Emmanuel Ogar|11 February 2016|5:45am
The title of this piece is an excerpt from the second stanza of our national anthem and thereafter paraphrased. I was cogitating over the vicissitude and the challenges tossing our nation to-and –fro along the path of politics and under the influence of our leaders. In that instantaneous solitary I found myself, I realized that leadership and rulership are English lexicals used interchangeably, either for good governance or for personal eccentricity; perhaps for self-aggrandizement are the contending forces opposing one another in today’s government.
Our national anthem is always sung or recited before and after any government function. In appalling consternation, neither the leaders nor the led contemplate on the confession and pledges regularly reaffirmed by all and sundry whenever the anthem is rendered. From the evolution of mankind as it relates humanism; the causes of the choking problems of man has being the issues of poor leadership. From time immemorial, even the first living souls (Adam and Eve) failed on the account of leadership. Knowledge derived from medieval and modern history shows that emperors and their empires have risen and fallen. Kings and kingdoms came and gone. Nations are disintegrating; presidents are manipulating their countries’ constitutions in the name of amendment to keep them perpetually in power. It has favoured some greedy politicians. It is a virus. The nastiest hit continent is Africa. It has plagued nations which includes but not limited to Zimbabwe; Burundi, Somalia, Libya, Cameroon, Uganda and Benin republic.
Leaders who failed before were not guided aright. They constantly betray their consciences and had nothing left to keep. They sought for absolute power that corrupt absolutely. They plan on how to win the next elections—and never had time to plan for good governance. This awful trend continued unending because government is the only known vessel that leaks from the top to bottom according to James Reston.
Nigeria was lucky that the people cried and God heard them. If not for God that caused Nigerian civil rights societies to mount pressures on Ibrahim Babaginda led military junta that he later abdicated his position on the ground of force, he wanted to be president for life. If Sani Abacha did not pass away, he would have being the worst and cruelest military Head of States in Africa. Till tomorrow, Nigeria is yet to fully recover his loots. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo pumped billions of Nairas into the National Assembly for his unscrupulous third-term-agenda as president. Thank God that such ambition can only find space in the dark pages of history.
In our country, we have leaders that rule in lieu of leading. When leaders rule, they rule from the head and when they lead, the lead from the heart. Rulers often try to solve the current problems with the same level of thinking that created them. In that case, it is like using horizontal solutions to tackle vertical problems. The end product is what I call ‘horivertic’ wahala if you would permit me. While dedicated leaders solve problems with new level of mindset.
How right are the leaders guided? One way of guiding them is by exercising our franchise through the ballot and not by the bullet. Another way is by harmonious opposition and constructive criticism. Of course, even genuine loyalty and not shameful sycophancy is equally a worthwhile channel one could employ in guiding the people in government right.
The people at the helm of affairs do not even know if they are really true leaders or tyrants; most of them are authoritarians gallivanting and junketing in the verisimilitude of Bellicosity and ‘Hitlerity’. Who is a leader or what is leadership? I learn that leadership is more of a function of attitude; has little to do with one’s background, age or tribe. You are a leader because your action or inactions affects the destiny of many generations.
John Maxwell wrote in his book, 21 Laws of Leadership that, “a leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees further than others see and who sees before others see”. Most of our governors; law makers, local government chairmen are myopic. They lack vision and cannot see beyond the range of their eyes to the nose. Some of them have been blindfolded by sheer greed and the fear of the unknown. And hence their sight becomes blur. Some are self-imposed and parasitic in nature—such as the case of Idi Amin of Uganda, the Butcher of East Africa. He led, sorry, he ruled by the nose.
It is very crucial to understand that those who had transformed themselves into beasts in government today were at one time in their quest for service actually had virtuous purposes for the people until their insatiable appetite for power could not be gratified. Some consulted necromancers; prognosticators, exorcisers, diviners, sorcerers, warlocks and other celestial enchanters to gain power. They got it, but the powers behind this authority given them would not let them serve well. This will continue when the righteous would not want to be involved in politics just for the flimsy excuse that politics is a dirty business. The evil ones will always hang around to take over when there is vacancy. At the long run, the people will suffer because the wicked man is wielding the power.
No dictator, dead or alive has ever ruled exceptionally on his own accord before. Every one of them always flock with their loyalists and conspirators whom they trusted with full confidence for advice. He relies on the strategies of his henchmen. It is so because even the most diabolical dictator understand that he is a mere mortal no matter how narcissistic he is, he knows that whoever blood runs through his veins and arteries is not omnipresent or omniscience. It is the people that keep these despots perpetually in power. These loyalists are called cabal. They are the ones that ought to guide the leaders aright. Their slogan is: comrade Napoleon is always right.
Marcus Garvey, the Black civil rights activist posited that power belongs to the people and no man is more powerful than the people. Martin Luther Jr. said that no man can ride on you except your back is bent. Robert Mugabe and Paul Biya are sitting tight in power because the peoples’ backs are bent. If the people arise, they will shine and no man can put off their light. In every nation where they is Pharaoh, they is a Moses. Where Goliath is found, David is always there. The people must locate their Moses and David.
The change mantra that the ruling party is dissipating energy to have it rooted to the ground is stiffly being challenged by the oppositions’ apologists that the change is gradually metamorphosing into political vendetta. If their accusations are true, then, President Buhari should know that the change he and his party promised is not to pay off scores. In the war against corruption, we must all realize that what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. We must not turn the table in favour of anybody.
Millions of Nigerians absolutely believed in this government. We understand that the country is lagging behind many nations and therefore, our leaders must take up the gauntlet and show the people the sign of pulling through. By so doing, we shall all pull together and victory will be assured. It is only an unprepared leader who is programmed to fail that is bent on clamping down those that vain-gloriously pull to pieces their policies. There are achievements which are called silencers. They silence the antagonists’ mouths. A focused government go for such conspicuous and feasible projects.
In Cross River State, some folks are complaining bitterly over some appointments made by the governor, Prof. Ben Ayade. They went further by saying that the appointment is on the ratio of 80-20 proportion. That is 80% for family and 20% for friends. Worse as it may, I was beaten flat when I learnt that the State Director of ICT is an In-law of the governor’s younger brother. The news saturating the airwave is that even computer appreciation or application he does not know as of when the appointment was made. As important as that position, one expect that a professional should be in charge of it and not a quack. This is akin to the appointments made by Idi Amin in March 1972. Amin was dolling out appointments to his kiths and kin. A gatekeeper at a textile factory by the name, Isaac Malyamungu without military training was made a Lieutenant in the Ugandan Army and subsequently appointed the head of State Research Bureau (SRB) which was a state within a state. Cooks, gardeners, cleaners and engine operators from his Kakwa tribesmen were conscripted into the Army and immediately promoted to the ranks of Majors and Colonels. Another shocking appointment was the promotion of former taxi driver, Juma Aiga to the rank of a Major. This madness is taking prominent position in our land and climes.
O’ God of creation, direct the noble cause of our leaders and guide them right. In faithfulness, loyalty, honesty, and in strength, Lord help them to serve Nigerians. Preserve and protect our leaders from the schemes and craftiness of men. Strengthen our leaders as they faces the challenges that come with responsibilities of leadership. Grant them wisdom, knowledge and understanding for leadership. God bless Nigeria.
Comr. Ogar Emmanuel Oko is Physicist and Poet. He coordinates Youth Alliance for Northern Cross River Dreams( YANCRID) and Modern League of Classical Experimental Writers (MLCEW).
