Leadership Chronicles: Navigating the Quagmire of Political Leadership in Our Nation

When I look at leadership in politics in our country, and what the comments of some political leaders signpost, I cannot but agree that until the right leader emerges to lead a people, the people shall be in perpetual valley of underdevelopment.

A governor once said, “I am the state – if your school has been closed, so what?”… “and will it be the first time schools will be closed?”

The above statement connotes lack of empathy. There is a proverb that says “if the youth is behaving the young and foolish, the elder should behave matured as an elder, and in wisdom.”

The young boys and girls that were rude to the Governor didn’t behave well. But that is the difference between stupidity in exuberance and wisdom in old age.

Another Governor said “I know too much.” That is a statement of finality in a bred-and-born Solomon robes. A person that knows too much can not be a team player, cannot respect the views of others, cannot value diversity, and shall always act as the Lord of Manor. This typifies the classic leadership of many African political leaders.

Another one said, even if I asked the Governor that succeeded me to give me “xy” billions from the state’s monthly allocation, what offense have I committed? After all, I bought his forms, paid for his campaign expenses, used “my structure to make him a Governor, etc.” Which means, the state money could be shared without qualms. What is that if not stealing or corruption? If all of us must reap from those we support, wherein lies the spirit of sacrifice and building people? In my journey through life, I have found that not all those you helped will come back to thank you.

If you helped the helpless to rise and you want to turn the fellow to a financial rubber tree to be tapped for returns on investments, how do you get the reward from providence and God for truly being a helper?

With these type of characters in positions of power, human capital development becomes secondary. No nation develops when human capital development does not top mapped-out priorities.

I hope the crop of our new leaders would do it differently. But with the financial scandals in the air, who else can we trust?

Grace and peace!!!