Africa’s near-perennial problem with leaders who will do just about anything to hold on to power after their best years are well behind them is well-documented. Gerontocracy, a form of government by leaders who are much older than the rest of the adult population, seems to have become the default system of government in many African countries, with Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea readily coming to mind.
However, things were not always like this.
In the early days following independence from colonial governments, many African nations were led by young, vibrant, and idealistic leaders who held the promise of a continent truly on the march toward greatness.
In celebration of the past and as an inspiration to Africa’s bustling youth population, Face2Face Africa takes a look at some of the youngest leaders to have emerged from the continent over the course of the last two centuries.
