting millions while funding education and healthcare for those who need it most.
These leaders show us that true influence is measured not in what you take but in what you give.
This is not a call to renounce ambition—it is an invitation to elevate it.
The truly wealthy are those who solve the world’s real problems.
Aliko Dangote’s investments in infrastructure, health and agriculture are proof that the greatest opportunities often lie in meeting the greatest needs.
Across the globe, we see similar examples: Bill Gates eradicating diseases, Jack Ma investing in rural education.
These leaders remind us that wealth gains its highest purpose when it serves humanity.
But this vision is not without its challenges.
Corruption, systemic inequities and economic pressures create formidable barriers.
Still, it is precisely in these contexts that courageous leadership matters most.
When leaders commit their time and resources to tackling education, healthcare or sustainability, they challenge the systems that hold us back and inspire others to follow suit.
So, what does this mean for Africa’s leaders today?
It means seeing wealth as a tool, not an end. It means recognising that when your needs are met, you gain the freedom to dream bigger, love deeper and build something that will outlive you.
Imagine the ripple effects if every leader in Africa embraced this ethos.
Prosperity would flow into communities, creating schools, hospitals and industries that thrive for generations.
Time, that most precious of resources, would be spent mentoring young minds and nurturing visions of a better future.
Legacy is not written in ledgers or monuments but in lives leaders touch and the futures they shape.
When true wealth exceeds personal needs, it transforms into something far greater.
It becomes hope for future generations, a force for stronger societies, and a symbol of what is possible when success is redefined.
NICHOLAS OKUMU
Orthopaedic surgeon and a 2024 Global Surgery Advocacy Fellow