Leadership Qualities…..?
You talk as if you’re not a Nigerian…None of those people up there have leadership qualities.
The above was the reply to a post on a blog about a certain Nigerian Minister who seemed to lack “certain leadership qualities”.
A colleague summed it up….”Nigerians are cynics”
You talk as if you’re not a Nigerian…None of those people up there have leadership qualities.
The above was the reply to a post on a blog about a certain Nigerian Minister who seemed to lack “certain leadership qualities”.
A colleague summed it up….”Nigerians are cynics”
“Ha! Cynics ke... They are simply being realistic.”
“No way! They believe the worst about Nigeria.”
“But do you blame them? Nothing good seems to have ever happened here.”
“Says who? Have you been to Abuja? Even before they started “Lagolizing” the place, by building all sorts of things in the wrong places, you could see the city was well planned.
Today, El-Rufai is cleaning the place up. He is pulling down all illegally constructed buildings, both the properties of the big and small men. Nobody has accused him of collecting bribe to leave some houses. Is that not showing leadership quality?”
“So? That is just one person.”
“Says who? Have you been to Abuja? Even before they started “Lagolizing” the place, by building all sorts of things in the wrong places, you could see the city was well planned.
Today, El-Rufai is cleaning the place up. He is pulling down all illegally constructed buildings, both the properties of the big and small men. Nobody has accused him of collecting bribe to leave some houses. Is that not showing leadership quality?”
“So? That is just one person.”
“How about Nuhu Ribadu?”
“Ah, that one is just a terrorist. He is busy terrorizing “Baba’s” enemies.”
“Are those people corrupt or not?”
“Yes they are but….”
“You have answered the question. Whether they are Baba’s enemies or not is inconsequential. The fact remains that those guys are corrupt. Period!”
So Ribadu should be selective, abi? So far as he is arresting some criminals, it’s ok if he overlooks the deeds of others.”
“Of course not!” But can he investigate everybody at the same time? He can’t. So let him start somewhere. When another government comes, let them appoint someone who is as good as Ribadu and let him hunt down “Baba’s” boys who are guilty.”
“Hmmm, na wa for this your theory oh…”
“Whatever…But the truth is that today, “the fear of Ribadu is the beginning of wisdom” People have not stopped “chopping” money, mind you, but now they are careful. Their avarice has dropped drastically because they know EFCC is watching. Is Ribadu not another person showing leadership qualities?”
“Well, I’m not saying every leader in Nigeria lacks leadership qualities.”
“But you are. The general belief is that nothing can ever work in Nigeria. We all believe we only have “dubious” or “dodgy” people in the corridors of power. But you know what? Those people there are only dubious because we allow them to be.”
“How? Wetin be my own? I dey do my work here jeje…”
“But it concerns you. Ok, have you gone for the voters registration exercise?”
“For what now? We already know the election will be rigged. We already know they have determined who will get into government house.”
“You see what I’m saying? You have already given up hope. Don’t you think the more people that vote, the harder it will be for them to rig the election?”
“How?”
“Simple. In 2003, who won the election?”
“Abiola of course!”
“How do you know he won?”
“Haba! Everybody knows he won!”
“How?”
“Well, almost everyone I know voted for him”
“Exactly! People went out to vote, and a lot of people voted for him. So when you ask your friend or family member whom he voted for, you would most likely be told Abiola. And so when you find out almost a whole street voted for him and they release a result saying another person won, you will all know it’s foul play. So they have to find another way of rigging the election.”
“So?”
“So the same thing here. You go out and vote that day. Let everybody go out and vote. And when they release results saying somebody else won, you can go to court or do a public demonstration. If everyone stays at home and does not vote, on what basis will the “good” candidate claim he won the elections? Look at Peter Obi of Anambra state. It took 3 years but the courts later declared he won the election. How would he have been able to challenge the results if people did not go out to vote for him?”
“Hmmmm.. interesting…”
“Before Ribadu, nobody ever believed you could jail corrupt politicians in Nigeria, Before Akunyili, nobody ever believed you could reduce importation of fake drugs.”
“Those are exceptions.”
“So, your job is to become an exception. Do not believe that nothing good can come out of somewhere. Sometimes what those people “up there” need are people who will support their efforts. If everyone believes “nothing good can happen”, then they will not be able to function.”
“You talk as if it is that easy.”
“Me, I don’t know about being easy. All I know is that America got to where it is today because some people saw some things and refused to allow those things be. As somebody Martin Luther said, “Some people see things and ask WHY? I dream things and ask “WHY NOT?”
“Meanwhile, GO FOR THE VOTER’S REGISTRATION EXERCISE!”
“Yes Sir!”
“Ah, that one is just a terrorist. He is busy terrorizing “Baba’s” enemies.”
“Are those people corrupt or not?”
“Yes they are but….”
“You have answered the question. Whether they are Baba’s enemies or not is inconsequential. The fact remains that those guys are corrupt. Period!”
So Ribadu should be selective, abi? So far as he is arresting some criminals, it’s ok if he overlooks the deeds of others.”
“Of course not!” But can he investigate everybody at the same time? He can’t. So let him start somewhere. When another government comes, let them appoint someone who is as good as Ribadu and let him hunt down “Baba’s” boys who are guilty.”
“Hmmm, na wa for this your theory oh…”
“Whatever…But the truth is that today, “the fear of Ribadu is the beginning of wisdom” People have not stopped “chopping” money, mind you, but now they are careful. Their avarice has dropped drastically because they know EFCC is watching. Is Ribadu not another person showing leadership qualities?”
“Well, I’m not saying every leader in Nigeria lacks leadership qualities.”
“But you are. The general belief is that nothing can ever work in Nigeria. We all believe we only have “dubious” or “dodgy” people in the corridors of power. But you know what? Those people there are only dubious because we allow them to be.”
“How? Wetin be my own? I dey do my work here jeje…”
“But it concerns you. Ok, have you gone for the voters registration exercise?”
“For what now? We already know the election will be rigged. We already know they have determined who will get into government house.”
“You see what I’m saying? You have already given up hope. Don’t you think the more people that vote, the harder it will be for them to rig the election?”
“How?”
“Simple. In 2003, who won the election?”
“Abiola of course!”
“How do you know he won?”
“Haba! Everybody knows he won!”
“How?”
“Well, almost everyone I know voted for him”
“Exactly! People went out to vote, and a lot of people voted for him. So when you ask your friend or family member whom he voted for, you would most likely be told Abiola. And so when you find out almost a whole street voted for him and they release a result saying another person won, you will all know it’s foul play. So they have to find another way of rigging the election.”
“So?”
“So the same thing here. You go out and vote that day. Let everybody go out and vote. And when they release results saying somebody else won, you can go to court or do a public demonstration. If everyone stays at home and does not vote, on what basis will the “good” candidate claim he won the elections? Look at Peter Obi of Anambra state. It took 3 years but the courts later declared he won the election. How would he have been able to challenge the results if people did not go out to vote for him?”
“Hmmmm.. interesting…”
“Before Ribadu, nobody ever believed you could jail corrupt politicians in Nigeria, Before Akunyili, nobody ever believed you could reduce importation of fake drugs.”
“Those are exceptions.”
“So, your job is to become an exception. Do not believe that nothing good can come out of somewhere. Sometimes what those people “up there” need are people who will support their efforts. If everyone believes “nothing good can happen”, then they will not be able to function.”
“You talk as if it is that easy.”
“Me, I don’t know about being easy. All I know is that America got to where it is today because some people saw some things and refused to allow those things be. As somebody Martin Luther said, “Some people see things and ask WHY? I dream things and ask “WHY NOT?”
“Meanwhile, GO FOR THE VOTER’S REGISTRATION EXERCISE!”
“Yes Sir!”
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