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Friday Sermon: Leadership Conundrum Revisited 3

Published

6 years ago

September 7, 2018

Eric

By Babatunde Jose

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke

“A democratic society, an open society places an extraordinary responsibility on ordinary men and women because we are governed by what we think. We are governed by our opinions; so the content of our opinions, the quality of our opinions, and the quality of the formation of our opinions basically determines the character of our society. And that means that in a democracy and an open society, a thoughtless citizen of democracy is a delinquent citizen of democracy.” Leon Wieseltier.

It follows therefore that “People get the leaders they deserve”; the man who sells his vote for a pittance, the voter who sells his PVC and the supporter who accepts stomach-infrastructure to subvert the democratic process, the Okada riders who ride themselves to death in heralding the arrival of a corrupt politician to a rally, the women who receive 1000Naira Ankara fabric from politicians and those who accept customized packs of pop-corn from political office seekers are all in the same category with the corrupt and bad leadership. To all intents and purposes both the leaders and the followers are birds of the same feathers. They can never bring about a virile democracy. This unfortunately is the bane of our society.

Followers provide valuable supports to leaders. They are supposed to listen, replicate, conform, query and legitimize the leader. Leadership and followership are closely intertwined. Effective followers can shape productive leadership behaviour just as effective leaders develop subordinates into good followers. Without followers there are no leaders: It is a dyadic relationship. The fundamental idea is that leaders influence followers and vice versa, and that the whole sense of leadership do not only rely on power definition per se but the degree of which people would want to follow. This includes followers’ reactions in each decision of the leader. Dyadic relationship views leader-follower relations as very essential factors for national development. Leadership and followership is a major universal challenge to all nation states; while some countries have overcome the primitive or dictatorial stage to propel their economy and the social welfare of their people to a comfortable level; other emerging developing economies are still reeling to grow above the challenges of ‘impotent leadership and followership syndrome’.

Leadership and followership relationship should always be harmonized to enable the society achieve her vision and set goals. In this clime there is a need for leadership and followership to adopt a new paradigm. Consensus selection of leaders should be avoided; Leaders should be elected through democratic and transparent processes. Tribal sentiments should be set aside in electing and criticizing our leaders. Our target and criteria for assessment should be our vision and goal as a people.

Followership in Nigeria has not generated much debate. But there have been cases of resistance movements that have been spearheaded by followers; such as the Aba women tax riot of 1929, the Agbekoya farmers revolt 1968/69, Ali Must Go 1978, Babangida Must Go Protest 1989, June 12 Protests and recently the Occupy Nigeria Protest: A socio-political protest movement that began on Monday, 2 January 2012 in response to the fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government of President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday, 1 January 2012. Total number of deaths: 16 (Lagos, Maiduguri, Ilorin and Gusau; All shot by the Nigeria Police Force). They involved civil disobedience, civil resistance, strike action, demonstration and Internet activism. These resistance cases are protest against poor governance and ineptitude of Nigerian Leaders.

Nigerian followers could be very loyal and supportive to leadership and have participated actively in the achievement of the nation’s goals. However, when a people are ravaged by poverty, they become docile and it weakens their ability to rise up to the challenges of checkmating the excesses of their leaders. This docility has a negative impact on Leader- follower relationship. Leaders that are checkmated by their followers will limit their excesses and realign themselves to public opinion. But in the midst of docility and sycophancy, leaders will be getting away with their dishonesties, corruptions, venalities and ineptitude. This exactly is what is happening today. The balance of power between leader and follower however, must be maintained in order to provide a culture of openness that promotes self-engagement.

Ever since the social contract between man and government, in which man surrendered some of his right to the centre called government, there was a social contract that as a result of the surrender of these rights, government should be able to use law to regulate the society and ensure the security and welfare of the people. Ever since independence, Nigeria has been facing leadership crises; wobbling from one regime to another. Leadership has not been able to deliver the needed dividend of our God given resources to her people nor provide satisfactory social welfare services nor social amenities; yet her followers have been very resilient. If followership is to be cultivated the morale of the people must be activated. There is need for leaders to be sensitive to the needs and opinion of followers. A docile followership contributes to the detriment of its welfare. People should stop seating on the fence believing that change to a new paradigm will be actualized through miracle; change is created through human effort hence Nigerians should live up to their civic responsibilities in other to create a good and sustainable leadership and followership relationship.

Problem of Followership in Nigeria include poverty which prevents the people from playing their rightful roles in checkmating the excesses of the leaders. Ethnicity is another problem. Nigerians protects corrupt leaders without integrity and shield them from criticism and prosecution as a result of misplaced tribal loyalty.

Nigeria is a country that parades corruption as a value system; this can be attributed to lack of integrity on the part of her leadership. Corruption has ruined the economy of Nigeria and has led to lack trust for her leaders. If Nigeria is to develop and grow according to her potentials, her leadership must act with integrity at all times.

The Amalgamation of 1914 engendered various perceptions; some saw it as a mistake, while others saw it as a necessity for the administrative convenience of the colonial masters. However, Nigerians including her leaders pay more allegiance to their tribe than to the country. Even in time of elections people vote according to their tribal interest and when leaders emerge too, they reciprocate these tribal gestures. Though National interest should prevail over tribal or ethnic interest, unfortunately, Nigeria remains in fact, a ‘mere geographical expression’.

Nigerian followers are fund of not telling their leaders the truth, they praise them, tell them lies; sycophancy is the order of the day. Negativized tranquillity is a situation where followers remain adamant and aloof of the excesses of leadership activities. Nigerians are susceptible to use by some leaders to fan trouble: Hence, followers’ sometime ally with leaders to create trouble in the society. Powerlessness in influencing government decisions is a major problem of followers in Nigeria. Elections in Nigeria are highly manipulated and leaders do not come to power through the peoples vote, they manipulate election and election results to the extent that vote casted do not count. Since peoples votes do not count, their opinion too is undermined.

Sitting on the fence and watching the reckless abuse of office by leaders such as massive corruption and abuse of office would have reduced tremendously in Nigeria if followers have been bold enough to come out to criticize or challenge the excesses of their leaders.

The problem of leadership in this country does not lie in the hands of Alfas, Imams, pastors and General Overseers, mosques or the Church-camps where prayers and night vigils are conducted for the supposed wellbeing of this country. No! It lies in the hands of me and you, we the followers who stand aloof from the political fray and watch our country stolen from us by a band of kamikaze leaders who we inadvertently elected and to whom we stupidly surrendered our rights. Heaven, they say, helps only those who help themselves.

“Subhana rabbika rabbil ‘izzati amma yasifun wa salamun alal mursalin wal hamdulillahi rabbil ‘alamin” :”Glory to thy Lord the Lord, of Honour and Power! (He is free) from what they ascribe (to Him)! And Peace on the Messengers! And praise to Allah, the Lord and Cherisher of the Worlds.” (Quran 37:180-182)

Barka Juma’at and happy weekend

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Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway: Prioritize Existing Unfinished Projects, Peter Obi Tells FG

Published

1 day ago

April 22, 2024

Eric

Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has advised the federal government to prioritize existing unfinished projects spread across the country instead of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.

Obi, in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, stated that the project was a misplaced priority given the numerous unfinished roads throughout the country.

The former governor of Anambra State mentioned that the budget allocated to the Ministry of Works is insufficient for significant progress on the country’s various unfinished roads, much less their completion.

Obi therefore, advised that the government prioritize the existing infrastructural projects in the country before embarking on any new and colossal projects like the Lagos-Calabar super highway project.

“The Federal Ministry of Works 2024 capital budget of N892,461,262,656.00, additional funding from multilateral loan projects of N94,828,535,243.00, alongside other expected contributions from sources like the China-Exim Bank and the World Bank, will not be enough for serious work on all the critical roads, some of which I enumerated above, let alone their completion.

So, why embark on another huge project that will not be completed in the next 20 or 30 years?

“To do so will only exacerbate the problem of abandoned, uncompleted projects that are not contributing to economic growth and overall development.

“Therefore, while acknowledging the potential benefits of coastal superhighway infrastructure, I urge prioritization of our existing uncompleted projects. We must allocate resources towards repairing and completing existing infrastructure.

“In any development formula, the primary focus should be on completing and rehabilitating existing infrastructure rather than embarking on colossal new projects that may never reach completion within the next 30 years,” Obi said.

Back in March, the Federal Government began constructing the 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, designed to extend through 9 states with two spurs leading to the Northern States.

Recall that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, had earlier described the project as a fraud.

“Umahi had announced that Hitech would fully fund the project, and based on this, there was no competitive bidding. He (Umahi) then said that Hitech could only raise just 6% of the money for the pilot phase. This smacks of deceit,” Atiku said.

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2027 Presidential Race: Opposition Parties Under Attack

Published

2 days ago

April 21, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

While it is still a whole three years before the next general election in 2027, The Boss has learnt that opposition parties in the countries are being muffled to pave the way for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to return to, and retain power.

From the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to the Labour Party (LP), and down to the New Nigerian Peoples Paty (NNPP), crises have engulfed the rank and files, in what a source told this paper was the attempt and making of the ruling party, APC, to decimate, destabilize and make redundant the machineries of the opposition parties.

It is believed that by 2027, the apparatuses holding together the various opposition parties would have weakened irredeemably to the extent the country would seemingly nosedive into the inglorious one party state that every civil right advocate and democrats abhor.

It is alleged that all the crises in all the opposition parties are being engineered by the President Bola Tinubu-led ruling APC, with the hope of getting the fibres of their system weakened, thereby luring the members of the crisis-ridden parties into the APC.

Slightly one year after the last presidential election, the two major opposition platforms, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party, have separately been embroiled in a crisis of confidence which has diminished their capacity to provide viable opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The crises in both opposition parties got to a head. The Labour Party led by its national chairman Julius Abure held its much-opposed national convention which was boycotted by its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi; its only governor, Alex Otti of Abia State; federal and state lawmakers elected on its platform, and the organised Labour.

In the Labour Labour, members have been embroiled in endless battle of supremacy with a faction led by Mr. Apapa steadily contesting the leadership of Julius Abure.

Consequently, the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, reverence as a leader in the fold, noting that whatever the party faces presently, that Nigeria’s problems are far bigger than the crises in his party.

The LP has been embroiled in crises — ranging from allegations of misappropriation of funds, and leadership tussle, to calls for the resignation of the party’s national chairman.

TheCable reported that “On March 27, the LP conducted a national convention in Anambra state where Julius Abure was re-elected as its national chairman.

Obi did not attend the convention, fuelling speculations that he may be mulling over ditching the LP for another platform.

Speaking during an appearance on HaveYourSay247, an interactive online session hosted by Rudolf Okonkwo over the weekend, Obi said he is confident that the crises rocking the LP will soon be resolved amicably.

“Whatever is happening in the Labour Party is so minute compared to what is happening in the country,” Obi said.

“So, for me, it is something we will resolve amicably, and it is not anything to worry about. Let us worry about the country.

“Let us worry about how the average Nigerian would be able to have a means of livelihood to be able to eat, that should be our worry.”

Obi said he has no interest in being the party’s leader but only to make sure things are done properly.

“I don’t see what I do in politics as being the leader of any place or not. My position is that just like I always say, I am not desperate to be president of Nigeria, I am desperate to see Nigeria work because I know it can work,” he added.

“We have a more desperate situation. Parties are just a means to be able to contest elections. What is important is that being a leader of a party does not reduce the price of food.

In the PDP, the shenanigans of former Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has practically kept the party in constant crisis with many observers concluding that the now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is working for the APC, and is just a mole in the PDP. Wike has denied the allegation, however,

But news filtered in last week as that the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, and Minister may have concluded plans to attend the much advertised National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), billed to hold on Thursday, in Abuja.

Impeccable source, who is in the know, told The Boss that the minister, whose membership of the PDP is yet to be revoked even as he frolicks with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and serving in the President Bola Tinubu government as a minister.

The Source told The Boss that Wike’s impending presence at the NEC meeting on Thursday was not unconnected with plans, already hatched with some governors, to weaken the opposition PDP.

“Yes, we have on good authority that FCT minister, Wike is planning to attend the NEC meeting tomorrow all in a bid to weaken the fabrics of the PDP, and pave the way for the continuation of the Tinubu administration come 2027, and by extension, relapse Nigeria to a full blown one party state.

“From every indication, Wike and his co-travellers, are bent on unleashing the same crisis ravaging the third force, Labour Party, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Nigerian National People’s Party (NNPP) on the PDP for the APC to remain the only political party in the country, and ensure that Tinubu has no challenger, come 2027,” the Source said.

It would be recalled that Wike has boasted over and again that there’s no opposition against Tinubu’s re-emergence in 2027, and that they have made sure of that. He has been compensated with the Ministerial job after he withdrew support for his party, and supported the APC and Tinubu to emerge as national government.

The Source further revealed that in the attempt to actualize the intended one party state, a lot of funding is ongoing to ensure that concerned stakeholders are ‘settled’ handsomely.

Wike, prior, during and after the 2023 general elections, has been floating in between the two major political parties; the APC and the PDP. While he claim to still be a member of the PDP, he is functioning as a minister in an APC government, mocking the inability of his party to discipline him.

While political stakeholders concluded that the outcome of the Thursday’s PDP NEC meeting will determine the path Nigeria’s political trajectory will take, and that it may portend the end of multi-party system and political democracy if Wike succeeds in his plan; every page of what finally transpired at the meeting pointed to the fact.

The much touted removal of the party chairman, who is believed to be a crony of the Abuja minister, Damagum, retained his seat, with his executives.

“It is very clear to everyone that a lot of money politics is being played to cajole many loyal members of the party, forcing them into frustration, and eventually it of the party. The option afterwards, will be the APC. This, will for all intent and purpose actualize the intended one party state as an APC agenda.

The Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso-led NNPP is not faring better either. The only governor under their ticket, Abba Kabir Yusuf, just had the confidence of their party on him withdrawn. He was fighting for his political life until suddenly it was announced the the APC in Kano has collapsed its structure into the NNPP.

“This is just another APC strategy to actualize their hidden intentions. Time will reveal the very sinister agenda they harboring,” an analyst said.

Much as 2027 is still three years away, but intrigues are in play to render Nigeria a one party state, and perpetuate the APC in power. The three other opposition parties are basically under attack to bring to pass this unpopular agenda.

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Akwa Ibom Government, Governor Umo Eno Receive Top Honors at the 10th Wonders of the World Expo in Lagos

Published

3 days ago

April 21, 2024

Admin

The Akwa Ibom State Government and Governor Pastor Umo Eno were recognized with Travellers Awards at the 10th Wonders of the World Expo in Lagos for their sustained enhancement of infrastructure, support for local talent, and dedication to investment in the tourism sector. The ceremony took place at the National Museum in Onikan, Lagos.

While Akwa Ibom won the Most Active Tourism State of the Year, Governor Eno was adjudged the most Tourism-Friendly Governor of the Year at the event that had Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Lola Ade John in attendance.

According to Amb. Ikechi Uko, Founder/Publisher of ATQ Magazine, the organizers of the event which is in its tenth edition, Akwa Ibom State won the top prize “in recognition of its valiant and resourceful efforts to drive and sustain domestic tourism by promoting the industry.

‘In 2023, Akwa Ibom was one of the states that hosted World Tourism Day (WTD ) events. The state also organized the famous Christmas Unplugged, which featured music, food, and cultures from all 31 LGAs as well as ensured friendly policies.”

While hoping that the Travellers Awards would spur Akwa Ibom to do more to dominate the domestic tourism industry, the organizers hoped that the state would gradually evolve into one of Nigeria’s top international tourism destinations.

That was not all, the state Commissioner of Culture and Tourism, Sir Charles Udoh was also recognized as one of the Top 100 Tourism Personalities in Nigeria for demonstrating exceptional leadership and innovation in the travel and tourism industry, while other Akwa Ibom indigenes and entity were also celebrated: Mrs. Ime Udo, Honorary Special Adviser to the Governor( Tourism) won Tourism Promoter of the Year, Favour Udo won Tourism Photographer of the Year, Loretta Effiong and Prince Uduak Sunday (Qua Tours) were listed among the Tourism Personalities of the Year and Ibom Air won Airline of the Year International.

In his remarks, Sir Charles Udoh, who represented the Governor at the event, thanked the organizers for the awards and noted that Akwa Ibom is certainly enjoying the golden era when it comes to tourism development. He stated that Governor Umo Eno is very keen on making Akwa Ibom a leading tourism destination with his programmes and policies.

He revealed that with the new Victor Attah International Airport nearing completion, the purchase of a ferry for the Oron-Calabar route, new developments along its coastline and the restoration work that will be done at all its major tourism sites, Akwa Ibom is well on the way to becoming the number one destination for all domestic and foreign tourists.

In her speech, Tourism Minister, Mrs. Ade John hailed the organizers for hosting the Expo, where practitioners were lectured by top experts while also rewarding those who have excelled in the past year.

She affirmed that her ministry is open to partnership with public and private sector operators, adding that tourism development can only be successful through collaborative efforts.

The event, which attracted leading and budding tourism professionals, also featured interactive and entertainment sessions.

Apart from Sir Charles Udoh and Mrs. Ime Udo, the Akwa Ibom State delegation, also included: Mr. Michael Effiong James, Senior Special Assistant (Lagos Liaison) to Governor, Mrs. Eme Bassey, Special Assistant to Governor (Lagos Liaison) and Akparawa John Offiong, Deputy Director ( Culture) Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

More photos below: