TheNewsGuru

Tag: Leadership

  • Leadership is difficult because governance is very stubborn – By Owei Lakemfa

    Leadership is difficult because governance is very stubborn – By Owei Lakemfa

    TWO bills in the last two weeks, defined for me the President Muhammadu Buhari government including its state of mind, wellbeing, position on democracy and its so-called war on corruption.

    On Monday, December 20, 2021, it declined assent to the 2021 Electoral Act Amendment Bill on the basis – rather, excuse – that it contained a provision for direct primaries in political parties. Direct primaries empower registered members of a party to vote for their candidates in main elections, while indirect primaries empowers assumed delegates to decide on candidates.

    Citing this lone provision, President Buhari threw back the bill; more like throwing away the baby and the bathwater. This is because the bill contains other provisions that would strengthen the electoral and democratic processes such as electronic voting and transmission of results.

    This is the fourth time in three years, Buhari would decline assent to the bill. The first time in March 2018, his claim was that signing the bill at that time may affect the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to fix the dates of some elections. He refused assent the second time saying there are drafting issues involved.

    In December 2018, he declined assent on the basis that it was too close to the 2019 general elections. Now that the 2023 elections are still far away, he says the direct primaries provision makes the entire bill incurable so there must be a surgical operation to remove the cancer.

    It may sound incredible, but it is true that while President Buhari refused assent to the electoral bill because of a single provision, eleven days later, he readily signed the 2022 Budget which he told the nation has over 6,600 controversial insertions including budget padding which is an euphemism for official corruption and theft.

    While signing the budget bill on Friday December 31, 2021, President Buhari accused the National Assembly, NASS, of directly padding the budget including making new insertions for itself totalling N36.59 billion.

    The President also claimed that the lawmakers cut the Non-Regular Allowances of the Police and the Navy by N15 billion and N5 billion respectively despite the fact that: “personnel cost provisions are based on agencies’ nominal roll and approved salaries/allowances.”

    What is unstated in this move is that overhead is usually a target because contracts can neither be awarded nor inflated on the salaries and allowances of people. So it pays law makers better to reduce personnel cost and add such monies to project costs. This is not to say that they do not sometimes increase personnel costs where they have interests like sending hordes of people to be employed.

    It is a notorious fact that NASS members also make money for their private pockets by inserting or embedding new projects into the budgets of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs. The strongman of Nigeria accused the NASS of inserting 6,576 such new projects into the 2022 budget including over 1,500 into the budget of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture alone.

    He lamented that these ‘projects’ have been added to the budgets of MDAs without costing, consideration for availability of funds or capacity to implement them. Is the President not aware that many of these so-called projects are not meant for execution?

    Despite all these and his experience in budgeting in the last six years, the President who prides himself as the anti-corruption czar in Nigeria, signed what he otherwise presents as a monumental fraud, into law. Who is deceiving who? Is it the National Assembly deceiving the public; the President deceiving Nigerians or both the Assembly and the Presidency deceiving Nigerians and oiling the corruption machinery?

    The Presidency for at least six years now has been making the same lamentations while condoning the brazen theft of public funds through budgetary provisions. It appears the Presidency has a template for the budget-signing speeches he makes annually.

    For example his speech last week and the one in 2018 in which he said: “The National Assembly made cuts amounting to 347 billion Naira in the allocations to 4,700 projects submitted to them for consideration and introduced 6,403 projects of their own amounting to 578 billion Naira” are from the same template.

    Compare President Buhari’s 2022 Budget claim that: “The cuts in the provisions for several of these projects by the National Assembly may render the projects un-implementable …” and his 2018 one that: “Many of the projects cut are critical and may be difficult, if not impossible, to implement with the reduced allocation.” Same script!

    In 2018, Buhari lamented: “Some of the new projects inserted by the National Assembly have not been properly conceptualised, designed and costed and will, therefore, be difficult to execute.”

    In the 2022 Budget he made the same assertion: “Many more projects have been added to the budgets of some MDAs with no consideration for the institutional capacity to execute the additional projects and/or for the incremental recurrent expenditure that may be required…and do not appear to have been properly conceptualised, designed and costed.”

    In 2019, he made similar assertions including a claim that the NASS inserted N90.3 billion in the budget to cover items like security bills and severance allowances of the outgoing National Assembly members. In the past, the Buhari Presidency used to claim it allowed budget padding because it was faced with an antagonistic NASS presided over by Dr. Bukola Saraki. So why has it continued to allow this with a pliant NASS under Dr. Ahmad Lawan?

    President Buhari’s mantra was change, but it appears change is unyielding; the more things change, the more they remain the same. Sometimes, I imagine what Buhari tells himself in his quiet, reflective moments. After having been a military Head of State and contesting the Presidency thrice, shouldn’t he have just gone into retirement tending his cows and farm rather than contesting the 2015 elections?

    That victory which made him the second military dictator to become a civilian President, also completely demystified him. It portrayed him as a clay-footed hero whose promissory note cannot be cashed.

    Wouldn’t it have been better for him not to have been President, rather than be a Commander-in-Chief whose territory is being effectively challenged by bandits, terrorists and miscreants some of who have not only seized territory, but are also running their mini governments including imposition of taxes?

    Is this a case of an exhausted lion taking a rest or one that has become old and feeble waiting for the end of his kingship? There are the legion of jobbers who tell him he is doing very well and even tease him that without him, Nigeria would have ceased to exist. My advice, is borrowed over the ages: Man, Be Truthful To Thyself.

  • How strategic leaders can develop a growth mind-set and win

    How strategic leaders can develop a growth mind-set and win

    As we mark the end of another eventful year, I believe that it is imperative to share actionable insights to help leaders thrive despite the disruptive and volatile operating context.

    These actionable strategies are informed by insights that I gleaned from helping over 4,000 executives and hundreds of organisations to optimise their impact and thrive since I founded TEXEM 12 years ago.

    Talking about improving performance can be difficult, especially when there are disruptions such as those posed by the current pandemic. While it looks challenging and daunting during times of uncertainty, you’ll agree with me that there are executives out there who are performing exceptionally well despite the many challenges that they face. Such cases present an opportunity to learn how such leaders are sailing through the storms of the pandemic, competition, disruption and other headwinds.

    As a public or private sector leader, you need to learn and adopt the right strategies and skills that can help you influence impactful action among your team. You have to engage, encourage and stimulate them to achieve your organisation’s goals effectively and efficiently. By the way, contrary to what many people think, leadership is not about coercion. Sometimes your team needs a little coaching and inspiration to improve performance.

    Arguably certain qualities and characteristics are common among successful leaders who continually contribute to nation-building; how such individuals respond to circumstances, including disruptive pandemics such as the COVID 19 and the strategic choices that they make, all factor into their success and effective leadership. Most importantly, how well people respond to the need for change and transition, especially in this digital age, sets them apart from their counterparts who might be struggling or performing dismally. If you are looking to be a leader, that turns challenges into vitamins; here are some of the essential skill sets you need:

    • Communication Skills

    The ability to present information clearly and effectively is very vital for any leader who aspires to develop impactful legacies that endure. While presentation skills are required by almost every job these days, being a leader requires knowing how to pass messages effectively. It is critical for success. 70% of all change initiatives fail partly due to poor communication. Thus, to successfully inspire transformation, you need to improve your private and public presentations across multiple platforms. Writing skills are also an essential part of strategic communication. Strategic leaders communicate with clarity, poise, conviction, build trust and inspire others to transform.

     

    • Financial Awareness

    Financial awareness, including the ability to use various financial knowledge and skills such as budgeting, investing, and financial management, will allow you to manage financial resources in your organisation effectively. You also need these skills to communicate your organisation’s financial position and performance to all stakeholders. It will also inform the choices and actions you take and those that should be deferred.

    • Entrepreneurship: Taking Risks

    Leadership requires an intrepreneurial mindset that can turn problems into opportunities that add value and propel the organisation to success. So, leaders need to be risk-takers and experts when navigating uncertainties. And in today’s environment, entrepreneurial activity is needed more than ever before. It’s necessary for solving problems, improving performance, and thriving despite the ever-growing competition.

    • IT skills

    Developing IT skills as a leader will allow you to embrace and utilise emerging technologies. From artificial intelligence to quantum computing, big data, to the internet of things, all these technological capabilities can disrupt the dominant business model, so every leader needs to be technology savvy. Hence, you also need these skills to be efficient, effective and solve technical, human and commercial issues with ease. So, it might just be necessary for you to acquire IT skills in many areas, especially in project management, cyber security, software development, data analytics, and others. To achieve these, you need to undergo some short courses on this, and it will help you improve your performance as an executive.

    • Self-Motivation

    As a prolific leader, you should be self-motivated before you seek to motivate your team or those you lead. It becomes easy to provide strategic direction and inspire your team to achieve organisational goals when you are self-motivated. But how do you motivate yourself? Well, be open to change, learn from others, reflect on your progress, balance your emotions, be deliberate about; the company you keep as well as what you read and always make positive affirmative statements.

    • Time Management

    Look, effective time management stimulates strategic leadership. You must, therefore, make it a habit to use time well. Every day, draw a to-do list, prioritise your tasks, be focused, manage distractions and track your time. Note that while everyone has 24hours, some use it well, while others end up wasting their time. Top performance, growth, and other successes come when one manages their time well, so you have to do it and do it effectively.

    • Action Plan for Change or Personal Development Plan

    As a leader, you need a written account of your self-reflection and improvement, which should also double up as your action plan that you’ll use to achieve your goals. It should describe your goals regarding development, areas of improvement and performance optimisation as a leader. Most importantly, it should outline the tactics you will use to achieve top performances, whose strategies should be broken down into actionable steps, and each milestone should be given a time frame. Thus, this action plan must be smart, i.e. specific, measurable, attainable and time-bound.

    • Embrace Change

    Another typical behaviour with leaders who deliver top-performance despite the plethora of contextual challenges is that they are always ready to embrace change. Ideally, change is always part of the business or day-to-day running of activities. So, as an executive, you must have an open mind that is ready to accept change. Note that, with constantly emerging technologies, ways of thinking, and other dynamics, you cannot expect to apply the same old techniques of leadership strategies. That’s how you get beaten and left out while your competitors are growing and scaling the heights of success.

    • Invest in Education

    Commitment to continued education is another vital requirement for improving self, team, organisation and society. You’ll agree that leadership is a journey and not a destination. So, as a strategic leader, you must continually expand your knowledge and inspire your organisation to embrace a culture of lifelong learning. This could be a means of developing core competencies and capabilities that could generate sustainable competitive advantage. To achieve a competitive advantage that endures, you can register for short courses with reputable providers. One such leading consulting firm is TEXEM. Over time, TEXEM has proven to be a leader in providing actionable learning platforms and the best programmes for executives looking to steer their organisations to the highest possible success and growth potentials. It gives you a chance to hear from, engage with and learn from some of the best faculties and leaders from world-leading universities and other seats of learning. TEXEM is also renowned for having a rigorous methodology that makes learning stimulating, exciting, and impactful.

    Wrapping It Up

    Overall, the most strategic leaders are those who have a growth mindset and strive to improve themselves continually. For them, past success is not a reason to be content with everything. Instead, it’s a reason to acquire more skills, especially those that help increase their capacities, facilitate profitable growth in their organisations and have a culture of renewal. But what kind of skills are necessary? We are in a digital era; hence, digital, soft and conceptual skills are vital for survival, growth, and improved performance. Furthermore, you can get insights into customer behaviour, needs, and the best ways to connect with them with such skills.

    With continued learning and education, you get a chance to network both externally, share experiences with others, and most importantly, develop your leadership skills. Influential leaders invest in their leadership, and whether you are in the public or private sector, you too need to embrace continuous learning. All organisations need leaders that keep growing. So, to grow your company, develop yourself as an executive or leader. Learn and practice the habit of constantly striving to improve performance even when you are already doing well.

     

    Dr Abubakre is a British based entrepreneur with an unparalleled passion for Africa, academic, and Founder & Non-Executive Chair of TEXEM, UK, which has trained over 4,000 executives in the UK and Africa in the past ten years. He is on the advisory board of the London Business School Africa Society, lectures in Coventry, a top 15 UK university. In 2010, Alim was selected as one of the top 100 Virgin Media emerging entrepreneurs in the UK and accompanied London’s Lord Mayor on his entourage to Nigeria in 2015. Abubakre is a Fellow (FIOEE) of the UK’s Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

  • Banditry and our quest for leadership, by Hassan Gimba

    Banditry and our quest for leadership, by Hassan Gimba

    By Hassan Gimba

    I wanted to continue with my treatise on the Rule of Law as our only panacea for survival when a clarion call by the governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu Masari, caught my attention.

    It might have come as a shock to many when Masari called on people of his state to arm themselves, rise, and confront bandits to defend themselves. He lamented that security officials alone cannot tackle insecurity in the state.

    Masari’s state, like other northwest and north-central states of Zamfara, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna and Kogi, has witnessed incessant attacks by bandits linked to the dreaded Boko Haram groups. They have killed thousands of people, kidnapped hundreds and displaced some thousands from their homes in these states.

    The governor preached to his people that “it is allowed Islamically for one to defend himself against attacks. One must rise to defend himself, his family, and his assets. If you die while trying to defend yourself, you’ll be considered a martyr.”

    He expressed displeasure that bandits have arms, while good men do not have guns to defend themselves and their families. He then declared his government’s readiness to help those who desired to own arms as a way of pushing back against banditry.

    This will not be the first time that a high-ranking member in this government will exhort the people to take up arms in defence of themselves. In February last year, the minister of defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd) told a dumbfounded nation to rise and defend themselves against bandits and “stop being cowardly”.

    Said he: “In our younger days, we stand (sic) to fight any aggression coming for us…I don’t know why people are running from minor things like that. They should stand and let these people know that even the villagers have the competency and capabilities to defend themselves.”

    But before them, the Emir of Muri in Taraba State, Alhaji Abbas Tafida, had taken the bull by the horns and thrown down the gauntlet. He threatened bandits with death if they did not leave his forests in 30 days. He said: “Our brothers, the nomadic herdsmen (Bororo) from neighbouring countries, you came to us to allow you to stay in our forest. We allowed you because you are our brothers. When you came, we welcomed you. We regarded you as fellow Muslims. But the question you must answer is, are you Muslims?

    “This is a question we are waiting for you to answer. We deserve to know if you are Muslims. If you are one of us (Muslims) and you decide to stay in the forest, only to kidnap us one by one for ransom, stop it because your attitude is not acceptable to Allah. But if you are not Muslims, I want to tell you, like we fought the infidels before, we are ready to fight you with all our strength. So I have given you (Bororo) 30 days to leave my emirate. If we see any of you after the expiration of my ultimatum, we will kill him.”

    Before him, in December 2020, the Emir of Anka and Chairman, Zamfara State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Attahiru Muhammad Ahmad Anka, had said that they were tired of appeals and that if nothing was done to stop banditry and attacks on traditional rulers, they should be allowed to carry weapons to protect themselves.

    He made the comment when he condoled the Emir of Kaura Namoda in Zamfara State, HRH Alhaji Sanusi Muhammad Anka, who lost eight people to an ambush on his convoy by bandits.

    He told journalists: “This was the second in line. Last year, the Emir of Pataskum was attacked; here in Zamfara, the Emir of Bukkuyum was also attacked and his orderly killed. I can also remember even Emir of Yauri was some time ago attacked.”

    However, before them all, in March 2018, Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (retd.), former chief of army staff and minister of defence, had urged Nigerians to defend themselves against killers in the country. He made the call while speaking at the maiden convocation of the Taraba State University, Jalingo, Taraba State.

    He said: “I am not a politician and politics is one profession I don’t want to belong to because if I am a politician, I would not say what I am going to say to you now…When I arrived at this arena, I saw a rich cultural display, and I was amazed at the rich cultural heritage of our people. Taraba is a mini-Nigeria with diverse ethnic groups living together peacefully, but the peace in this state is under assault…There is an attempt at ethnic cleansing in the state and, of course, some rural states in Nigeria…We must resist it. We must stop it. Every one of us must rise.”

    He was vehemently attacked, though, but mostly based on sentiment. Now those who attacked him are mostly those crying for help.

    Incidents of banditry and kidnapping have become an everyday affair. Within the first six months of last year alone, the Kajuru community, just 30 kilometres from Kaduna, was attacked and its emir and 13 members of his family abducted. A first-class traditional ruler in Kogi State, the Adogu of Eganyi in the Ajaokuta Local Government Area of the state, Alhaji Mohammed Adembe was also kidnapped by bandits along Okene-Adogo road.

    Government Secondary School, Kagara in Niger State, was also a target, with 50 of the students abducted. Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, in Katsina state, was attacked and 300 students were kidnapped. Female schools were not spared as Girls’ Secondary School, Jengebe in Zamfara State had about 100 of its girls kidnapped. Some have already been “married” by the bandits. Salihu Tanko Islamiya School in Tegina, Niger State was also invaded, and about 136 pupils were whisked away. Greenfield University and the College of Forestry Mechanisation, both in Kaduna and Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic in Zaria, were violated as well. In all these abductions, some students and staff died. There were, of course, many more cases of kidnapping that never got reported in the media.

    According to Nigeria Security Tracker, there have been 5,800 deaths and 2,943 kidnappings between January and June 2021. The reported cases are: North-West -1,405; North Central – 942; North East – 210; South-South – 140; South West- 169; South East – 77; Northern Nigeria – 2,557; Southern Nigeria – 386. There were 2,943 kidnap victims in 181 days, an average of 16 per day. The 12 states with the most number of deaths are – Borno: 1,137; Zamfara: 862; Kaduna: 715; Benue: 449; Niger: 407; Ebonyi: 210; Katsina: 164; Imo: 153; Kebbi: 144; Yobe: 137; Oyo: 114 and Anambra: 109, while the states with most kidnap victims were Niger, 795; Zamfara, 523; Kaduna: 479; Katsina, 289; Borno, 115; Kebbi: 103; Oyo: 63; Delta, 55; Taraba, 55; FCT, 52; and Edo, 37.

    Therefore, while government officials proffering solutions outside the constitution may shock some people, many people were not surprised. These officials were not talking in private but to the media, so they were deliberate. It may be a confirmation of what the thinking is in the corridors of power. And what this tells us is that the government is increasingly getting into despair and the security agencies are at their wit’s end.

    But that is okay. I mean, if the government will accept that bandits and insurgents are overwhelming the nation’s security forces, then that is being transparent and we can easily arrive at a solution.

    One solution is for the government to organise a people’s militia that will flush out all those marauders. It can encourage each local government to muster at least 5,000 of its youth that will be trained to confront the bandits. The Nigerian government should transform the war against the bandits into a people’s war for self-defence by training and arming these youths. We must take the battle to every inch of the space occupied by the bandits. Possibly, all settlements in the bush should be cleared and moved to the main roads.

    That strategy proved successful in both Iraq and Syria. But it is not only in Iraq or Somalia alone. Here in Nigeria, some communities have stood eyeball to eyeball with bandits and insurgents and, as a result, found themselves some peace. Biu in Borno State and Azare in Bauchi State readily come to mind.

    When Boko Haram members set the people of Biu in their sights, killing them arbitrarily, the elders met and decided to “kill the enemy within”. Known community members who aided the terrorists were arrested in a sting operation and summarily executed. Extrajudicial, of course, but it was a period of war and self-survival was paramount. Putting sentiment aside, parents gave up their sons, friends pointed at friends, and all culprits were dealt with. Boko Haram chiefs had to send a delegation to the town seeking a truce. Since then, Biu found peace as Boko Haram never attacked them again, leaving them in peace while other northeastern towns have known no respite from Boko Haram.

    Next week we shall resume with our treatise on rule of law, the culmination of which is on the sort of leadership and leader we should look for in 2023. This is because even this issue discussed in this piece can be solved with good leadership.

  • Leadership principles and qualities to learn from the eagle, By Godwin Etakibuebu

    Leadership principles and qualities to learn from the eagle, By Godwin Etakibuebu

     

    1. Eagles fly Alone and at High Altitudes

    They don’t fly with sparrows, ravens, and other small birds.

    MEANING: Stay away from narrow-minded people, those that bring you down. Eagle flies with Eagles. Keep good company.

    1. Eagles have an Accurate Vision

    They have the ability to focus on something as far as 3 kilometers away. Eagle’s eyesight is around 5 times better than the human’s vision. No matter the obstacles, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it.

    MEANING: Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacles and you will succeed.

    1. Eagles do not Eat Dead things. They Feed only on Fresh Prey

    MEANING: Do not rely on your past success; keep looking for new frontiers to conquer. Leave your past where it belongs, in the past.

    1. Eagles Love the Storm.

    When clouds gather, the eagle gets excited; the eagle uses the storms wind to lift itself higher. Once it finds the wind of the storm, the eagle uses the raging storm to lift itself above the clouds. This gives the eagle an opportunity to glide and rest its wings. In the meantime, all the other birds hide in the branches and leaves of the tree.

    MEANING: Face your challenges head on knowing that these will make you emerge stronger and better than you were. We can use the storms of life to rise to greater heights. Achievers are not afraid to rise to greater heights. Achievers are not afraid of challenges; rather they relish them and use them profitably.

    1. Eagles Prepare for Training

    They remove the feathers and soft grass in the nest so that the young ones get uncomfortable in preparation for flying and eventually flies/ when it becomes unbearable to stay in the nest.

    MEANING: Leave your Comfort Zone, there is No Growth there.

    1. When the Eagle Grows Old

    His feathers becomes weak and cannot take him as fast and as high as it should. This makes him weak and could make him die. So he retires to a place far away in the mountains. While there, he plucks out the weak feathers on his body and breaks its beaks and claws against the rocks until he is completely bare; a very bloody and painful process. Then he stays in this hiding place until he has grown new feathers, new beaks and claws and then he comes out flying higher than before.

    MEANING: We occasionally need to shed off old habit no matter how difficult, things that burden us or add no value to our lives should be let go of.

    Like all birds of prey, eagles have very large hooked beaks for ripping flesh from their prey, strong, muscular legs, and powerful talons. The beak is typically heavier than that of most other birds of prey. Eagles’ eyes are extremely powerful.

    In fact, the harpy eagle is considered one of the strongest birds in the world. Their strength comes mainly from their powerful talons and massive wings. An eagle has around 10 times more gripping power in its large talons than a human hand.

    How long can Eagle live?

    The Bald eagle lives for 20 years while the Crowned eagle lives up to 14 years and there was a particular Eagle recorded to have lived for 38 years in Mexico.

    How fast can Eagle fly?

    Golden eagle: 320 km/h. Bald eagle: 120 – 160 km/h. Red-tailed hawk: 190 km/h

    5 Positive Leadership Traits People Can Learn From Eagles

    For centuries, these seemingly larger-than-life birds have fascinated and inspired us with their brilliant leadership characteristics. When eagles come to mind, people commonly imagine an enormous hunter soaring above wide-open spaces on outsized wings.

    Indeed, eagles are among the world’s largest birds of prey. We venerate them as living symbols of power, freedom, and transcendence. In some religions, these creatures are believed to touch the face of God. Legend holds that Mexico’s Aztec civilizations so revered the birds that they built Tenochtitlan, their capital, at the spot where an eagle perched on a cactus.

    For centuries, people have seen eagles as a symbol of beauty, bravery, courage, honour, pride, determination, and grace. This bird is important and symbolic to humanity because of its characteristics. Here are five important characteristics of the eagle that have been closely associated with leadership.

    Leadership Qualities of Eagles

    1. Eagles have powerful vision.
    2. Eagles are fearless.
    3. Eagles are tenacious.
    4. Eagles are high flyers.
    5. Eagles nurture their young.

     

    1. Eagles Have Powerful Vision

    If you ever see an eagle sitting high above on a cliff or atop a tree, watch closely and see how attentive the bird is. The body will be still and the head tilted side to side to observe what is happening below, around, and above it. Even if it’s flying, you can observe how keen its eyes are, looking for its prey.

    The Scientific Facts

    Eagles have extremely powerful vision.

    The eyes of an eagle are specially designed for long-distance focus with clarity.

    The eagle’s eye is one of the strongest in the entire animal kingdom (four to eight times stronger than that of the average human).

    An eagle is able to spot a rabbit 3.2 km away.

    An eagle’s eyes are roughly the same size as those of a human. In fact, as an eagle descends to attack its prey, the muscles in its eyes continuously adjust the curvature of the eyeballs in order to maintain sharp focus throughout the approach and attack.

    Their eyes are stated to be larger in size than their brain (by weight).

    The most noteworthy features of eagles’ eyes are color vision, high resolution, and clarity.

    How These Traits Bring You Success in Your Career

    Even if it’s flying, you can observe how keen its eyes are, looking for its prey. The eagle teaches us to remain patient, but ever-present, always keeping our eyes to the future, while not forgetting to take note of our present surroundings. When opportunity strikes, you’ll need to be the first one to see it and you’ll need to move fast. Have a profound vision for your future and constantly remind yourself to stay focused.

    How These Characteristics Make You a Better Leader

    Does this leadership characteristic ring a bell for you? I am sure it does. Look at great leaders who have come and gone in the world and you’ll see that they share the characteristic of eagle-like vision, with the ability to both see reality clearly as it is in the present, as well as make accurate predictions about the future.

    You must have a vision that guides and leads your team towards the organization’s or society’s goals. The vision must be big, as well as focused. A big, focused vision will produce big results.

    Example of a Great Leader with this quality

    Abraham Lincoln: Take Abraham Lincoln for example. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, guided his country through the most devastating experience in its national history, the Civil War. He had a vision to save the Union and free the slaves. He is considered by many historians to have been the greatest American president.

    You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today. — Abraham Lincoln

     

    1. Eagles Are Fearless Hunters

    An eagle will never surrender to its prey, no matter its strength or size. It will always put up a fight to win its prey or regain its territory. Golden Eagles are such remarkable hunters that they can prey on goats much larger than themselves by throwing them off the side of a cliff. We can learn a lot from the eagle’s determination.

    The Scientific Facts

    The talons, or claws on an eagle’s toes are curved and razor-sharp for catching and holding their prey.

    These large toes gave eagles the name raptor, which comes from a Latin word “rapere” meaning to grip or grasp.

    The rough bumps on the eagle’s toes help them hold slippery, wiggling prey, like fish.

    The long talons can inflict serious wounds to intruders.

    Their diet consists mainly of fish, but waterfowl, and small mammals.

    How These Traits Bring You Success in Your Career

    Just as eagles must risk themselves for the survival of their families, you must not be afraid to put yourself on the line. Someone who’s willing to take risks, while staying loyal and determined, will get noticed and plucked out of the crowd.

    How These Characteristics Make You a Better Leader

    Successful leaders are fearless. They face problems head on. No matter what the size of the problem, a good leader attacks them without regard for themselves. It wouldn’t even dawn on you to be afraid because your instinct is to protect that which you love and cherish. Other take note of your passion and determination and draw strength from it.

    Example of a Great Leader with this quality

    Nelson Mandela: Mandela was arrested and imprisoned in 1962. Subsequently, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiring to overthrow the state of South Africa. Mandela served 27 years in prison (split between Robben Island, Pollsmoor Prison, and Victor Verster Prison). After all of his challenges, he still advocated for forgiveness and equality, never backing down from a challenge.

    I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. — Nelson Mandela

    1. Eagles Are Tenacious Defenders

    Watch an eagle when a storm comes. While other birds fly away from the storm, an eagle spreads its mighty wings and uses the current to soar to greater heights. The eagle takes advantage of the very storm that lesser birds fear.

    The Scientific Facts

    Bald eagles use their long, sharp claws to defend themselves. Bald eagles do not have any animal predators.

    Osprey, a large bird, may try to attack them, but the eagle will scare them away.

    Eagles build their nests high up and are vigilant protectors of their eggs and young.

    It is thought that bald eagles mate for life. However, if one member of a pair dies or disappears, the survivor will choose a new mate.

    They invest heavily in their relationships.

    They share the burden of building and maintaining a home and the trials of parenthood.

    Eagle courtship involves elaborate, spectacular calls and flight displays.

    Usually, a territory defended by a mature pair will be 1 to 2 km (0.62 to 1.24 mi) of waterside habitat.

    How These Traits Bring You Success in Your Career

    The challenges in the life of a leader are many. These are the storms we must face as leaders to rise to greater heights. When eagles build relationships, they truly invest in them.

    How These Traits Make You a Better Leader

    Like an eagle, a leader can only rise to greater heights if he faces the challenges head on, without running away from them.

    Example of a Great Leader with this quality

    Cesar Chavez: Cesar Chavez made people aware of the struggles of farm workers for better pay and safer working conditions. Chavez succeeded to bring higher pay and better hours to farm workers through nonviolent tactics (boycotts, pickets, and strikes). Cesar Chavez never gave up and defended his people fiercely.

    Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures. — Cesar Chavez

     

    1. Eagles Are High Flyers

    Great leaders are problem solvers. They don’t complain like the chickens do. When the storm comes, they love to take challenges as the eagle does.

     

    The Scientific Facts

    In reality, eagles tend to use very little energy when they fly so high.

    Even though they can reach altitudes of over 10,000 feet, they are usually soaring to these heights, and taking long glides to cover ground, then soaring up again and repeating the process.

    Their large wingspan allows them to glide and use very little energy.

    How These Traits Bring You Success in Your Career

    An eagle doesn’t mingle with the pigeons. Pigeons scavenge on the ground and grumble and complain all day long. Eagles don’t. They fly and make less noise, waiting for opportunities to strike their next prey or gliding with the current of the storm. Remaining focused on that which inspires you will help guide you through your career. It’s easier to stay motivated when you stay focused on what truly inspires you.

    How These Traits Make You a Better Leader

    Great leaders are problem solvers. They don’t complain like pigeons do. They love to take challenges like an eagle when the storm comes.

    Eagles can fly up to an altitude of 10,000 feet, but they are able to swiftly land on the ground. At 10,000 feet, you will never find another bird. You must have high hopes and work to inspire others to greater heights. Think big and ask others to think big as well. When eagles fly, they make less noise than other birds. They wait patiently for opportunities to strike. We can learn a lot from the eagle’s power and patience.

    Example of a Great Leader with this quality

    Warren Buffett: Buffett was born in Nebraska in 1930. He demonstrated keen business abilities at a young age. He formed Buffett Partnership Ltd. in 1956, and by 1965 he had assumed control of Berkshire Hathaway. He oversaw the growth of a conglomerate with holdings in the media, insurance, energy and food, and beverage industries. Buffett is one of the world’s richest men and a celebrated philanthropist. We can learn a lot from Buffett’s savvy investing and his constant vigilance.

    I always knew I was going to be rich. I don’t think I ever doubted it for a minute. — Warren Buffett

     

    1. Eagles Nurture Their Young

    Even though eagles are known for their aggression, what is more astonishing is their ability to nurture their young ones.

    The Scientific Facts

    Eaglets are nestlings for 10 to 12 weeks (by the time they are 9 weeks old, they are fully grown).

    Once the babies hatch, the female is present at the nest about 90% of the time. The male is present about 50% of the time. At least one of the parents is at the nest almost all of the time.

    Starting at day one, the young nestlings are directly fed raw meat (eagles do not regurgitate food to feed their young like some other animals do).

    During the first two weeks of the babies’ lives, the male provides most of the food. After three or four weeks, the female provides as much food as the male, and by the late nesting period, the female provides most of the food.

    Eaglets are fed one to eight times a day. Their parents carry prey to the nest. They feed their chicks by tearing off pieces of food and holding them out to the beaks of the eaglets. The parents tear off bits of flesh and feed them directly, bill to bill.

    By age five weeks, male and female parents bring nearly equal amounts of food to their chicks. Parents begin spending more time away from the young and often perch in nearby trees.

    By six weeks old, the young are able to stand and walk. By seven weeks old, their maximum body growth is nearing completion.

    At eight weeks, they are at their hungriest and are ready to fly by week twelve.

    At nine weeks old, the chicks are fully grown. Chicks continue living in the nest and gaining strength for 10 to 12 weeks.

    How These Traits Bring You Success in Your Career

    As is the case with other birds, mother eagles must take good care of their young to give them the strength to fly. Just as mother eagles must usher their chicks out of the nest, a good leader must invest their time in their coworkers, etc. If you invest your time in other, then they’ll invest their time in you. Building strong and stable relationships is one of the best ways to grow your career.

     

    How These Traits Make You a Better Leader

    True leaders are not bosses. They grow with their people. They strive to make individuals in the organization or society grows to their full ability. They teach and guide just like the mother eagle does. They never stop giving challenges, but they also never give up empowering and directing.

    Example of a Great Leader with this quality

    John F. Kennedy: To John F. Kennedy, America was something to take care of together as a team. Kennedy asked his fellow Americans to join him in the collective dream of going to the moon “not because it is easy, but because it is hard.” Kennedy believed that by investing in the dreams and hopes of his fellow countrymen, the country would rise above its troubles.

    “If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him” — John F. Kenney

     

    Eagles in Mythology and Culture:

    Native American cultures: In ancient North American cultures, Eagles were more prominent in reality and in symbology than in Eurasia. The eagle is still considered a sacred bird in many Indigenous American cultures. Their feathers are central to a number of religious and spiritual ceremonies. While most prominent among the Plains cultures, eagles are also held sacred in a number of other Native Americans in the United States and First Nations Peoples in Canada.

    Judaism and Christianity: Eagles are mentioned in the Bible as being admired for their swiftness, great physical power, and their endurance. Eagles are one of four dimensions of creation, as a messenger of God, and a skilled predator.

    Eurasian cultures: Many Eurasian cultures and faiths feature eagles prominently. In the Hellenistic religion, the golden eagle is the signature bird of the god Zeus.

    Norse mythology: In Norse mythology, the golden eagle sits atop Yggdrasil, the great ash tree that runs through the universe. A squirrel, Ratsatosk, carries messages and insults between the eagle at the crown and a serpent gnawing at the tree roots. In many cultures, eagles were viewed as a link between terrestrial mankind and celestial deities.

    Arabic mythologies: In the Arab world the eagle is historically a symbol of power in poetry. According to legend, the eagle was the personal emblem of Saladin.

    Chinese culture: In these cultures, the eagle is a symbol for wisdom. The eagle is also a symbol of strength. For the Huns, who travelled through central Asia, the eagle symbolised the ruler.

    Facts About Eagles

    Eagles belong to the family Accipitridae.

    Eagles belong to the order Falconiformes.

    Sometimes even the national bird has to cut loose. Bald Eagles have been known to play with plastic bottles and other objects pressed into service as toys.

    The largest Bald Eagle nest on record, in St. Petersburg, Florida, was 2.9 meters in diameter and 6.1 meters tall.

    Another famous nest—in Vermilion, Ohio—was shaped like a wine glass and weighed almost two metric tons. It was used for 34 years until the tree blew down.

    Immature Bald Eagles spend the first four years of their lives in nomadic exploration of vast territories and can fly hundreds of miles per day.

    Some young birds from Florida have wandered north as far as Michigan, and birds from California have reached Alaska.

    Bald Eagles occasionally hunt cooperatively, with one individual flushing prey towards another.

    The oldest recorded eagle in the wild was at least 38 years old.

    Book Recommendation: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Stephan R. Covey. It’s a great book if you not only read it but implement its practices as well.

    THE EAGLE IS THE “KING OF THE SKY” – SO, BE LIKE THE EAGLE

    NEVER GIVE UP!

    BE AN EAGLE!

     

    Godwin Etakibuebu; a veteran Journalist, wrote from Lagos.

    Contact:

    Website: www.godwintheguru.com

     

     

     

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Great leadership lessons from king David (1)

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: 1 CHRONICLES 11 & 13
    Meditation verse:
    “So, he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands” (Psalm 78:72).

    David, the man whom God referred to as “a man after my own heart”, was Israel’s greatest king. He lived with such great zeal and is listed in the hall of faith in Hebrews 11. What was the secret of David’s successes and why was he such a great leader?
    He waited for God’s perfect timing before ascending the throne. Despite being anointed as king, he did not usurp his predecessor king Saul in any way. Promotion comes from God; allow Him to place you in a leadership role. When He does, nobody can bring you down.
    One of the first things David did on becoming king was to arrange for the ark of God to be brought back to the city. The ark was a symbol of God’s presence, and he knew that he needed God to succeed as king. Psalm 127:1 says, except the Lord builds the house, the builder builds in vain. For your efforts to endure, all your life’s work must have God as the foundation.
    David understood that leadership was for service and not for personal gain. He knew that God had established him as king over Israel because of his people. Great leaders are more concerned about what they can give.
    David had a great army. He surrounded himself with great warriors who were skilled, determined and physically fit (1 Chronicles 12:1-40). Strong leaders are not intimidated by competent followers, only weak leaders are. Surround yourself with a team of competent, skilled, and focused people.
    David had a consultative leadership style. He conferred with his officers and commanders and carried everyone along. He said to the whole assembly, “If it seems good to you, let us…” (1 Chronicles 13:1-3). Do not be an “I will” leader, carry your team along. Great leaders listen to their people and encourage them to contribute to decision making.

  • 2023: I can fix Nigeria – Atiku

    2023: I can fix Nigeria – Atiku

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said Nigeria needs a leadership that would reform the economy and ensure stability.

    Atiku stated this on Thursday in Abuja at the 70th birthday lecture and book presentation of the Emeritus Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi.

    He added that the country also needs a leader that would unify, restructure and guarantee the security of its citizens.

    The 2019 presidential candidate of the PDP said he is the right man that would give the country what it needs.

    When asked if he was the right man that the country needs to do the job, he said: “I have said that before, I will do it.

    “Nigeria needs a leadership that can unify the country, bring stability, restructure and reform the economy that would bring about security,” he said.

    Dokpesi called on youths to defend democracy and unite toward a prosperous and progressive nation.

    The media mogul, who also unveiled his book titled: ”The handkerchief” to mark his 70th birthday, urged the youths to remain committed to the cause of building a better and advanced nation to make it a better place.

  • Hypocrisy, honesty, integrity and leadership – Dele Sobowale

    Hypocrisy, honesty, integrity and leadership – Dele Sobowale

    By Dele Sobowale

    “Leadership is always somewhat mysterious. Leadership can be summed up in two words: intelligence and integrity…” US Congressman John Brademas.
    National leadership was never easy at any time in history. In the Age of Internet, aspiring to leadership amounts to undressing yourself and family in public. There is virtually no secret that publicly self-exposed persons and celebrities can now regard as safe. Internet and social media reveal everything from head to the soles of the feet. Few leaders, who enter top offices with high ratings for honesty and integrity, leave with their reputations intact. They would have been running a perilous race even if they are saints and social media publishes only established facts about people. The risk is higher when, being human, they actually falter; leave incontrovertible evidence of their lack of honesty or integrity. Today, we summarise the Rise and Fall of ‘Mr Integrity’ in Nigeria.
    HYPOCRISY AND LEADERSHIP

    “Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue.” De La Rouchefoucauld, 1613-1680
    VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS,VBQ p 96.

    No nation can be great if it never produced a great leader. South Africa has produced the only great African and global leader ever. Nigeria has produced various degrees of failures. Invariably, the reasons for these tragedies can be reduced to the four words listed above. As we enter the last phase of another chapter in our history, we can quickly summarise why we are in a terrible mess now. Like all the other tragedies that have befallen us, it all started with hypocrisy; somebody saying something while out of office and doing something else when finally elected to office. Let me serve a few examples.

    A presidential candidate, PC, of three political parties, in 2007, 2010 and 2014, carpeted Presidents Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan for what he regarded as bad examples of leadership. First, they all maintained a Presidential fleet of planes larger than those of most domestic airlines. To PC, this was insensitive and a colossal waste of funds in a poor country. They should get rid of them.

    I agreed with him; because I checked and discovered that the Presidents and Prime Ministers of twelve of the largest economies in the world operate no more than three crafts – one long range, one short range and one helicopter. What was the Nigerian Head of State doing with ten? I was not the only one. Millions of Nigerians must have thought that, at last, we have someone who can truly lead us by cutting extravagant waste from the top.

    On May 29, 2015, the former candidate became President. I waited for the first Presidential order – “Get rid of those planes” or “Reduce the size of the Presidential fleet”. It never came.

    HONESTY AND LEADERSHIP

    “An honest man is the noblest work of God.” Alexander Pope, 1688-1744
    The real test of honesty, in my view, is money. How someone handles large sums of money placed in his care, beyond his wildest dreams, is what defines him as an honest man. The first element, in that regard, is transparency.

    PC never hid his contempt, which again I shared, for leaders who left their health sector in shambles and went abroad for their own treatment with their families. Three examples furnished him with the opportunities to tell Nigerians what he will do – if given a chance to lead. Mrs Stella Obasanjo passed on in a foreign hospital; Ex-President Yar’Adua went to Germany first; and then to Saudi before the curtain call and Mrs Jonathan disappeared and re-appeared after spending about six months in a foreign hospital. In each case, undisclosed sums of public money were spent by “public servants” taking liberties with their bosses’ money. PC had an answer for Nigerians.
    As the PC of another party in 2014, he ran his campaign on a promise “to increase the quality of all Federal Government owned hospitals to world class standard within five years. Invest in cutting edge technology such as tele-medicine…” That was his promise to Nigerians. Implied in that promise was another one: with world class FG-owned hospitals, all over Nigeria, nobody in government, or Nigeria, would need to go abroad for treatment.
    We are all witnesses to what has been happening since 2015. At least three disclosed trips abroad for treatment by the man who railed against such things have been taken so far. Nobody is telling Nigerians how much of our money had gone to enrich foreign doctors and hospitals. As for the FG’s world class hospitals, which exist only on paper, they should remind all of us that “You cannot adopt politics as a profession and be honest.”(Louis Howe, 1871-1936).

    INTEGRITY AND LEADERSHIP
    “Don’t say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary.” Ralph W Emerson, 1803-1882.
    Character is the perfect synonym for integrity. Out of power, PC was regarded as Mr Integrity. Subscribing to that brand image made it possible for me to forgive a multitude of disturbing attributes; and to go on the campaign trail. His denunciation of people flaunting wealth of unknown origin struck a strong cord in my brain; as millions of Fellow Nigerians. With him in office, we will at least have a leader who would not rub our faces in cow manure.
    One wedding finally lifted whatever remained of the veil from our eyes. Internet and social media despite their negative aspects have told us all we need to know about the man. What might arguably be called The Wedding of the Year rubbished two attributes hitherto associated with Mr Integrity. He was presented as a frugal person; not given to extravagant spending. The report, not refuted, of GSM sets costing N500,000 being doled out to invitees, many of who already have gold-plated sets, buried the claim to Spartan life.

    The newly-weds met, not in a Nigeria university, but in far away Surrey, United Kingdom. Now, we know why he doesn’t give a dam about doctors’ and ASUU’s strikes. He and his family have nothing to lose if they last for ever. In fact, all Nigerian schools can be closed and they will still not be affected in any way. And multiple employment opportunities are waiting for them on graduation. Why should the parents worry if there are youths still unemployed six or seven years after graduation?
    To summarise, we now know that it is easy to criticise. It is easy to be courageous when danger is far away; to be generous when there is nothing to give; to be honest when you are not entrusted with trillions of other peoples’ funds; and to be frugal when you are poor. A man’s true character is revealed when he is tested with great wealth and he has absolute power to indulge himself in extravagance or not. All the criticisms of predecessors were made, not based on principle, but, on envy. We know that now. No great nation can emerge under such leadership.

    OPEN LETTER TO PA, CHIEF E. K CLARKE, OFR, CON

    “Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny.”
    William Shakespeare, 1564-1616, VBQ p 25.

    I read Chief Clarke’s advertorial in VANGUARD of September 6, 2021 – disclaiming any association with a company which allegedly collected N3 billion for an abandoned project. Tears came to my eyes. Who on earth wants to defame a 94-years old patriot? I knew the authors were lying. ON September 8, the owners of the company advertised in VANGUARD to exonerate Pa Clarke.

    Dear Pa Clarke, please forgive them – even though they knew what they were doing. They should pray to reach old age; so younger people will rubbish them.
    P.S. Those of us who have been against the Federal Government’s attempt to curtail social media are distressed when confronted with this sort of example. People like these give social media a bad name. They need to be fished out. Today, it is Chief Clarke; tomorrow, it could be you or me.

  • Fresh kidnappings in Kaduna show Buhari has lost grip of leadership – CAN

    Fresh kidnappings in Kaduna show Buhari has lost grip of leadership – CAN

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), on Tuesday said President Muhammadu Buhari has lost grip of leadership of the country over the rising spate of mass abductions of secondary and tertiary institution students.

    CAN President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle in a statement issued in Abuja while reacting to the recent kidnapping of over 180 students of Baptist Bethel College in Kaduna State expressed shock and condemned the act.

    Ayokunle advised Buhari to seek foreign assistance before it’s too late.

    He said it is obvious that security operatives are overwhelmed.

    Ayokunle said: “As it is gradually becoming a norm in Nigeria, Nigerians were yet again taken by surprise to read about the news of the 180 innocent pupils of Bethel Baptist College, Kaduna who were kidnapped by the notorious Boko Haram Terrorists or bandits on Monday 5th July 2021.

    “These are children of innocent Nigerians who left the confines of their parents in pursuit of education and a better tomorrow.

    “According to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the welfare and the security of all Nigerian citizens is the primary responsibility of the government.

    “That President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR has indeed lost grip on the leadership of this nation, especially his inability to provide security for citizens of this nation. He should therefore seek foreign assistance before it is too late.”

    CAN said that a government has no business shaking hands, attending international fora, sending emissaries to other countries and commissioning projects when the lives of an average citizen of its own country is at stake.

    “It is a sin and a crime against humanity to have zero regard for the lives of others or be unable to provide security for citizens,” CAN said.

    The CAN boss said kidnapping and abduction are now a thriving business in Nigeria and is almost becoming synonymous with the leadership of Buhari.

    “Whereas, provision of adequate security for all Nigerian citizens was one of the campaign promises of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, in the 2015/2019 general elections and the major reason people voted for him was being an ex-military man, the administration has failed woefully to keep a campaign promise.

    “The former administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was severely criticized by our present leaders for inability to curb the activities of Boko Haram, but today we are not only being harassed by Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province (who recently appointed their own governor for Borno State) we are terribly traumatized by bandits, kidnappers and other criminals.

    “Nigeria is no longer a safe haven. It has gradually become a den of kidnappers and other criminals who are operating almost unchecked. It is obvious that the security operatives are overwhelmed,” CAN said.

    While condemning the abduction of the school children, CAN, called on international communities to come to the aid of Nigeria as they did in Syria: “because it appears that our leaders are incapacitated and are not humble enough to admit failure. They are unwilling to seek help.

    “Furthermore, the situation in Kaduna has become quite terrible because of the uncouth, unbridled and acidic statements credited to the state Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai who appears to be talking too much than acting! Nigeria, a land once flowing with milk and honey has become a wasteland and a land that is devouring its inhabitants in the hands of this present leadership.

    “On the other hand, it is quite appalling that while some people are working hard to climb the ladder of success and greatness through hard work, some crazy criminals make up their minds to be making a living from kidnapping and murder of their fellow human beings.

    “These have turned themselves to beasts amidst us, thus causing pain and sending many to early graves. We plead with them to repent of this evil because they will never escape the judgement of God and that, very soon. For God’s sake, what evil did these students they kidnapped do against them?” CAN added.

    Ayokunle appealed to Buhari and all the newly appointed service chiefs to, as a matter of urgency and priority, rise up to the situation as nobody is to take responsibility in the first instance than them.

    He urged the Service Chiefs to improve on intelligence gathering as a matter of priority and provide employment to make recruitment of young Nigerians into criminality unpopular any longer.

    Ayokunle warned that: “The story of these 140 innocent pupils of Bethel Baptist College, Kaduna must not be like the story of Chibok Girls who are still missing till date despite plummeted boast and blank promises by the present administration in 2015 to recover them if they win the election”.

    CAN prayed that: “President Muhammadu Buhari must ensure a safe return and reunion of all the 140 innocent pupils of Bethel Baptist College, Kaduna to their families and others in captivity.

    “That President Muhammadu Buhari should summon all the security chiefs and cause them to explain why the criminals are operating with ease in Nigeria without being brought to book.

    “That President Muhammadu Buhari should caution His Excellency, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai from talking more than acting.”

  • Aregbesola and Africa’s problematic search for leadership, By Owei Lakemfa

    By Owei Lakemfa

    Abdulrauf Adesoji Aregbesola, the Minister of Internal Affairs is an enigma with a knack for attracting youths and maintaining a devoted followership. Since his days as the chief mass mobiliser in Alimosho-Lagos, Works Commissioner in Lagos State, berthing in Osun State with his ‘governance unusual’ and current station, his work and charisma entices many and of course, attracts antagonists. He has a Mandela sense of history, a Magafuli streak of stubbornness and audacious courage. Even within the ruling All Peoples Congress, APC, he does not back down from a fight he thinks is inevitable. During the February 2019 Presidential campaign rally in Ogun State, he described then Governor Ibikunle Amosun and his followers as hypocrites: “staying in door and fighting the home from outside.” When in February 2021, a former Osun State Deputy Governor and his followers joined the APC, Aregbesola advised the party against admitting “Suspects, murderers (and) character assassinators”

    On Africa Day, May 25, 2021, Aregbesola’s allies held a virtual conference to mark his 64th Birthday which fell on that date. The theme was: “Africa: interrogating the Leadership Question.”

    Odia Ofeimun, poet, political scientist and public intellectual who was the Lead Discussant, built a solid theoretical foundation for the conference. He argued that the old order saw leadership as whoever was on top of the pie; a charismatic and messianic leadership with what Ali Mazrui called a monarchical tendency. Under such leadership, he said, criticism sounds like treason.

    Olutayo Charles Adesina, a professor of History said Africans must move beyond leaders that are focused on welfare issues like provision of roads and hospitals to those that can take them to the moon. The type of leaders the continent needs, he argued, are those that would release the human possibilities, create vitality and provide a “grand strategy”

    I found Professor Adesina’s hypothesis that the peoples’ welfare should not be the primary aim of leadership, farcical. People belong to a state primarily for welfare and security. Provide the people bread and water, clothes on their backs, shelter from rain and sun and where to rest their arching bones, healthcare, and education for their children, and you can lead them to any path you want. Hunger and poverty are not reasonable; they drive the people to desperation and revolt. To expect a hungry person to be reasonable, patriotic and part of a transformation agenda, is illusory. Even if a leader is a messiah and is taking the people to heaven, they will prefer to eat on earth before embarking on the journey to the transformative heaven otherwise, such a leader will face revolt.

    Hafsat Olaronke Abiola-Costello, civil rights activist and founder of the Kudirat Intiative for Democracy, KIND, argued that Aregbesola’s simplicity, sense of duty, hard work, courage and pro-people tendencies, make him a model leader. In laying the basis for her submission, she gave two examples of outstanding Nigerians in the United States. First, Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye who achieved a rare medical feat by successfully operating and removing a tumour from an unborn child. Secondly, Tanitoluwa Adewumi who while living in a homeless shelter in 2019 at age 8, won the New York State Chess Championship.

    These cases, she argued, show that the problem in Africa is not primarily leadership, but that Africans are not meant to realise their potentials in the continent. She said while it seems that the 55 Africa countries are not working, it is more the global economic system that has chained them. She added that leaders like Thomas Sankara, Patrice Lumumba and Sylvanus Olympio who try to give true leadership, are quickly murdered. To her, Africa is not going to have the leaders it deserves unless we can protect them.

    Abiola-Costello posited that as long as good leaders in Africa are expected to be like the Japanese Kamikaze suicide pilots, it cannot get the needed leadership. She quoted a report by the Soros Foundation which showed that Africa is a net exporter of capital; giving the developed world $50 billion annually. Africans she argued, would need to democratize the war to end the unequal exchange between it and the developed world.

    She gave the example of the Democratic Republic of Congo which given its exploited natural resources like supplying 80 per-cent of world coltan – which is the essential ingredient for making cell phones – should be one of the richest countries in the world, is actually one of the poorest countries. She said if the buyers of African resources can steal, rather than create a market for them, they will continue to ruin the continent, instigate wars and insecurity. To develop and produce good leadership, Africa, she concluded, must be able to protect its resources, markets and leaders.

    Anthony Kila, Professor of Strategy and Development argued that political leadership must be able to protect the citizens from internal and external danger and guide them beyond where they are today, to a better tomorrow. He said any political leadership that cannot do this, is a failed one. Technology he said has changed the world so much that people cannot be governed in the old way.

    Ogaga Ifowodo, Ph.D., lawyer and poet said Aregbesola is celebrated because apart from providing welfare and infrastructural development as Governor of Osun State, he also provided quality education partly with the provision of tablets of learning. Nigeria he said, is a warped federation with a huge bureaucracy through which its resources are wasted. Good leaders he argued, should literarily be able to make bricks without straw.

    Those who worked with Aregbesola in Osun State like the Deputy Governor Grace Titilayo Ponle, Alhaji Razak Ayobami and Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru spoke glowingly of his leadership style and achievements.

    Aregbesola, who prefers to be called Ogbeni (Mister in Yoruba) began his response by praying for the repose of the souls of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru and the ten other officers who on May 21, 2021 lost their lives in an air crash in the line of duty. He posited that power, which he relates to leadership, is basically, responsibility.

    To him, a leader is that person who by virtue of his knowledge, experience and position, sees farther than those he is directing, shepherding or leading. Leadership he said is the opportunity to offer vision and capacity to lead a people or community to a batter future. He said that listening to people greatly helped him in all the leadership positions he has held.

    When asked if he would be contesting the 2023 presidential elections, Aregbesola said he has no response to such a question as he belongs to a group of focused and serious politicians: “We do not just jump up to contest. I have never done so.”

  • We cannot follow your example Mr. President – Dele Sobowale

    We cannot follow your example Mr. President – Dele Sobowale

    By Dele Sobowale

    “Yes, we lead by example..” Buhari, at Arewa House Lecture, March 27, 2021.

    The speech was read on his behalf by Professor Gambari. The topic was “Put Nigeria first”. To that I will return shortly to demonstrate how hypocritical it all was. Let me start with the claim, (or was it admission?) that “we lead by example” to list a few well-documented examples which no Nigerian in his right senses will ever want to follow. We draw from facts and figures since May 29, 2015 which prove conclusively that the current leadership can never be the one to emulate by anybody who wishes Nigeria well.

    Every nation rests on three fundamental pillars – security, economy and internal justice. Extreme weakness in any of them invariably results in social unrest, enduring discord and ultimately, violence. One thing struck me most profoundly while compiling the VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ – it was how the most progressive nations were those which have managed to strike a neat balance between the three elements. I deliberately did not include democracy as an essential ingredient. To me democracy is the icing on the cake; it is not the real thing. At any rate, to a great extent “democratic” America is more unjust than “autocratic China”.

    We draw from facts and figures since May 29, 2015 which prove conclusively that the current leadership can never be the one to emulate by anybody who wishes Nigeria well.

    At least in China everybody is treated the same for what is regarded as “illegal”. A policeman shooting any Chinese without cause will be prosecuted. In USA, policemen shoot hundreds of Blacks, for no reason at all, and get away with it. America uses all the propaganda at its disposal to promote its self-image as the champion of democracy world wide.

    So, the focus in Nigeria, under Buhari, is social, ethnic and religious justice. Given the abundant evidence at our disposal on security, economy and justice, Buhari is a serial failure – who nobody should want to copy. Economy first.

    “Jobs, stupid”. That was the answer which former US President Clinton gave to journalists when he declared to run for office; and he was asked what will be his first priority if elected. He made good on his words. America experienced the longest economic expansion since the Johnson years under Clinton. More jobs were created; new industries sprang up. Clinton needed no Ministers or Special Advisers to lie or offer excuses on his behalf. Clinton, like Buhari, succeeded late President Bush, who was seeking his second term like Jonathan. The US economy was already slowing down when Clinton took up the challenge.

    Buhari and his party promised economic growth and job creation in 2014/15. On his first full year in office, he led us to the second recession in Nigeria’s history since 1960. Millions of jobs were lost. He was not done with us. In no year was he able to grow the economy by up to three per cent – the same as population growth rate. In 2020, Nigeria was in recession once again. The growth rate was -1.92 per cent. Cumulatively, the Nigeria economy has grown less than 0.5 per cent in six years under Buhari; population by almost 18 per cent.

    The total repercussion of all these was revealed by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS. Now 23 million adult Nigerians are totally unemployed; and about 36 million are under-employed. Consequently, close to 100 million Nigerians now live below the poverty line. Serial failure cannot be better documented. So, who would want to follow that example?

    PROMISES MADE AND UNKEPT

    “The woods are lovely, dark and deep/but, I have promises to keep/And miles to go before I sleep/Miles to go before I sleep.” Robert Frost, 1874-1963.

    Frost was the Poet Laureate of the Kennedy administration and the poem above led off President Kennedy’s inaugural address in January 1960 making it clear that the Presidency in any country is all about promises to the people which no leader should make frivolously and fail to redeem. If I am asked to name one thing which characterises the Buhari administration more than most others, it will be rendered in two words – broken promises. Again, let me serve you a few dishes from my inexhaustible kitchen. You will soon see why the President’s promises count for very little.

    In April 2017, the Federal Government launched an ambitious programme promising things which could only have been dreamt up by fiction writers; not serious government officials. It was called the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, ERGP. By the time you finish reading some of the promises made to Nigerians, decide for yourself if you can spot the difference between that so called Economic Plan and plain economic idiocy. Here we go.

    “The Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, ERGP, which was launched in April 2017 is finally getting off the ground with the announcement of a huge price tag for it. According to the Federal Government, FG, it will cost an amazing $245bn with the government providing 20 per cent or $49bn and the private sector $196bn over the next four years. It will constitute the boldest attempt to speed up economic growth and development in the nation’s history. FG also promised to create 15 million jobs…..The ERGP promises Gross Domestic Product growth of 4 per cent to seven per cent by the end of the fourth year [2020].”

    In case you missed the point, there were at least five clear promises made by Buhari in that short paragraph. One, the FG will invest $49bn. Two, the private sector, who one would presume were consulted, would chip in $196bn. Three, resulting from the mega and unprecedented investments, 15 million jobs will be created. Four, Gross Domestic Product, GDP, which was -1.4 in 2016 will shoot up to 4 per cent in 2017 and climb to 7 per cent in 2020. Five, fifteen million Nigerians will be lifted from poverty.

    Instead what was the result? Neither the FG, controlled by Buhari, nor the private sector made the investments promised. Millions of jobs were lost. Consequently, by the end of 2020, the NBS announced 23 million Nigerians were totally unemployed and 36 million under-employed. Growth rates were 0.8 for 2017, 1.8 for 2018, 2.21 for 2019 and -1.92 for2020 respectively. In no single year was over 3 per cent growth achieved. In 2018, Nigeria became the Poverty capital of the world; and has added five million more poor each year since then.

    Obviously, only a dunce or a pathological liar can proclaim to be a follower of someone with this sort of dreadful record of promises unfulfilled. So, for me scepticism is my armour against Buhari’s promises. The more grandiose the more they are unlikely to be redeemed. Believe them; you will believe anything.

    WHEN HYPOCRISY IS PERSONAL AND GOVERNMENT POLICY

    “Hypocrisy is the homage paid by vice to virtue.” Rochefoucauld, 1613-1680.

    I was still writing this article on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, when my vendor brought the papers. There on the front pages of four of them was the same story. The title of one will serve as proxy for the rest. BUHARI LEAVES FOR LONDON MEDICAL HOLIDAY AS DOCTORS SET FOR STRIKE. It brought tears to my eyes. What Buhari had done amounted to a re-affirmation of the hypocrisy which had characterised his conduct in office. To me, it was a personal blow. What attracted me to Buhari in 2010, apart from late Tony Momoh’s request that I should help with the outlines of an Economic Blueprint for Governance in case Buhari won the election in 2011, were his criticisms of government officials going abroad for medical care while the people suffer. The second was his attack on Presidents for maintaining a fleet of aircraft. I thought we has a leader who cared for the people. Buhari has, since becoming President, proved beyond reasonable doubt that he is a hypocrite. I wish him safe return from his medical jamboree; but never again will I respect him after this trip.

    SEE WHO IS GIVING ADVICE TO NIGERIANS

    “He that gives good advice builds with one hand. He that gives good counsel and example builds with both hands. He that gives good admonition and bad example, builds with one hand and pulls down with the other.”

    Francis Bacon, 1561-1626, VBQ, p 5.

    If you add the twenty months he served as Military Head of State to his nearly six years as elected President and look around, you will discover that Buhari has built next to nothing. All he has been doing amounts to completion of projects others started; and even demolition of what was work in progress the two times he took office. Late Governor Jakande planned a rail line for Mile 2 to Iddo to ease the traffic on that axis in Lagos. Buhari ordered Lagos State Military Governor Mudashiru to cancel it. One needs very little intelligence to know that Lagos needs, not one but several, metro lines. But, out myopic military leader stopped it and slowed down the growth of Nigeria’s economy.

    So, when at the Arewa House lecture, Buhari urged Nigerians to “put Nigeria first”, one is forced to ask: “who is giving this advice?” It can’t possibly be the serial failure who does not have the guts to quit if he can’t do better. It can’t be the Fulani man who came into office and under who Fulani Herdsmen became one of the five major terrorist groups worldwide. It certainly cannot be the man who had “Northernised” the positions of Inspector General of Police, EFCC Chairman, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Comptroller General of Customs, DG DSS, Chief of Staff Presidency, National Security Adviser, DG NDLEA, Chairman INEC – but why go on? There is no single Christian among the list. The man’s ethnic, religious and exhibited personal bigotry has never been equalled and may never be surpassed by any other leader. He has almost single-handedly destroyed the basis for the Nigerian unity he pretends to care about. He drew the line across the Niger and Benue Rivers in every way possible – especially appointments and the criminals he pursues.

    I don’t know what others might think of your advice and the examples to which you lay claim. But, Mr President, as for me and my house, we reject them totally. We will never follow serial failures; people who make promises they don’t or can’t keep, exhibit bigotry and who are demonstrably hypocritical.

    FROM MAIGADI TO MEGIDA (2)

    Some readers of the article published two weeks ago want to know what followed the order issued to Alhaji by his former Maigadi-turned-kidnapper. The story was deliberately left hanging. What followed is unprintable. But, the Northern elite better wake up.

    HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR MAIGADI/STAFF HAVE JOINED A GANG.

    From my discussion with the eye-witness, there are four tell-tale signs that your family might be in peril…..