Africa Leadership Initiative/West Africa The Great Values Seminar Abuja, Nigeria November 29-December 3, 2006 Executive Summary : The Africa Leadership Initiative/West Africa was launched in 2006 as a joint venture of the Aspen Institute, LEAP Africa (Nigeria), Databank Foundation (Ghana), and TechnoServe and was made possible with support from the Ford Foundation (Nigeria), an anonymous U.S. donor, the UniCredit Foundation (Italy), the Databank Foundation (Ghana) and TechnoServe/Ghana. It is also a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network which seeks to develop the next generation of values-based leaders around the world. Inspired by the Henry Crown Fellowship Program of the Aspen Institute, ALI/West Africa is designed to build linkages between—and to promote open dialogue among—leaders from Ghana and Nigeria on the makings of a “good society” in West Africa. The program provides the tools and perspectives necessary for effective, enlightened leadership in business, government, and not-for-profit sectors—that is, in society-at-large. It also seeks to spur Fellows “from thought to action” by asking them to carry out individual leadership projects of their own design. The West Africa class, comprised of 24 highly accomplished Nigerian and Ghanaian Fellows between the ages of 30 and 49, met for the second time, from November 29-December 3, 2006, in Abuja, the political capital of Nigeria. Their first meeting was in May 2006 for a seminar entitled “ The Challenge of Leadership ,” in which they explored what effective leaders do and do not do . In their second meeting, the “ Great Values Seminar,” moderated by Aspen Senior Moderators Keith Berwick and Peter Reiling, the Fellows were prompted to consider those societal values they deem most important, and the trade-offs they are willing to make in seeking a good and just society. Fellows read and engaged in animated dialogue on the writing of Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Hobbes, William Graham Sumner, Freidrich Hayek, Ibn Khaldun, Milton 1 Friedman, Thomas Jefferson, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Simon Bolivar, Harriet Taylor Mill, and Karl Marx, among others. They also performed Antigone , the classic tale of leadership and hubris by Sophocles. (See Appendix A for full agenda). The Great Values Seminar provided an opportunity for Fellows to deepen the bonds of trust they began to develop during the first seminar. Indeed, Fellows shared that they had already met with each other in Ghana and Nigeria several times between the first and the second seminars. Some reported new collaborations in professional and private activities as a result. Many reported progress in their leadership commitments made during the “ check-out ” session of the first seminar. Some of the more interesting projects include: employing a network of beauty salons to educate women on HIV/AIDS in Ghana; using a mass media platform to create an " It's Not About Me " campaign promoting civic engagement in Nigeria; and providing legal coverage for migrant workers leaving the region for Europe and other developed regions. The West Africa class is an outstanding group of men and women representing the entrepreneurial business, government, and NGO sectors. All members of the group returned for the second seminar, except for three who had extenuating medical or professional circumstances. Even so, the group maintained a good balance of men (10) and women (11), and Ghanaians (12) and Nigerians (9). (See Appendix F for bios) We believe these Fellows are having a measurable and positive impact in the countries and communities where they live, as are the seminars on the participants themselves. Seventeen of twenty-one Fellows said they plan to make changes in their professional or personal lives as a direct result of this seminar (see Appendix E for Evaluation Summaries); several have initiated their leadership projects ahead of schedule and are reporting progress (see “ Check-in” and “Check-out” sections of the report and appendices); and they have all worked on more clearly articulating their vision of a good society (see Appendix B) . 2 The Great Values Seminar After a welcome reception and dinner, Fellows jumped right into the first session on “The Good Life Well Lived” with Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and Rhetoric. They concluded that “virtue in conformity with happiness” is how one lives the good life according to Aristotle. “Aristotle is telling us that if we aren’t contemplative enough, we risk seeking means to justify ends. Contemplation allows society to focus on high ideals. Since happiness is an abstract concept, virtue and a sense of goodness are what make a good life,” summarized one Fellow. “The pursuit of wisdom with time for reflection and balance make a good life,” added another. Veteran moderator Keith Berwick wrapped up by asking the group to consider the question, “What is the good society and what is the role of leaders in creating it?” Among the answers were: leaders should be an example to others, they should live a well-balanced life, and they should have an activity of the soul tempered with rationality. The evening concluded with an exercise led by moderator Peter Reiling, who asked the Fellows to list what they thought were the attributes of a good society, looking at Ghana and Nigeria for clues as to what they consider necessary or lacking. See Appendix B for responses. Day I –“Check-in ” and Liberty and Equality The first full day began with the “ check-in ”—a tradition at each gathering where the Fellows share with each other news, both personal and professional, and progress or setbacks since the last meeting. Excerpts from the “ check-in ”: “I started to promote HIV/AIDS awareness and training through my network beauty salons in Ghana. We managed to train in 64 salons and have put together a training team to expand that reach. We created a buzz in the salons with clients talking about HIV/AIDS.” “When I left our last seminar I wanted to build a powerful platform for change and create a road show for our university campuses. The challenge was finding resources to take what I was doing to the next level. Then I was invited to a meeting on communications in Aspen, Colorado which showed me how to use technology to achieve my goal. I worked with twelve people to develop a 3 campaign to promote civic participation and democracy. We began working on development, leadership, sexuality, health, and the purpose of life. Then we began to ask if we could use technology for advocacy and for intervention for democracy. We are starting with five thousand students at a time. They register to be members of an online community. The program is called “It is not about me. It is about us. ” We plan to roll it out next year before the election. I started writing a blog. I am also working on a program called ‘Chain of Hope’ to address rape and provide medical and legal support to victims.” “My issue was to look at illegal migration, and in particular at the risk side that illegal migration poses to individuals involved. Twenty thousand Africans have died trying to cross the Mediterranean. I am working with a filmmaker, interviewing migrants, and publicizing the risks in the newspapers.” “I selected 18 disadvantaged 3-10-year olds to teach basic reading and writing in Northern Nigeria. Since I began, all except the two 3-year olds can read simple sentences and do basic math. I am now in the process of registering with the state and local government to formally open a school for the underprivileged. I now feel more confident and more willing to explore different things.” “Last meeting I said I was approached to work on HIV/AIDS with a foundation and was hesitant about taking on that responsibility. I have fully committed and was appointed chairman of the board. I have also made progress in bringing together the first private sector interaction with the Global Fund which works on HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria. With four million people in Nigeria with HIV/AIDS, we are trying to place HIV/AIDS on the front burner for the private sector. On a personal level I am trying become more balanced. With everything I am trying to do, this has really been challenging. I have a new baby girl so I am trying to spend more time with my family. Children don’t spell love L-O-V-E they spell love T-I-M-E.” “I promised to try to bridge the digital divide by creating more IT empowerment opportunities for youth. I have secured four investors for this project and we are teaching young people remotely. We have developed a resource center and library. We are also developing a resource training center to train people in repairs and maintenance.” “Our first meeting in Akosombo was a defining moment for me. Since then I have really reflected on my life and I have become more focused. Now, I am finding a lot of space for myself while the law practice is growing. I am doing more pro-bono work and am trying to incorporate it into the practice in a more systematic and strategic way.” Introduction to the Executive’s Compass Keith Berwick presented the framework for James O’Toole’s Executive Compass with its four elements of liberty, equality, community and efficiency, and the trade-offs and tensions between them. Over the following days, each one of the four elements was explored further with a series of readings that highlight that particular element, beginning with liberty. Liberty 4 In the section on Liberty, the group explored the writings of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Karl Popper, William Sumner, F.A.