LEADERSHIP PROBLEM IN EBIRALAND

By Ahmad Adoke

The dictionary meaning of a leader is a person who leads, guides or direct others, especially a group. Leadership, therefore, is the role or position of leader.

There is leadership problem when the quality necessary in a leader is lacking. Some of these qualities are patriotism, selflessness and honesty.

Discussing leadership problem in Ebira land is not to say that leaders don’t exist, what is lacking is genuine leaders. One can safely say that up till the era of the 1^st republic, Ebira nation never lacked in good leadership. For instance, through good leadership, Ebira ancestors were never conquered from the various raids carried out by the Nupe jihadists in the 18^th century.

In the same spirit, Ebira people had transformational leaders up till the first republic, whose leadership did not only put the good name of the land in the map of Nigeria but also left legacies of development.

Unfortunately, the kinds of leadership in Ebira today are transactional and possessive individuals whose traits are selfishness, greed divisiveness, violence and lack of patriotism.

The truth about Ebira land is that most of her leaders, especially political leaders, are transactional leaders. Leaders whose sole objective is to satisfy themselves, nourish their ego, even at the expense of the long term common interests of the society.

These are leaders that take advantage of clannish and republican nature of the people to foster their nest. Leaders who will readily neglect the people when their mission is accomplished or when the common interest of the society threatens their interests. These are men who believe only in routine governance. That is, such are leaders who are only happy to just be within the crowd of government without having any meaningful impact on the society, particularly the area they come from. They are those who strongly believe that it must be them alone.

Leaders with these traits are naturally not patriotic, either to their nation or their communities or constituencies but are always prepared to ride over the shoulders of their people to power and use it to develop themselves at the expense of the people.

Such leaders find it difficult to appreciate their need to unite even to achieve their respective goals due to the fear of loosing out in the process. In most cases, they can hardly evolve a collective agenda for the people they claim to lead and even if that agenda is formulated for them, the selfishness that goaded them into politics will make it impossible for them to realize it.

Their people remain backward and they, themselves in most cases, remain in the backwater of politics.

Events in our recent past points to the fact that Ebira as a community is passing through one of the most critical period in her evolvement as a race. And if we must not blow it, we must transit from transactional leadership to transformational leadership.

We must transit from leaders who take dictates from our rivals and detractors. By transformational leadership, I mean leaders who will encourage change in an orderly and constitutional manner. Such leaders should not only reframe from the utilization of violence as a means of entrenching themselves, but will ensure that necessary initiatives taken in introducing changes are of peaceful nature.

We need such leaders that will coordinate the effort of our people in pursuing and achieving the primary goals of our society. We need such leaders that would continually demonstrate courage, decisiveness and forthrightness in making decision, in initiating ideals, in inspiring others to act well, in understanding and analyzing problems and finding solutions to them. Such are leaders we need in our society. Leaders whose sole aim will be to transform men and not to transact them. They equally pride themselves when they are able to ensure the sustainability of the family system, uphold sound educational system, promote housing for all and ensure the availability of employment opportunities. This is what an ideal leader should be.

Ahmad Adoke

Patron, Righteous Onlookers Association

KM 8, Okene-Lokoja Road, Nagazi-Uvete

Adavi LGA.

Email: duniyassf@yahoo.com

Tel: 0803 349 8951