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Abstract
The deplorable state of affairs of the African nations in terms of economic, political and social development informs the worry of the authors of this paper. This underdevelopment is considered to stem a lot from leadership failures and this in turn hinges on the loss of the essential connect between Africans and their authentic ethical and cultural values as a result of the fault lines created in the African personality in the face of the clash between the African and foreign (European) cultures. The aim of this paper is to chart out paths to true leadership in Africa which is the cardinal pillar to national development. The paper adopted qualitative research while adopting the tools of analytical and deductive reasoning. The paths have been demonstrated to be a return to African cultural values like respect for life, hard work, mentorship and the likes while not being oblivious of the realities of the modern day but by evolving a synergistic hybrid that respects the truly African while imbibing the globally beneficial. The recommendations include: reconstruction of African values, adherence to a think-home philosophy and the involvements of all the agents of socialization in the impartation of African cultural values on Africans. Key words: Culture, Values, Youth development, globalization, Westernization and Leadership