Leaders as assets
By Adekunle Agboluaje
THE Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary defines a leader as "a person who leads a group of people, especially the head of a country, an organisation, etcÓ. It is obvious from this definition that leaders could be those of nations, of the church or mosque (spiritual leaders), of institutions and of the professions. There are several attributes that people often expect of leaders. These traits or attributes are not necessarily written down or documented as imperatives for leaders to possess. But through convention or time-tested practices, people have come to appreciate that to be "acceptable", aspiring leaders should, among other things, be honest, selfless, even-handed and be above racial, ethnic, religious and self interest.
It is not the intention of this essayist to theorise on whether leaders are born or made. A renowned former British Prime Minister had once been reported as saying that he was not aware of any school where prime ministers are trained. Another former British prime minister was perhaps quite imaginative to proffer that, perhaps the best quality a good leader should have is "a sense of history". I believe what he meant was that leaders at whatever level should appreciate that leadership is a historic responsibility, and that in their words and deeds, leaders should be conscious of their position and what history would record about them.
Relatedly, here in Nigeria before the coming of the Second Republic, Mr. Peter Enahoro, publisher of a London-based, but now rested Pan-African Magazine had conducted detailed interviews with the presidential candidates of the then five approved political parties. These were Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Aminu Kano and Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim. He had specifically asked each one of them why he thought he was best qualified to be Nigeria's President.
Dr. Azikiwe spoke about his long political career as Premier of Eastern Nigeria, Governor General of Nigeria, and his past job as teacher of political science in the United States " among other things. Waziri Ibrahim spoke about his successful business management which started as a trainee manager with the UAC, and his ministerial assignment in the First Republic. Alhaji Aminu Kano made allusion to his well-known and vast leadership and grassroots credentials. Similarly, Alhaji Shehu Shagari spoke of his long political career which started in the First Republic when he was in his 20s, and his service as Federal Commissioner in the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon.
Not a few people consider Awolowo's political credentials as Premier of the Western Region, leader of opposition in the Federal Parliament, and Federal Finance Commissioner in the Gowon regime impeccable, and perhaps unassailable. But quite instructively, in answering Peter Enahoro's question, Awo had said something to the effect that when you have deployed considerable time, effort and talent in mapping out your nation's development objectives, and strategies for actualising them, and articulated them in writing and in active political initiative like he had done, you no longer talk about qualification or otherwise for leadership " you are indeed the leader. Put more succinctly, what Awo perhaps meant in those words was that the leader should have vision and the potential to actualise same " for the benefits of the led.
Leaders, whether elected, appointed, selected or imposed, have a duty to be conscious of their role in history. That is why in some nations around the world, certain leaders, in or out of office are considered assets. For instance, the recent election of South Africa to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup has been largely due to the effective marketing of South Africa, using Nelson Mandela as the marketing manager, literally. In other words, the Mandela mystique was largely responsible for swaying the voters' decision in favour of South Africa, added to the fact that South Africa narrowly lost the hosting right of the 2006 edition to Germany a few years ago.
No wonder, one Kola Amzat in a recent essay in The Guardian of May 25, 2004 titled, ÒMandela's symbolismÓ, considered Mandela as having become " a significant factor in the South Africa triumph in all spheres of life". He also, rather exuberantly though, described the FIFA ruling in South Africa's favour as "Africa's most significant achievement ever in its turbulent existence as a continent".
Although it remains contestable whether good leadership can be taught or not, good leaders wherever they emerge, are like imperishable monuments or assets. True, you may have national institutions where leadership or management theories can be taught, but you can hardly teach character, because the latter is a product of a man's environment, heredity and individual experience, amongst others. That is why in several societies, we are confronted with cases of crooks and criminals with intimidating academic credentials, and conversely, barely educated people who are moral exemplars.
However, where good leaders emerge, they carry along with them, a very favourable image in favour of their nations since their fine reputation rubs off on their nations. Such is the case with Mandela and South Africa, Nkrumah and Ghana, Nyerere and Tanzania, Tito and Yugoslavia, Mao and China, Churchill and England, Abraham Lincoln/Franklin Roosevelt/John Kennedy and USA etc.
Perhaps the late Murtala Muhammed would have been Nigeria's leader in the mould earlier identified. But he was too shortlived to be nurtured. Nigeria may well begin to nurture its own once again. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is very much celebrated abroad, but unfortunately creates more adversaries than friends at home. Which is a contradiction and a pity. Which also puts a question mark on the credibility of those in the West who praise our leader to high heavens abroad, when people at home are unhappy, feel dispossessed and disillusioned.
The impression is being created somehow that leaders who do the bidding of the West in the economic and political arena are popular leaders to the West, even when their compatriots at home are having real hardships unleashed on them. Conversely, leaders who are really popular at home, but who are not willy-nilly doing the bidding of the West, are considered unpopular from the western point of view " Mugabe, Ghadafi, etc.
For instance, the president's recent verbal assault an the Christian Association if Nigeria (CAN), and the personal abuse of its Plateau State, chairman is capable of diminishing his status as a leader at home, and a statesman abroad. His "style" leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Throughout the world, very few people ever, have had the kind of rare opportunity he has had so far to lead his nation, both as a military and a civilian leader. Providence has been unusually kind to him.
It is not too late in the day to make amends, but a lot of work has to be done consciously by Mr. President himself, and by the handlers of his image. What he has between now and the rest of his tenure is a blank cheque. Whatever he chooses to write thereon will be his choice.
Agboluaje is a company executive in Lagos.
