THE CYCLE OF LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA

THE CYCLE OF LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA

William J. Bennett in the foreward of a book titled Presidential Leadership stated that “As a proud country that once taught our youth the importance of heroes and the importance of leadership…” I was moved to realize America could take responsibility for breeding leaders and great people. Today, I see leadership trait in an average citizen of the nation and that is the product of investment.

It is important to state that our nation Nigeria most likely will not rise beyond the quality of our leadership. The quality of our leadership will determine the quality of the nation among the committee of nations. What greatness means to us as a people will rub off on the nation. If it is more about substance than form, affiliation or sentiments, then there is hope for us. But if greatness to us centers on vain things of life, then it is a sorry state. In all, leadership and greatness is about adding an exceptional value in an environment, field or endeavour.

At all material times, there are always 3 classes of generation: 1. The older generation, 2. The younger generation and 3. The future generation. The older generation include our leaders, our fathers (for the youths) and elders. The younger generation includes the youth or emerging ones while the future generation, toddlers and the unborn.

A question to ask is what is the older generation breeding out of the younger generation, or what role are they playing in raising leaders who will take over from them (if at all they realise a generation will actually succeed them)? About 60% of the older generation is guilty of complete neglect of the younger generation, lack of trust in them and wants to lead in perpetuity. However, these older generation has made public leadership complex and unfruitful, the nation is saturated with bribery and corruption, mismanagement of public funds, high level of injustice, nepotism, disregard to the rule of law, disregard to national interest, lack of fairness and equality, greed, selfishness and self-aggrandisement among others.

Unfortunately these 60% are influencing or breeding about 75% of the younger generation with their nature. It may not necessarily be direct grooming but the younger generation is observing. Better still, it’s leadership by example. However, each generation is an advancement of the previous one. One should not wonder too far on where some of the younger generation get this “get rich quick syndrome”. It’s modeling. If the older generation will do anything to get into public office for the purpose of enrichment while displacing the path by hard work in trade or service, one can expect an advanced approach by the younger generation.

Using the Information Technology language, if the speed and reasoning of the older generation is functioning at 50-100 kilobyte per second (kbps), the younger generation is flowing at 150-512 megabyte per second (mbps). One can only imaging what that of the future generation will be like. So, if our leaders are syphoning public funds, I wonder what the younger generation will do when given opportunity in public leadership. It is even worrisome what some presently engage in: internet fraud, robbery, vandalisation of public properties, falsification of figures and most recently, terrorism. While we publicly denounce terrorism, we should not be guilty of inactions or costly oversight that encourage it, the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta for example.

 In spite of these, all hope is not lost. There is a call on all, both in public leadership and outside to retrace our steps and actions. We need to bear it in mind that we are breeding a cycle of leadership. No one should act like an ostrich that lays egg and forgets about it immediately. Posterity will judge us if the older generations act ostrich and the younger generations inherits this.

The task on the older generation is to re-organise their values and interests, the younger generation to be repositioned and both generations to work for a positive change in our national life with a better life for everyone. Further to this, we should take responsibility for modeling and teaching the importance leadership and greatness in our future generation. They must inherit a worthy legacy from us!


Olusola Akinyemi Esq.