Leadership is an issue that affects all of humanity. But, visionary
and true leaders usually, are hard to find. Not only are we impacted by
this phenomenon, but we are also called upon to exercise it.
Whether
we are involved in leading government or business, guiding young minds,
leading a family, a sports team or a committee, organising a dinner, a
class project, a carpool or a household, or just standing for what is
right at every turn of human endeavour -everyone has a leadership role
to play. In other words, we are each called upon to be custodians of
what is right and good, lasting and of value, for those in our care at
one time or another.
It's as a result of an obvious lacuna in
worthy, responsible leadership in many economies of the world that these
posers were thrown up not long ago: "Whatever happened to leadership?
Have all the great leaders gone from the world scene?" The search for
true, values-based leadership is not limited to the global arena, but
also relevant in the task of socio-political, cultural, educational, and
moral transformation of developing economies such as Nigeria's.
And,
why does a true leader need to demonstrate values in leadership? Values
are regarded as esteemed qualities which are intrinsically desirable
and have importance. That is why experts in the humanities have
described values as "our very core, the especial essence of who we are
as human beings." Such demonstrable and authentic values on which the
Nigerian society should be built upon include transparency, patriotism,
personal integrity, fear of God, courage, transformational leadership,
accountability, vision, creativity, knowledge, character and passion.
Leadership
also, has been described as a form of service. In order to lead
effectively, a leader then, should be willing to meet the needs of the
individuals in the team or group. It would be recalled the time it
noticed the perceptible inadequacy in the leadership of some economies
in Europe, London Sunday Times published an article with the title,
"Whatever Happened to Real Leaders?"
In a write-up, the reading
public was asked series of probing questions as these: "Would you expect
to learn anything from them (leaders)? Do you expect them to do
anything inspiring or creative, or even just the right thing? We have
reached a real low point in leadership, lower than at any other time in
recent history...."
The fact not only applies in the Western world
where the people combat leadership problems of recent, it also
applicable to the Nigerian situation, as the reputed most populous Black
nation on earth needs is values-based, visionary leadership. It's a
powerful, well-timed plea for the emergence of a right kind of
leadership that can deliver Nigerians from the grip of its many
socio-economic problems resulting from poor governance or
maladministration.
While underscoring the need for anyone
entrusted with the sacrosanct mandate of leadership in any human
community, Walter Lippmann, a late American newspaper commentator, in
his syndicated column "Today and Tomorrow", yet had attempted another
description of leaders as "the custodians of a nation's ideals, of the
beliefs it cherishes, of its permanent hopes, of the faith which makes a
nation out of a mere aggregation of individuals."
According to
Lippmann, the word literally, refers to a keeper, a guardian or a
caretaker, as it is a proactive word which implies action on the part of
the bearer. That is, custodians of the people's mandate simply hold
such in trust on behalf of others. In other words, custodianship does
not imply behaviour motivated out of self-interest, the unbecoming
development which Nigerians daily witness in various aspects of their
national life.
Today, it's no longer news in the country to see
the mass media of communication inundated with scandalous and disturbing
stories of reckless inflation of contract sums, disappearance of phoney
contractors after collecting mobilisation funds, or oftentimes all of
the contract sum; blind looting of treasuries with impunity, brigandage,
culture of wastage, outright lack of vision on the part the leadership,
endless dashed hopes, and lack of creativity in statecraft, and
instances of shoddy cum white elephant projects with no material
relevance to the aspirations of the populace.
As if the ostensibly
invasive light-fingered approach being adopted by many of the leaders
at different levels of governance is not enough, a new dimension of
course, has been introduced to consolidate the conspiratorial pillaging
of the nation's collective wealth. It's simply overwhelming these days,
as Nigerians helplessly, continue to hear or read about horrifying tales
of financial malfeasance, under various guises, and obvious looting of
the treasury being reported in the media.
This is purportedly
being committed by both appointed and elected leadership in active
connivance with the ostensibly inefficient civil servants; shameless and
forceful collection of toll from transporters and/ or motorists by men
and officers of the Nigeria Police on the nation's roads; absolute
diversions of statutory allocations originally budgeted for
developmental projects and programmes, into private accounts for
personal use by corrupt leaders.
Although theirs is not a perfect
system, a former US Ambassador to Nigeria during late Gen. Sani Abacha
regime, Mr. Walter Carrington, at a seminar in Lagos, last year, made a
comparative analysis of the sustained purposeless leadership afflicting
Nigeria with what obtains in the United States (US) in connection with
values-based leadership. Carrington, specifically, mentioned the
progressive strides the US has been recording over time to the extent
that "racism and nepotism" were fast disappearing in America, thereby
paving way for an African-American (obviously referring to Barack Obama)
to win the support of the majority of the Americans to occupy The White
House, the official seat of US Government in Washington, D.C.
According
to him, instead of making distinct progress, the loss of a value system
in Nigeria has made corruption, concept of "indigeneship", vandalism
and political thuggery to remain prominent in the country's body
politic.
It's not unexpected to discern why some do wonder aloud
if responsibility, accountability and sense of integrity could ever be
restored in the political dictionary of the current crop of leaders.
Perhaps, such individuals and groups who frantically, desire meaningful
change in the socio-political life of the country think so against the
backdrop of apparent purposeful, focused leadership that characterised
the era of Nigeria's founding fathers and elder statesmen as late Ahmadu
Bello (Sardauna of Sokoto), Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Anthony
Enahoro, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Murtala Muhammed, Osita Osadebey, and
others who sacrificed a lot to ensure the well-being of the masses.
With
their own share of challenges peculiar to the management of human
affairs, till this day, those erstwhile leaders are fondly remembered
for good as a result of their strength of character, discipline,
loyalty, and patriotism.
Yet, it deserves a mention that in our
day, there are yet men and women of substance who exemplify rare
values-based leadership and courage in service to humanity in both
private and public sectors of Nigeria's economy. Research has shown that
Nigerians such as Dr. Christopher Kolade (aka Mr. Integrity), Mazi Sam
I. Ohuabunwa, Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Dora Akunyili, Alhaji Balarabe
Musa, Prof. Wole Soyinka, late Chiefs Anthony Enahoro and Gani
Fawehinmi, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Abubakar Umar, Justice Olubunmi
Oyewole, Nasril El-Rufai, and others numerous to mention here fall into
this category.
Such ones are said to have continued to hold their
heads high in and outside positions of authority despite very widespread
corrupting influences around them. They are no doubt shining examples
to particularly the younger generation.
However, a large number of
the population believe what obtains now is just a question of a corrupt
leader's associating himself or herself with any of the vicious cliques
of ravenous individuals whose stock in trade is to hold their
fatherland down till eternity. It's, therefore, not unusual to hear the
mind-boggling term, 'cabal' at every turn in socio-political discourses.
The
masses of our people effortlessly, have categorised such dubious
leaders as belonging to either oil cabal, electric power cabal,
generators or rice importation cabal, political power cabal, or
fertilizer business cabal among other amorphous ones. Over the years,
these groups are believed to have succeeded, just as they, absurdly,
continue to work against the collective will of the Nigerian people on
all fronts.
Nigerians seeking elective and political offices with
nothing to offer the generality of the population ought to be
discouraged henceforth. Again, as custodians of the people's mandate to
serve them and manage their combined resources for the betterment of the
entire society, individuals holding leadership positions should know
and chart the way forward for the led, uphold what is best for all
people, even if it may not be in his or her own interest to do so. Their
custodial role must be approached as a temporary role, preserving
something greater than the self -principles of enduring value in
service.
This embodies an attitude that focuses on the task at
hand and not on what a leader may gain from the position he or she
holds. Interestingly, it implies a caring and concerned relationship
between leaders and followers; it also implies individuals motivated by
their constituents' best interests.
Consequently, these seem
contrary to what is happening across the land. In many arenas in the
country today, we see appointed or elected leaders holding nothing in
trust for those they purport to serve. Instead, it's looting galore, as
scores of them merely continue to advance their own ideals, hopes, and
aspirations to keep their followers down and frustrated perpetually.
Where there's no common vision to be shared and actualised, it is often
difficult to say whether such selfish Nigerian leaders are serving their
people in any meaningful way.
Poor reward system has been
identified as another serious factor, which probably instigates many a
leader to consciously, greedily appropriate billions of tax payers'
money to themselves in the name of "allowances", or in many instances,
some resort to outright pillaging of treasuries, regardless of whatever
happens to them after leaving office.
But then, why
institutionalised corruption in the nation's system? An unnamed
foreigner who has lived in Nigeria for sometime was quoted as answering
this poser thus: "Becoming corrupt is almost unavoidable, because
morality is relaxed in the society (Nigeria), and many people struggle
for survival without assistance from the state."
Mismanagement,
deceit, and unfettered greed simply remain the undying features of the
system, just as assumedly vision-oriented economic blueprints,
development plans meant for implementation gather dusts on shelves. Yet,
many questions all beg for answers. And, concerned Nigerians have
continued to ask rhetorically: Where are our leaders leading? To whom
can we look for the direction we need in respect of the actualisation of
the much-touted Nigerian dream? To many, reviving the different sectors
of the nation's economy for the benefit of the generality of the people
appears hopeless.
The self-serving nature of some leaders has led
to more exigent problems in the Nigerian system in recent times. The
continued maladministration has not only entrenched a culture of
corruption, impunity, political rascality, mindless looting of treasury,
sycophancy, personality cults, purposeless leadership, and rampant
disillusionment among the Nigerian people awaiting the advent of a new
order in the current system.
Bad leadership has also instigated
all forms of corrupt activities prevalent in the country now. These,
some say, include political, bureaucratic, electoral corruption,
embezzlement and bribery. Political corruption, which takes place at the
highest levels of political authority, is a 'corruption of greed.' It
affects the manner in which decisions are made, manipulates and distorts
political institutions and rules of procedure.
How about the
direct effect of this cankerworm on the entire system? Corruption
tarnishes the image of a nation; perhaps, as someone put it recently,
"that is why Nigeria suffers more than most societies from an appalling
international image created by its inability to deal with bribery and
corruption."
As measures towards moving the nation forward through
purposeful, values-based leadership, the nation urgently, needs to get
it acts right, retrace its steps where it has long got it wrong: anyone
who aspires to lead others, irrespective of which aspect of the nation's
life should be one who legitimately understands the core essence of
selfless service in leadership, not individuals who actually don't
understand anything about leadership, but about how much he or she could
steal from the commonwealth.
It also, should be realised that
anyone who aspires to lead Nigerians without possessing such exceptional
values and ideals as personal integrity, forthrightness, fairness,
belief in the eventual success of the Nigerian enterprise,
accountability and trustworthiness, is probably taking a stroll. The
current crop of leaders should learn to lead by example and instil hope
in the followership for the emergence of a better nation.
According
to George Washington in his inaugural address as a former President of
the United States, while encouraging fellow American leaders to shun
lip-service, he was reported to have declared: "... the propitious
smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the
eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained."
Stressing
the need for integrity in proper and effective leadership also, John
Adair, a visiting professor of Leadership Studies at the University of
Surrey and Exeter in England, once stated: "... I believe that holding
firmly to sovereign values outside yourself grows a wholeness of
personality and moral strength of character. The person of integrity
will always be tested. The first real test comes when the demands of the
truth or good appears to conflict with your self-interest or prospects.
Which do you choose?" A thought to ponder over indeed.