In today’s Boston Globe, the President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbé, chastises Western leaders like French President Sarkozy for a naive and condescending view of Africa (and for their own role in undermining Africa’s well-being):

We must recognize that African states emerged from the colonial era with nascent political, economic and social institutions, an immediate and direct consequence of the colonial experience. The Cold War sent those institutions into stasis until 1989. The leaders of neither “West” nor “East” concerned themselves with the authoritarianism, corruption, stagnation or abuse that arose across Africa.

With the fall of the Berlin Wall, however, Africans were asked to demonstrate immediately democracy, free markets and tolerant, open civil societies. African states were expected to emerge like Athena from the forehead of Zeus, full-grown and clad in armor ” an improbable, if not impossible prospect.

Nevertheless, Gnassingbé places the blame for African problems (and the responsibility for solutions) squarely on African leaders:

All too often, African leaders, faced with the choice of building an integrated national political process and permitting it to mature or retaining personal control, have chosen control, submerging collective goals for the sake of personal advantage and interest…

Africa’s greatest problem is failed leadership, in a moral not technical sense. No matter how many finely crafted International Monetary Fund/International Bank for Reconstruction and Development adjustment programs are put in place or how much development assistance donors pledge or how often “free and fair” elections are held, if this continent’s leaders are not prepared to serve the needs of its people, Africa will remain Mr. Sarkozy’s “wounded continent,” unable to affect an exodus from its plagues.

Gnassingbé supplies a thoughtful balance of inward and outward criticism. Even so, he strikes me as a strange spokesman for improved African leadership.

Gnassingbé is the son of a former President and took power immediately following his father’s death, violating the country’s Constitution. Other nations–in particular his fellow members of African Union–denounced his move as a military coup.

To his credit, Gnassingbé stepped down a few days later and submitted to a national election–that he handily won. I’m no Togo expert, and I’ve had trouble finding much analysis on the legitimacy of his victory. Wikipedia says that the opposition alleged massive fraud, and that Gnassingbé refused to allow oversight during the counting of the ballots. But the BBC reported that EU observers said there had been no reports of serious disturbances. I’d appreciate any links or insights from readers.

The short story: I applaud Gnassingbé’s editorial, but struggle to reconcile his public statements with his original efforts to start a dynasty. Is the Togolese President a wolf in sheep’s clothing?