Acceptance address by Dr. Ebrahim Samba

1992 laureate of the Africa Prize for Leadership

We in the OCP (Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa) are sincerely proud and honored to be associated with The Hunger Project. We have the same objective -- reduce hunger, minimize poverty.

In the late sixties during the severe drought in West Africa, some governments called upon the World Bank to help them produce more food. The president of the Bank, Mr. McNamara, flew in a small aircraft from Abidjan to Ouagadougou. On his way, he saw many rivers and thought of appealing to FAO to collaborate with the Bank and help these countries use the river basins to grow more food.

Soon after the usual preliminary consultations, it was obvious why the nationals were not cultivating the river basins. For hundreds of years the Simulium fly breeds in these rivers. This fly transmits a disease that renders the population ill, age fast, get blind and die 15 years before their life expectancy which in this part of the world is less than 50.

In the worst affected villages, 90% of the population in infected, over 50% of the adults are blind and quite often the village simply dies away.

Onchocerciasis therefore is a disease of human beings and also of the land. It directly retards development and aggravates poverty.

In 1974, seven West African Governments sponsored by the World Bank, WHO, UNDP and FAO called upon the donor community to help control the disease so that more development can take place. The World Bank undertook to collect the funds and WHO became the executing agency.

OCP was supposed to control the disease in 20 years in an area of about 700,000 square kilometers containing a population of 20 million people. We achieved the objective long before schedule.

In 1986, the programme was extended to cover eleven countries with a population of 30 million in an area of 1.3 million square kilometers. At the rate we are going, we should finish the job by the turn of the century.

We now have all the tools necessary. In 1974, we had one pesticide, now there are seven. In 1974, we had no suitable drug, now we have Ivermectin and three in the pipeline. The staff is trained, disciplined and motivated. Over 98 percent are Africans. The donors and the sponsoring agencies are happy, the national beneficiaries are actively participating with a view to ensuring that River Blindness will never again be a problem.

The 30 million population are now protected from acquiring this disease.

25 million hectares of fertile rive basins are liberated. Food production in increasing. Over 500 Africans are trained in the management of tropical disease.

We are helping the non-OCP countries to tackle their river blindness problems.

It is obvious, therefore, that the success of COP has been a result of a long-term international collaboration. This is particularly noteworthy in Africa, where one does not often hear of successes.

In all sincerity, i see myself as the agent to receive this generous prize in the name of all those associated with OCP.

With this money, I intend starting a revolving fund as a loan to help rural people in the OCP countries who have no access to banks. People who have demonstrated, at least, a potential for leadership in development. When the Balzan Foundation recently gave me another sum of money, I decided to add my country, the Gambia, to the eleven OCP states.

All my working life, I have been involved in similar activities, largely grants to students. What I have found is that loans to be refunded, but more than that, to improve the lot of the beneficiary, is much more difficult to manage. What remains of my life, I intend to spend a part on this interesting activity.

Many a time I have been asked why OCP has succeeded when so many programmes like it run into trouble. In my opinion there are many reasons:

1. River blindness has been a very serious problem in West Africa. For many years, practically all the governments have attempted some control measures without success. This is largely due to the fact that the vector of the disease flies over long distances, crossing national boundaries.

2. The original 7 OCP countries were therefore forced to come together and appeal for external support.

3. Realistic feasibility studies were done to define the strategy, duration and cost of the programme. both the beneficiary African countries and donors as well as the sponsoring agencies committed themselves for a period of 20 years. This long engagement is important. Many programmes in Africa last 3 to 5 years. This is the time one requires to study the situation, install, and start. One needs more time to get going, consolidate and evaluate.

4. Overall management of the programme. This for me is crucial. No matter how much the initial resources, if management is poor, disappointment soon sets in and resources dry up. It is therefore very important that all concerned work hard, respect the rules, produce regular positive results and remain transparent especially where money and other resources are concerned.

5. Research. This is strictly part of management, but I single it out because it is often given low consideration in projects of this nature. Problems are bound to arise, many of them unforeseen. They may be technical, operational, scientific, etc. A significant budget therefore needs to be allocated. In OCP we allow about 12 percent. With this we can predict and find solutions to many critical problems, some of which could kill the programme if unresolved.

6. Training of local personnel. This is fundamental. No matter how generous foreign friends may be, the development of Africa will forever rest with Africans. African counterparts must therefore be trained technically and attitudinally to take over.

The former is relatively easy. The latter is very difficult.

Africa is rich in natural resources. In this regard, some of our countries are extremely rich. Why should these very rich countries contain the poorest people in the world? To develop, we Africans must address this question and face up to our responsibilities. On an optimistic note, I see a new generation more wedded to African than to their personal interests. Let us hope and pray that this wind of change will prosper.

It is in this context that I really appreciate The Hunger Project and this Prize. To me, you are identifying the human seeds that can play lead roles to initiate, motivate, drive if necessary but certainly continue this development process. These people are there. We have to look for them sometimes and encourage them in the hope of obtaining a critical mass that can make a sustained impact. We want individuals who will put the interests of their people first, second and third and their personal interest last. Not the other way round.

This is a massive social revolution. It can be done. The indications are there.

I am extremely grateful. Thank you so much.

Thank you all.