African intellectuals and politicians must work together to revive public service and bring about transformative governance for the continent’s socio-political and economic growth, former Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi said yesterday.

He said it was only when intellectuals and politicians abandon their differences to complement themselves that “the public good, which is the essence of democratic governance, can be fully realised”.

He spoke in a keynote speech at the Third Edition of the President Atta Mills Memorial Lecture at the John Evans Atta Mills Centre for Law and Governance, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Achimota, Accra, Ghana.

Speaking on the topic: “Intellectuals in Politics and Governance in Africa: The lessons and legacies of John Evans Atta Mills”, the ex-governor noted the contributions of notable public intellectuals, like Nnamdi Azikwe, Kwame Nkruma; Julius Nyerere, Obafemi Awolowo and Leopold Senghor in the liberation struggle and early democratic governments in Africa.

He said the idea of philosopher-king in the contemporary African politics was to “advocate the marriage of politics and principle, and to yoke public policy to public intellection”.

“The good politicians may not need to be brilliant intellectuals, but they also should not have contemptuous disdain for the life of the mind”, said Fayemi, who advocated a hybrid of the two.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/07/fayemi-why-african-politicians-intellectuals-must-engage-in-teamwork/

Hmm. Fayemi. yua making sense

hmmmmm