The truth is that leadership entails some
sterling qualities, one of which is finesse
That statement was made by Rasheed Ojikutu, a University don attached to the Faculty of Business Administration, University of Lagos. He wrote an article for the Guardian Newspaper yesterday (and I intended to place the full article here but... no thanks to PHCN, I lost my connectivity at some point) in which he drew some important lessons for us from the similarity between the events that presently surround the seats of power in Nigeria and Britain. While Nigeria's VP has proceeded on the path of arrogance and carefree vituperations against his boss (and the boss is not making matters better, either), Gordon Brown, the British Chancellor of Exchequer precedentedto succeed Tony Blair as PM and favoured above the latter by the political WHO'S WHO, displayed unequalled loyalty, discipline, responsibility and maturity in an article he sent in to The Sun newspaper last Sunday. The refined man gallantly admitted his boss' faults and gloriously celebrated his successes. In fact, Gordon, rather than join in the anti-Blair campaign which has seen the resignation of about 5 key parliamentarians, openly expressed his continued support of Tony as long as they are still ogethr in government.
In contrast, our own Atiku Abubakar has decided to GET BACK at his boss by hanging the adminstration's dirty laundry in the open. If you never gave it any serious thoughts before, I like you to know that the on-going feud between Uncle Sege and his Adamawa boy is a national shame. It only goes to show us what kind of leaders we have...let me allow Victor Oshisada's article spaek to you further...
The crisis in the presidency by Victor Oshisada
IT is disgusting. It is ridiculous. In the past couple of weeks, there have been ceaseless cataracts of allegations and invectives being poured forth from the Presidency. The combatants are President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. Such a humiliation is a deep wound to the leaders' sense of honour and decency. Indeed, the development is hardly adult; it looks like a drama between two schoolboys who are struggling for a memento. How could it be explained? Whatever may be the good intentions or achievements of President Obasanjo's administration, the untoward scenario constitutes an abrasion on it. What a poor diversionary sideshow! It merely helps to slake the voracious appetite of the country's fifth columnists in their quest for unwarranted criticisms.
There are no guts in washing dirty linen in the public. All those ugly revelations emanating from both parties were their joint private action when the going was good. At the very first, I thought that the crisis between President Obasanjo and his deputy was a storm in a teacup, and that the discord would be resolved soonest. My reason for so believing was that human beings are human beings, and are naturally bound to disagree on issues anytime. But with time, I was weaned from this belief, because the discord has snowballed to greater proportion. On reflection, I concluded that the crossfire of accusations and counter-accusations between the fathers of the nation amounts to an admission of corruption, a sort of open or self-confession.
Interestingly, many Nigerians at home and abroad have called for the resignation of both leaders. The Minister of Information in the First Republic (1960 to 1966), Chief Theophilus Owolabi Shobowale Benson, one of the few surviving nationalists, in his own criticisms called on the President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani, to take over the presidency if the duo fail to resolve their rift. In a statement signed by the Executive Director of Africa in America, Mr. Bonaventure Ezekwenna, said: "Clearly, admissions of corrupt practices are the well-established facts being communicated freely to the listening Nigerian public, at home and in the Diaspora, and the global community at large..."
Unknown to both sides, it may open up a vista of terrible consequences into the polity; not every politician is matured; the exalted position notwithstanding. The use of unbridled tongue borders on the verge of political immaturity, which is the hallmark of budding politicians at local government council meetings. The unrelenting interchange of accusation letters between the President and his deputy indicates that there is less to do in the Presidency, and that the welfare of the masses is at a discount. Our roads are in ruins, whilst the national electricity is producing at a low level. What is more, at a time that our graduates, supposed to be the economic hopefuls of their parents, have now become mill-stones round their necks, for being jobless, our leaders are engaging in mud-slinging.
In any exalted position, the basic requirement is discipline. If the fathers of the nation descend so low to engage in brickbats, the types that are traded by illiterate market-women, where is the claim to puritanical leadership? It must be borne in mind that the world is watching. The nations of the world have their representatives in the country. I think that the combatants are power-drunk. In government, serious minds are required. If the two leaders should engage in the frivolity of accusations, it is a manifestation of unseriousness. It may even mean that they have nothing to engage their attention in the presidency.
The ugly exposure throws bad light on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its government. Being members of the same party, I can only conclude that the cleavage between them reflects a political organisation that is divided. A divided party means a divided government and consequently a divided nation. The ongoing imbroglio between the President and his vice is an incarnate symbol of the Action Group crisis of 1962, except that the present combatants are in the same government at the centre.
What is the PDP doing as a political organisation that is in control of the centre? Where is the Council of State? What efforts has the Council made to effect the much-desired cease-fire and resolve the discord? It is a situation where the tail is wagging the dog. In a political party where the chairman is a mere figurehead what do we expect?
With all the allegations from both sides, if Constitutional immunity from prosecution is enjoyed, impeachment must be a veritable tool to implement removal. The country looks like being at the giddy edge of a cliff, gripped by the insane fear of attempting to jum over. My prayer is that the crisis does not lead to a macro-political convulsion.
IT is disgusting. It is ridiculous. In the past couple of weeks, there have been ceaseless cataracts of allegations and invectives being poured forth from the Presidency. The combatants are President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. Such a humiliation is a deep wound to the leaders' sense of honour and decency. Indeed, the development is hardly adult; it looks like a drama between two schoolboys who are struggling for a memento. How could it be explained? Whatever may be the good intentions or achievements of President Obasanjo's administration, the untoward scenario constitutes an abrasion on it. What a poor diversionary sideshow! It merely helps to slake the voracious appetite of the country's fifth columnists in their quest for unwarranted criticisms.
There are no guts in washing dirty linen in the public. All those ugly revelations emanating from both parties were their joint private action when the going was good. At the very first, I thought that the crisis between President Obasanjo and his deputy was a storm in a teacup, and that the discord would be resolved soonest. My reason for so believing was that human beings are human beings, and are naturally bound to disagree on issues anytime. But with time, I was weaned from this belief, because the discord has snowballed to greater proportion. On reflection, I concluded that the crossfire of accusations and counter-accusations between the fathers of the nation amounts to an admission of corruption, a sort of open or self-confession.
Interestingly, many Nigerians at home and abroad have called for the resignation of both leaders. The Minister of Information in the First Republic (1960 to 1966), Chief Theophilus Owolabi Shobowale Benson, one of the few surviving nationalists, in his own criticisms called on the President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani, to take over the presidency if the duo fail to resolve their rift. In a statement signed by the Executive Director of Africa in America, Mr. Bonaventure Ezekwenna, said: "Clearly, admissions of corrupt practices are the well-established facts being communicated freely to the listening Nigerian public, at home and in the Diaspora, and the global community at large..."
Unknown to both sides, it may open up a vista of terrible consequences into the polity; not every politician is matured; the exalted position notwithstanding. The use of unbridled tongue borders on the verge of political immaturity, which is the hallmark of budding politicians at local government council meetings. The unrelenting interchange of accusation letters between the President and his deputy indicates that there is less to do in the Presidency, and that the welfare of the masses is at a discount. Our roads are in ruins, whilst the national electricity is producing at a low level. What is more, at a time that our graduates, supposed to be the economic hopefuls of their parents, have now become mill-stones round their necks, for being jobless, our leaders are engaging in mud-slinging.
In any exalted position, the basic requirement is discipline. If the fathers of the nation descend so low to engage in brickbats, the types that are traded by illiterate market-women, where is the claim to puritanical leadership? It must be borne in mind that the world is watching. The nations of the world have their representatives in the country. I think that the combatants are power-drunk. In government, serious minds are required. If the two leaders should engage in the frivolity of accusations, it is a manifestation of unseriousness. It may even mean that they have nothing to engage their attention in the presidency.
The ugly exposure throws bad light on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its government. Being members of the same party, I can only conclude that the cleavage between them reflects a political organisation that is divided. A divided party means a divided government and consequently a divided nation. The ongoing imbroglio between the President and his vice is an incarnate symbol of the Action Group crisis of 1962, except that the present combatants are in the same government at the centre.
What is the PDP doing as a political organisation that is in control of the centre? Where is the Council of State? What efforts has the Council made to effect the much-desired cease-fire and resolve the discord? It is a situation where the tail is wagging the dog. In a political party where the chairman is a mere figurehead what do we expect?
With all the allegations from both sides, if Constitutional immunity from prosecution is enjoyed, impeachment must be a veritable tool to implement removal. The country looks like being at the giddy edge of a cliff, gripped by the insane fear of attempting to jum over. My prayer is that the crisis does not lead to a macro-political convulsion.
The article is on page 65 of The GUARDIAN Newspaper today, Wednesday, 27th September, 2006. Rasheed Ojikutu's article that I earler referred to is on page 65 of The GUARDIAN Newspaper yesterday, Tuesday, 26th September, 2006.
2 comments:
Those are great inspirations indeed. You write well; and please keep it up for the sake of this generation.
Those are great inspirations indeed. You write well; and please keep it up for the sake of this generation.
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