VACANCY FOR LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA

by

Ugo Harris

Today in Nigeria, we have leadership problem in all facets of our country, but the most important sector that will lead us into being a great nation, in government, industry and education leadership is lacking. We do have serious problem when it comes to how to develop the younger generation on what leadership qualities means. Our educational system is in shambles, our industry and business environment is in a mess and Nigerian governmental system is just another name for corruption.

We, as a nation have to start looking seriously on how to start developing and cultivating leadership qualities on the younger generation, in our schools and in our industry. Our country is doing little to develop the younger generation on the act of leadership, taking risk for Nigeria’s survival, educating the young generation against corruption, human right and human dignity lessons, respect for our laws and making every Nigerian to be proud of Nigeria by the actions of our current leaders.

Leadership means so many things in so many ways in different settings or in an organization. We have to look at leadership from a lot of different angles, and the contributions people make in any organization to improve the organization and the degree of their contributions.

Usually contribution made by all levels of the organization will have to be put into the equation that makes an organization successful. There is no successful organization that does not have good leadership qualities, but also the contribution of the overall sections of the organization has to be included in attributing good leadership. We have the upper layer leadership, the middle layer leadership and the lower layer leadership. These are all the layer of leadership that make up the leadership levels and its success or failure, but in Nigeria all levels of leadership is in a mess.

LEADERSHIP BEHIND THE SCENE

Also, in all these layers of leadership level, you have people that play
good roles in society, but are usually in the background and these type of leaders contributed greatly to the advancement of society and Organizations; and yet are humble and behind the scene. Examples are Former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, the wife of a highly respected president of America, Eleanor Roosevelt, and an academician/intellectual leader Albert Einstein. These leaders transformed their society in many ways and are highly respected all over the world because of the leadership qualities the left for the younger generation.

The best leadership qualities is usually measured in times of crisis or
chaos, that is when the ability to be patient and calm under tough situation is tested. Leadership abilities comes with so many responsibilities and are used to measure whether the leadership will be leaving behind a strong organization or society when the person or persons are no longer there. Some of the qualities that make for good leadership are the ability to learn from mistakes, being calm under pressure, dealing with facts and reasons constantly and being humble etc.

Former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Scientist/physicist Albert Einstein and Eleanor Roosevelt the wife of President Franklin Roosevelt are good examples. These three had good leadership qualities like humility, simplicity, and open mindedness and because their leadership style is usually behind the scene. These three leaders inspired the younger generation and a lot of people while doing it behind the scene, and they galvanized the common people and attained respect for their leadership style by being simple and humble. By doing so, they inspired a lot of young leaders and created new generation of young leaders years after their times. They did not seek publicity or wealth while contributing their effort to society.

LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE - NELSON MANDELA
Former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa is an example of a leader we need in Nigeria. He never wanted power to be a means to justify himself, but he wanted power for freedom and equality for all to justify himself. He and the older generation leaders of African National congress groomed the younger generation to take over the reign of power with their guidance, but in Nigeria our leaders die or are removed before the younger generation are given a chance. President Nelson Mandela proved that we still have hope in Africa and Nigeria needs leaders that are selfless and humble.

ACADEMIC/INTELLECTUAL LEADER - ALBERT EINSTEIN

“Improperly Dressed (Albert Einstein) It was not unusual for the great physicist, Albert Einstein, to win medals. What was unusual was for Einstein to wear them. When awarded two gold medals by the British Royal Society and Royal Astronomical Society, Einstein's wife Elsa had to repeatedly remind him to pick them up at the Foreign Ministry. When he finally did, they met afterward to go to the movies. Elsa asked him what the medals looked like. Einstein had no idea. He hadn't even bothered to open the packages. When Niels Bohr won the American Barnard Medal, awarded every four years to an outstanding scientist, Einstein read about it in a news report, along with a statement that he, Einstein, had been the previous winner. He showed the article to his wife and asked her if it was true. He had forgotten. "Walther Nernst, amused by Einstein's reluctance to wear his Pour le Merite medal at a meeting of the Prussian Academy, remarked, 'I suppose your wife forgot to lay it out for you,' adding jokingly that Einstein was 'Improperly dressed!' 'No, she didn't forget,' he replied. 'I didn't want to put it on'. With Albert Einstein, it was always the work. Never the awards” (Einstein, A Life (1996), p. 155.)Albert Einstein, A Life

MORAL LEADERSHIP - ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

“Streetcar (Eleanor Roosevelt) Born to privilege, Eleanor Roosevelt dedicated her life to helping others. According to author Blanche Cook, in 1900, when Roosevelt was a freshman at New York's Barnard College, she joined other like-minded students and worked for the Junior League for the promotion of Settlement Movements. And while other volunteers--like her friend Jean Reid--would often make the trip downtown in private carriages, Eleanor instead chose to use the Fourth Avenue streetcar. "Even in the evenings, no matter how cold and dark, she refused Jean Reid's offer of a ride home. She preferred to walk through the streets and to observe the Bower's lost and lonely men...They gave [her] yet another level of insight into the ravages of alcoholism, and the costs to the children who moved her so deeply." Eleanor Roosevelt was born to privilege but always treated privilege as a responsibility to help others. Later, more than any woman of her day, she would play an important role in po litics, furthering the cause of civil rights, public policy and social work.” (Eleanor Roosevelt,(1992) p. 134-135.) Eleanor Roosevelt, volume (1)

Leadership development is needed more in the lower level of any organization or society. The leadership that pays attention to the lower level will always produce successful organization or society, and produce people who will be ready to take over at any time and under any circumstance to run the organization successfully or society . In Nigeria we are not preparing our younger generation for the change of leadership that is inevitable.

To be a good leader requires being a good follower is a popular quote, because the leadership that understands the thinking of its followers will do a better job of leading. The leaders and the followers have to understand each other for the smooth running of the society or organization. Followers that is sustained and nurtured in the lower levels of an organization or Society is what eventually turns into great leaders. Credit has to be given to leaders that lay the ground Work in improving the lower levels of the society or organization without all the fanfare, but leave a positive legacy for years to come after their times. Nigeria needs to wake up and start grooming humble, selfless and leaders with good intentions for all Nigerians.

Ugo Harris
Coordinator - Nigerian Democracy and Justice Project
Washington, DC