Mo Ibrahim on Good Governance

Mo Ibrahim: Engineer, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, African, Activist, Leader (photo source: Mo Ibrahim Foundation)

Mo Ibrahim is one of my heroes. I first heard about him through a friend of mine, also dedicated to Africa's development. "He is one of Africa's most successful entrepreneurs," he said. I was immediately intrigued. Who was this man who had grown up in Sudan in rather minimal circumstances, who had gotten a PhD in computer engineering, and started one of the world's most successful mobile companies with 500 quid??!! How did he do it, and why did he do it??

So I began reading about him. I read about how passionate he was about the development of Africa's leaders...this Sudanese man who always had a big smile. He had started an innovative Mo Ibrahim Prize for Leadership, and was giving out scholarships to young and promising African students. And I badly wanted to meet him.

Two months ago, I finally did. He was invited to be Chief Guest at our School's anniversary meeting. And he did not disappoint.

The day he arrived, the University had a whole day of activities planned out for him. They were thrilled to have one of the world's most successful entrepreneurs in their midst. The school was buzzing with photographers, and all manner of people in suits waiting to make a big deal about him.

In the meantime, the man himself arrived with an entourage of one (his personal assistant) in a rather non-descript car. No one knew that he was there or to run out and take his picture. He walked in and appeared a little lost, found his way to the photo session where he managed to surprise everyone by showing up with little fanfare. And just as quietly and efficiently as he came, he disappeared after.

In the evening, I showed up at the lecture he was to give. In the tradition of my school to put its best foot forward, the lecture was held off-site at a fancy 5-star hotel ballroom. Half of my work-floor (including myself) was there to usher people in fancy suits around. Mo showed up early, again with just his personal assistant and a throng of Singaporeans following him around. All he seemed to want to do was find a reliable men's room where he could relieve himself and then relax. I think he was happy to just be left alone.

His talk was marvelous. Very honest, no BS. I really liked the guy. He had no frills about him and he was unafraid to say what he came to talk about: that we are mucking up our world with crappy leadership and governance, and that there were ways to fix it. I highly recommend watching his talk here (unfortunately it cannot be embedded). Its eye-opening.

I later had the opportunity to speak with him one-on-one, and asked him two questions:

Who are your heroes??

He said that growing up, he had three people's pictures on his wall: Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, and someone else who I can't remember (totally my fault...darn!)

What's the best piece of advice he has ever gotten??

He quoted an Arabic saying he had oft-heard growing up in Sudan. He translated it into something like this, "you come into the earth with nothing, and you will die with nothing." So he wants to make and do as much good as he can with what God has given him in the time that he is alive, because come death, he won't take any of this back with him.

Read more about the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, and Mo.

X PRIZE for efficient cookstoves??

Inefficient cookstoves are a major problem for the poor in the developing world. The soot has serious implications on health and poverty; and population growth, and rising energy costs leave the poor with no choice but to forage for their fuel resulting in environmental degradation, . (Picture source: columbia.edu)

One of the organizations I consulted for a couple of years ago, called the X PRIZE Foundation, where I helped develop the Global Development vertical has moved forward with a partnership with IIT Delhi and the Government of India to develop and launch a prize for developing efficient cookstoves.

Approximately 70% of Indian households -- more than 160 million households, comprising about 770 million people – are estimated to depend on simple but polluting cookstoves that burn solid fuel, mainly wood or coal. It also is estimated that approximately 400,000 to 550,000 people – primarily women and children – die of the resulting indoor air pollution each year in the country. This makes the cookstoves problem in India and the potential market for cleaner cookstoves amongst the largest in the world.

The cookstoves competition falls under the X PRIZE Foundation’s Education & Global Development prize group, which tackles major challenges in areas such as learning, hunger, health and water. Addressing the grand challenges of our time, the X PRIZE Foundation generates innovation through incentivized competition. Through the strategic design of ground-breaking competitions with significant, multi-million dollar prize purses, X PRIZE spurs collaboration among the world’s most brilliant minds to tackle the most pressing issues and create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. More here.

Looks pretty interesting and exciting. Definitely a worthy issue. More about the cookstove problem is here and here.

Disaster Relief Efficiency: And then there's the governments...

I've spent the past week reading Richard Branson's engaging autobiography Losing My Virginity. Its a great lesson in entrepreneurship and life, and a fascinating read.

Branson is quite an adventurer, and in describing one of his round-the-world ballooning expeditions talks about something that rings through today. After three sleepless days in a hot air balloon capsule, he writes the following in his journal:

Day 3, 20 December 1998
I haven't slept since I last wrote my diary 24 hours ago, with good reason. [While] I wish you could be up here with us...there were some moments...I would not wish on you.
Let me first explain the challenge that faces...us... It is not just the elements, or the technological challenge. Sadly, it also involves people and politics. As always in life, it is not the ordinary people who get in the way.. Its a handful of politicians at the top who selfishly make their country and this world a sadder place to live. After all...this is a mission flown in peace.

He goes on to describe how much a hot-air balloon is at the mercy of the weather elements, with wind as the only propulsion system. The balloon goes where the wind takes it. You can't demand that the wind go south of Russia, Iraq, China and North Korea. It goes where it wants and takes you with it. And although he had cleared this with many of the governments before starting his journey, some (China) revoked their permission just as he was about to enter their airspace, while others he expected to be downright difficult (N. Korea) were absolutely civil.

What is so sad and poignant about this situation is reflected in Burma's situation today. With relief teams and supplies ready to help the people of Burma, you have a few idiotic politicians on the top who are selfishly standing in the way of helping their innocent people.
In this case, it isn't a lack of technology or human resources or management, its the government and its stupid policy that comes in the way.

What can be done?? Well, its a watch-and-wait game. Relief and other philanthropic organizations need to think of this extra time as a blessing. Use it to practice, prepare and coordinate, so that when the regime does let them in, they can be efficient. OCHA (the UN Office of Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs)...are you listening?? The Regime can't hold us off forever. They have to let us in.

In the meantime, can we please bring up our kids better?? Because some kid somewhere grew up to be the nutcase(s) who run(s) Burma now. Maybe if he had had a couple of knocks on his head, maybe he would have turned out better...