Of Role Models & Mentors: A Tribute to Professor Calestous Juma

My Role Model; My Mentor

"One crucial test of leadership is whether an individual has a positive or negative memory of the work they did with the leaders they had. Tormentors may get results, but they sabotage people in the process. True mentors and leaders get results and evoke peoples’ potential in the process." John P. Schuster

I met Professor Calestous Juma in 2013 as I was wrapping up my fellowship at the Commonwealth Secretariat, Africa regional office in Lusaka, Zambia.

In fact, I had to literally abandon all I was doing when I discovered via Dambisa Moyo that he was a guest of the University of Zambia. Luckily for me, my office was inside the University. I raced down to the hall and listened raptly as he delivered his lecture on how Africa government could leverage on technology to revolutionize agriculture.

Prior to meeting this Kenyan born American intellectual, I’ve had the privilege of meeting dignitaries including few presidents who were usually carried away by the trappings of their office or influence but not Prof. Calestous. He was simply down to earth and answered the question I posed to him about poor Leadership in Africa and President Jonathan, in particular. He even ‘subbed’ me while answering my question and concluded that Nigerians were one of the most ‘impatient’ folks on earth. 😂😜😆

I met him one-on-one after his lecture and he went further about his personal relationship with GEJ and how he saw him as one of the humble presidents Africa has ever had. He later signed my copy of his book for me and introduced me to his friends in Zambia.

There are a few people you meet in life who ‘get’ you, who amplify your dreams and provide a clear path to the fulfillment of your highest goals. Prof. Juma was one of such vision clarifier and destiny helper to me. Reading his autobiography, back then, gave me an #eureka moment and provided me with a #model to pattern my life after.

Prof. Juma reignited my resolve to always chase my dreams and to live full and die empty. As a promise I made to him during that encounter, I resolved not to renew my contract in Zambia. Before leaving him that day, I also promised that I would send him a note whenever I visit Harvard for my ‘future’ studies. ☹️

We kept in touch afterwards via Twitter even when I eventually relocated to the States in 2014.

Africa has LOST a huge asset with the passing of this great scholar but I have lost a ROLE MODEL and MENTOR. I am inconsolable!

Keep resting in the bosom of our Lord, Prof.

Adieu Professor Calestous Juma!

From a mentee to a mentor...

Wale Salami

Picture: With Jennnifer Bush, exchange program student from Cornell University in Zambia





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About Juma
Calestous Juma (June 9, 1953 – December 15, 2017) was an internationally recognised authority in the application of science and technology to sustainable development worldwide. He was named one of the most influential 100 Africans in 2012, 2013 and 2014 by the New African magazine. He was Professor of the Practice of International Development and Faculty Chair of the Innovation for Economic Development Executive Program at Harvard Kennedy School. Juma was Director of the School's Science, Technology and Globalization Project at Harvard Kennedy School as well as the Agricultural Innovation in Africa Project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. His latest book, The New Harvest: Agricultural Innovation in Africa was published by Oxford University Press in 2011.

In recognition of his work, Juma had been elected to the Royal Society of London, the US National Academy of Sciences, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the UK Royal Academy of Engineering, the African Academy of Sciences and the New York Academy of Sciences.

Much Ado About Tithing Part 2

MUCH ADO ABOUT TITHING...
#MyThoughtsOnTithing

I promise this will be my last post on this issue.

Ever since the issue of Daddy Freeze campaigning against #Tithing in Nigerian churches has been trending, many pastors and Christians have responded to him sadly by being defensive. Instead of challenging him to an open debate and putting this issue to eternal rest, the Christian community has failed WOEFULLY in dealing with a raging fire that could end up consuming its household.

Naturally, any wise man ought to #tithe because GIVING is one of the attributes of SUCCESSFUL life. Giving an habit practiced by both the rich and the poor. Our lives are too small to be the essence of our existence. We are meant to be a channel of blessing.

As Christians, we understand that we are STEWARDS on earth and whatever we OWN isn’t really ours, not even our offsprings. We are who we are by the GRACE of God!




Tithing represent 10% of a man’s increase or salary. It is a way to GIVE BACK to a local church or faith based institution for the work they do in nourishing our SPIRIT, SOUL and BODY. However, it becomes a crime when tithes are being converted for personal use. That is another issue for another day.

The truth is that most of the pastors being attacked do not convert tithes for personal use. Most of them who have or use exotic cars and jets got them as gifts.I was raised in a deeply ‘religious’ family; my brother and his wife are full-time pastors so I know how GENEROUS church folks can be, especially in Africa, towards Men of God. So not all pastors steal money from their churches for personal aggrandizement.

Having said that, I pay tithes, when I do, so as to support my local church to meet its needs and also bless other church members in need.

Every church has needs, be it a small church or a megachurch. Power, heat, internet connections, water bills, general administration, outreaches and programmes; to mention but few.

I attend a local church in Texas where my Pastor and his wife are core professionals with full-time jobs. They are even richer than most church members so I am sure they do not need ‘my money’ for sustain themselves. Come to think of it, is there really anything like ‘my money’ in a Christian’s dictionary? The answer is NO; we were blessed to a blessing!

Churches in Africa are sometimes even more RESPONSIBLE than most governments; because they’re closer to the people than the government can ever be. So it is not all a sob story.

What the church needs to do is to be PROACTIVE, not DEFENSIVE. Lets invite Daddy Fresh for a nationally televised intellectual discuss whereby we can present him with the truths on tithing. Knowledge is progressive therefore no one is an island.

That, is how enlightened societies in the 21st century ought to react to issues like this one, not by dismissing him, ignoring him or labeling him as a trouble maker and rabble-rouser. We can not afford to sleep on our rights to educate the church of God and seize this opportunity to reach lost souls. This, is a golden opportunity for the church to SHINE!

I once heard of a South African church that furnishes members with Statements of Account and an audited REPORT yearly. Whenever a member of that church loses his/her job, the church usually pay him/her stipends till he is gainfully employed again.

I would naturally not mind giving that ‘kind’ of church 30% of my income because it’s doing better than most african government in the management of resources.

The gospel truth is that, if not for some churches, many Nigerians, nay Africans, would have lost IT. Churches in Africa do more for the mental health and sobriety of the society than any health institutions. I stand to be corrected.

The bottom line here is that churches have done more GOOD than HARM for us. But that doesn’t mean they cannot be held ACCOUNTABLE.

Accountability is key therefore churches need not shy away from the fact when they come under the scrutiny of the society.

May God open the eyes of our hearts and quicken our understanding.

On Civilian Control of the Military

On Civilian Control of the Military

This post was inspired by Dr. Victor Oladokun 's earlier post about the emergence of Gen. James (Mad Dog) Mattis as the 26th Secretary of Defense of the United States.

Without a doubt, Gen. Mattis selection is a brilliant one but it brings up the age long narrative about intentional separation of Generals from controlling military establishments.

Civilian control of the military is a doctrine in military and political science that places ultimate responsibility for a country's strategic decision-making in the hands of the civilian political leadership, rather than professional military officers. The reverse situation, where professional military officers control national politics, is called a military dictatorship. A lack of control over the military may result in a state within a state.

That was the grave mistake nations like Nigeria, Congo, Madagascar and some other African countries made; allowing Generals seize control of the military apparatus of state.

According to provisions of the U.S. constitution, an individual may not be appointed as Secretary of Defense within seven years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular (i.e., non-reserve) component of an armed force. Based on this provision, Gen. Mattis is disqualified however POTUS can seek for a waiver from Congress to be able to set aside this constraint. Generals Marshall and Patton both got a waiver to be Defense Secretary and both went on to do outstanding jobs.

Till today, the creation of landmark institutions like the IMF and World Bank is as a result of a fabulous veteran Defense Secretary like Gen. Marshall via the now famous #MarshallPlan.

Civilian control is often seen as a prerequisite feature of a stable liberal democracy. Use of the term in scholarly analyses tends to take place in the context of a democracy governed by elected officials, though the subordination of the military to political control is not unique to these societies. One example is the People's Republic of China.







Mao Zedong stated that "Our principle is that the Party commands the gun, and the gun must never be allowed to command the Party," reflecting the primacy of the Communist Party of China (and communist parties in general) as decision-makers in Marxist–Leninist and Maoist theories of democratic centralism.

And may I add that only a few of the past Secretaries of Defense were veterans, a small percentage, if you ask me.

But the crux of the matter is this:
"War is too serious a matter to entrust to military men (Generals)"

Given that broad strategic decisions, such as the decision to declare a war, start an invasion, or end a conflict, have a major impact on the citizens of the country, they are seen by civilian control advocates as best guided by the will of the people (as expressed by their political representatives), rather than left solely to an elite group of tactical experts. The military serves as a special government agency, which is supposed to implement, rather than formulate, policies that require the use of certain types of physical force. Kohn succinctly summarizes this view when he writes that:

The point of civilian control is to make security subordinate to the larger purposes of a nation, rather than the other way around.

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The purpose of the military is to defend society, not to define it.
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To a larger extent, these threats are not real given the maturity of U.S. democracy. However, it should not be encouraged in order not to mislead nascent democracies especially in third-world nations.

According to USA Today, Trump’s decision to name retired Gen. James Mattis to head the Pentagon is a strong signal that the president-elect wants a wartime leader at the Defense Department and not someone to just manage budgets. If confirmed by the Senate, Mattis would be a departure from previous defense secretaries who have come from the ranks of civilian government or politics. The current defense secretary, Ash Carter, is a physicist who rose through the ranks of the department.

In closing, I still reckon that Gen. Mattis selection is a good one but I hope he gets the needed waiver from the Congress given that he hasn't been in retirement for the stipulated 7 years

I wish him best of luck.


Written: December 4,2016