Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has attributed Africa's challenges to bad leadership, describing some leaders as assuming the reins of governance by chance. "The real bane of our problems is leadership. Some leaders lend to come to office by chance. In local parlance, we say they came to office by heart. "If we get "the right leadership, we would have good governance, inclusive government and we would be sincere with each other and create the enabling environment. The secret is right leadership," he said. He made the observation when he introduced the main speaker Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister for the Economy and former President of the World Bank, during a lecture themed, ‘What Must Africa Do To Claim The 21st Century', organized by the Kufuor Foundation at the Accra International Conference Centre. Africa's Wealth President Kufuor said Africa should not suffer as she is doing now when she sits on a trough of wealth, from natural to human resources. Africa is today being courted by China, America and Europe, he said, adding that "our concern should be about a groomed leadership, sharpened acumen to stand eye to eye with others. Once we realize this the African Union's call for partnership will be achieved. Without it however, we would be thrown back to neocolonialism which we do not want." Genesis of Foundation Tracing the history of his foundation, Mr Kufuor said it was established to tap into the experiences of achievers like the principal speaker, Mrs. Ngozi and a former Head of the German Central Bank, whom he said had agreed to be a director of the foundation. "We want to know how such achievers did it. We want to pry into experiences," he said. Since the establishment of the foundation over a year ago, he said a flurry of invitations had come to him from across the world to "interact in the service of mankind. Sometime I wonder if I have not bitten more than I can chew," he said. He acknowledged the gesture of the authorities of the University of Ghana in donating a land for the establishment of an auditorium to host international personalities who would come to deliver lectures at the behest of the foundation. Kufuor's Political History He took his audience through his political office history which he garnished lavishly with humour. On his stint at the Ussher Fort prison as a political prisoner, he described the place as the toughest jail yard in the country. President Kufuor said he had always held a passion for politics, a platform for service to mankind; and that this dream came true when he eventually had the nod of his party to lead it into election in 2000. The first attempt at challenging a sitting president in 1996 was unsuccessful, he said; but a second attempt saw him come out as President. His varied experience in public and private life impacted greatly in his narration which perhaps was why he received a rapturous ovation from the overflowing auditorium. Ngozi's Challenge The guest, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, when she mounted the rostrum, attempted to outdo her host's sense of humour whenshe said, "I must say that I pleaded with the MC to do an introduction that will enable me to recognize myself. Sometimes alter the introduction you wonder who they are talking about." She recalled President Kufuor's proposal to float such a foundation, which as she noted, was still a young endeavour and so "I feel a certain ownership." The foundation, she said, was becoming an important centre for discussions about leadership, good governance and development in Africa, for which she commended President Kufuor. Salute For Kufuor "Let me also salute President Kufour for energetically nurturing the foundation despite his demanding schedule. I want to thank him for his leadership on the continent and indeed his leadership globally," she said. For those who did not know her relationship with Ghana, she stunned them when she said, "I have only been here in Accra for a few hours but I feel right at home; the reason being that my parents lived in Ghana in the 70s and 80s for 15 years and my father was working for the United Nations so I know Accra a little bit more than one will think and I have felt the warmth and hospitality of the Ghanaian people as it has always been." She said the best doctor in her hometown, Ogusheku, for years "was a Ghanaian and he only left recently and the best hairdresser in town is still a Ghanaian." Ghana's Place Now all across Africa, she noted, "many people look up to Ghana for its democratic traditions and its institutions. Your elections are close and competitive and though they are not perfect, they have been mostly peaceful." Harvard Business School At a recent lecture at Harvard Business School, she recalled that "I singled out Ghana as Africa's example of maturing democracy and there was spontaneous applause from the entire audience. There is a joke that Ghanaians always see themselves as the black stars. They say they are the gateway to Africa. Well you can be the gateway but I can assure you that Nigerian is the destination." Present at the function were the Finance Minister, Seth Terkper, Dr. Paul Acquah, former Governor Bank of Ghana, the National Security Coordinator Larry Gbevlo-Lartey and many others.