By Olakunle Agboola – Wisdom, agility, and expertise in the area of change leadership are as essential to today’s leader as a reliable map and navigational tools are to the sailor.
All leaders must learn to navigate change, but all of the truly great leaders of today are masters of leading and revolutionary change. Whether international, institutional or organizational change, a mass movement, a worldwide protest, or a non-violent revolution; learning to lead and organize people and resources around a constructive, creative, and dynamic shared vision of change is indispensable to success.
The Journey of 2019 presidential and gubernatorial campaign has begun and probably Nigerian will be looking for a dearth of honest presidential materials who can be trusted to deliver the goods of democracy. The history of democratic system has proved that strong political parties do not encourage one to have faith in the future, where democracy is seen to be the fountain of hope and development. If we cannot, therefore sustain hope through belief in the ideals of a democratic polity where else should we turn? Great philosopher and thinkers of the past have averred that it takes a strong leader, totally patriotic and selfless to rally round men and women to a common purpose for a nation to prosper.
There is a dire need for strong disciplinarian leader to put in place the solid infrastructure for development which will enlighten and mobilized the society to the pursuit of the general good that democracy can thrive. Much as the unrepentant ‘democrat’ may want to frown at this pattern of thought man’s experiment on earth prove that of those countries that have been successful with democratic governance most of them have first had to cope with revolutionary precedents.
History recorded that Russia had Stalin Germany had Bismark. Singapore had Lee Kwan Yaw. France had Napoleon and Charles de Gaule. China had Mao Tse Tung, and the host of other countries had revolutionary idealists who stood for good democratic governance and common good of humanity in their various countries. So, it would appear that for democracy to take a proper root, people-oriented republics must wake up and structured a democratic process having its foundation rested on people-centred development, which will allow political leaders to subsequently lead correctly.
The focus should be on a political class of high ideal, morality, ethical values and selfless service for democracy to thrive. Perhaps we have been having problems all along because our society has refused to come to grip with this fact that without established values of public morality, discipline and selfless service, a core leadership that is focused and committed to the development of man cannot unfold in Nigeria. Therefore, we labour in vain for democracy to be what it ought to be.
That is the irony of it. But the question is: Where is that visionary, strong and revolutionary leader to forcibly uproot the seed of corruption, inspired the populace, managed both human and natural resources and rally men and women to achieve a common purpose? Maybe he is hidden in any of the political parties or among the youths who are at the shore of politics but not allowed to swim in the political pool.
2019 is not far-fetched as we await Nigerian to make another choice of political leaders. As Niccolò Machiavelli said: “Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results.”
This will be a call to think of where we are coming from and where we are going as a nation. It will be a call to think laterally, reinforced our minds, update our knowledge and select a good leader or revolutionary leaders that will embrace a good democratic government to end poverty and squalor in a country that is known to be potentially rich.
Think-Tank
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