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Tag: leadership

  • Leadership: A distinctive skill

    Being a paper presented by the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Opeyemi Oke, at the inaugural Humphrey Fellow Lecture series by Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Alumni Association (HHHFAA) at the United States Consulate.

    • Continued from May 7, 2019

     Why it works:

    When you show your people you value your time with them, you are much more likely to have strong communication and engagement with them. That way, you are going to get the best from your team.

      Commitment and Consistency:   Leaders without commitments frantically bounce like balls in pinball machines with no clear direction. Commitments are stabilizing stakes in the ground that guide behaviours and inform decisions. When it comes to commitment, there are no grey areas. Either you are committed or you are not.

    As a leader, you have to give the cause for which you stand everything. Any person quick to throw in the towel in the face of a tough situation cannot be a leader. In fact, the true mark of a fellow committed to leadership comes to the fore when there is no reason to hold on or believe in a cause anymore. Leadership in itself requires commitment; thus it is safe to say that a good leader is a committed leader.

    To improve greatly on your leadership skills, you have to be committed and consistent. You may not exactly be able to say at what exact point you realised you became a skilled leader because leadership is about transitions. It is not about attending a leadership workshop or training and obtaining a certificate and then: “boom, you are a leader!”.

    It is in the daily practice and in consciously imbibing the qualities of an effective leader. You may not hit the desired goal post in the beginning but with consistency, you will get there. It can be likened to visiting the gym. Each day you visit the gym to burn some calories for an hour or more, when you  return home to look in the mirror, you are unlikely to find that the fat is gone or the muscles have suddenly been built but when you go to gym and spend same time for the next six months or more, then you begin to see results. In the same manner, you have to be consistent to become an effective leader.

     Team Spirit:  To be an effective leader, it is important to give credit where it is due and show appreciation for efforts of team members.  By showing appreciation for team members’ contributions, you will also encourage a positive environment and culture where team members are more appreciative of each other’s efforts. Also, by recognising contributions, members will be more willing to go extra mile when needed.

    A good leader will has listening ears and gives room for free flow of feedback across the team and upward back to the leader. Every contribution from members is welcome as no opinion or contribution is considered too small. As a leader, effectively listening can help you to better understand any issues that team members face and also lead to better communication as employees are more open to articulating any potential problems. This minimises conflicts and misunderstandings between team members.

    In all of these, what is the place of leadership in the bigger picture or simply put, what are the essentials of leadership?

    Effective leadership is very essential in businesses, non-profit organisations, government departments, ministries and agencies, communities, families because of its tremendous impact on many people and the society at large. The application of leadership can make corporations, resolve big challenges, alter policies, transform lives and basically define the future. In all my studying and living by leadership, there are a handful of core aspects as far as leadership is concerned:

    • Leadership is about in-fluence:  Through the several definitions of leadership that we had earlier considered, one word stood out, “Influence”. According to John C. Maxwell, “all leadership is influence”. Regardless of the leadership style that may be employed, if it is not influencing, then it is not leadership. Influence is the ability to affect character, behaviour or development of something or someone. That effect does not come by coercion but happens organically due to the relationship and respect that exist between a leader and his followers or simply by the merits the leader stands for.
    • Leadership aims towards a common vision:Leadership is not about the love of self. It is aspirational and looks to accomplish a shared gaol. The goal is most effectively formed collaboratively within a team whilst its cause is championed by the leader.
    • • With leadership comes empower-ment:the focus of leadership is on empowering the followers and enlivening the vision. A good leader pays attention to the view of everyone on the team and ensures they are empowered  to step into their potential. A good leader is a potential booster. As David R. Gergen once said, “a leader’s role is to raise people’s aspirations for what they can become and to release their energies so they will try to get there”.
    • Leadership is authentic:Leadership cannot be faked. A good leader acts the part and walks the talk. They set good examples for their followers; keep their word and make open communications. There is no divide and rule; rather they create relationships of trust.
    • Leadership creates followers: Followers are naturally created because effective leadership possess and exude such gravitational force that attracts others to them due to a profound sense of clarity, impetus, action, integrity and vision. True followers cannot be compelled. As a matter of fact, you can compel people to follow you but cannot compel them to be loyal to you and the shared goal.

    At this juncture, permit me to share with you some of the achievements we have recorded in the Lagos State Judiciary which could only have been attained with the collaboration efforts of every officer and staff down the work chain who believe and remain loyal to the shared vision of the Lagos State Judiciary:

    Installation and Commissioning of the vision, mission and commitment sign posts of the Lagos State Judiciary across all the court premises in Lagos state. Very guardedly, we have been running, with our vision and our steadfastness, has birthed laudable achievements to the glory of God and advancement of the Lagos State Judiciary.

    We walk the talk and fight against corruption. Disciplinary actions taken against erring staff: Sheriff Department, Probate Registry, Cash Office and Administrative staff.

    The innovative creation of Small Claims Courts in the Magistracy on April 23, 2018 which is the first of its kind in the country. This innovation was inspired by the objective to provide easy access to an informal, inexpensive and speedy resolution of simple disputes, particularly those arising from resolution of disputes, particularly those arising from business relations. The Small Claims Court Practice Direction has been translated into different local languages namely: Pidgin English, Yoruba, Egun, Hausa and Igbo and is being printed and launched soon.

    The Digitalisation of the Probate Registries in the Lagos State Judiciary was launched just a few days ago.

    Installation and Commissioning of the vision, mission and commitment sign posts of the Lagos State Judiciary across all the court premises in Lagos State. It is only when the people know the vision that they can run by it. Every signage of the vision is a daily reminder of the shared dream. The vision reads thus:

    • To create a truly independent and empowered branch of government by providing a fair and responsive system of justice committed to excellence.
    • To uphold the rule of law in interpreting laws.
    • To stamp out all forms of official corruption.
    • To make speedy dispensation of justice a hallmark of Lagos State Judiciary.
    • To improve on the reputation of the Lagos State Judiciary as a pacesetter and the best in Nigeria and Africa.
    • To improve public access, transparency and accountability so as to boost the confidence of the public in Lagos State Judiciary.
    • To improve the training and welfare of judicial officers and staff of Lagos State Judiciary.
    • To position the judiciary as a  partner in improving the quality of professional legal training in  Lagos.

    Setting up of Hospitality Unit to cater to all members of staff which is very paramount in my mind: Duty include supply of monthly provisions for members of staff. This appeals to the staff and essentially responds to their emotions because, as you will agree with me, welfare is an important determinant of the emotions of followers.

    • Creation of two new specialised divisions of the High Court on 1stFebruary, 2018: (a)     Economically/ Financially Crime Division which deals exclusively with economic and financial crimes; and  (b). Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Division which deals exclusively with sexual crimes to facilitate faster hearing and trial of sexual crimes and get survivors justice and closure.
    • The creation of these specialized divisions is also the first of their kind in the country.
    • The Backlog Elimination Programme (BEP) aimed at getting rid of old cases speedily and through mediation.
    • International Trainings and Conferences on various topics and issues of law for Honourable Judges.
    • Installation of Solar Panels at Yaba and Ebute Metta Magistrate Courts to provide constant electricity supply and so many more.
    • Creation of Restorative Justice Centres in seven Magistraterial Districts to handle simple criminal cases with the view of achieving amicable settlement.
    • Exploration of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is now mandatory before resorting to Litigation as provided for in the High Court of Lagos (Civil Procedure) Rule 2019.
    • Creation of Senior Citizens  Help Centre at Ikeja and Lagos Judicial Divisions for citizens above 60 years and above to facilitate easy access to Courtrooms and use of other facilities.
    • Designation of Special parks for citizens with disability.
    • Promulgation of Sentencing Guidelines to promote uniformity in the imposition of sanctions on convicted offenders. This was launched on March 27, 2018.
    • Training on ICT for Judges and staff members.
    • The introduction of Social media handlers/platforms to facilitate easy and faster feedbacks from stakeholders and the general public as well as dissemination of information to them.
    • Appointment of supervisory Judges for Magistrates to promote accountability.

    The Hubert Humphrey Fellowship is a forum made up of people from different climes, races and of different descents and brings to fore the beauty of oneness regardless of diversity. Members of my learning group were from Brazil, Malawi, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Turkey, Philippines, Thailand, South Korea and Pakistan. With this nature of convergence made possible by the Fellowship, it has proven that with unity of purpose, we can all come together to achieve a common goal. The colour of our skin poses no barrier because we are all fearfully and wonderfully made by God and blessed with diverse talents which we need to develop for the use of humanity to make a possible impact in our society.

    I recalled other important lessons from the programme which have remained with me: the training of being strong and overcoming one’s fear(s). Fear is a terrible thing which can inhibit you from reaching your fullest potential and in the long run, can prevent you from being who God wants and has called you to be. F-E-A-R which has been described as False Evidences Appearing Real discourages and dampen spirits; I see fear as the bedrock of failure. I remember that in the course of the series of lectures at Washington D.C., we were taken out of D.C. into the forest in Virginia to be trained on how to overcome fear. The training involved tree climbing and walking on a rope tied between two trees far apart from one another – about a mile apart.

    Some of us were screaming and wondering how we could achieve that because we saw the height, the distance and basically the mental obstacles. I mean no one was ready to return home with broken limbs or neck but we were encouraged. I attempted the climb and I did not believe I could walk on a single rope close to a mile. What was done differently? I simply got rid of fear because it’s all in the mind.

    I was determined to make an attempt and I made sure I did not fall or miss any step while walking on the rope which means I had to concentrate on the goal, i.e. walking on the rope from the start to the head point. Each step I took got me nearer to the end of the rope for the purpose of achieving my goal. This has remained an integral part of my life and has helped me in the administration of the Lagos State Judiciary and through all the achievements I have recorded as the Chief Judge of Lagos State. As Nelson Mandela once said: “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.”

    With the determination to succeed, blocking my ears to discouragement, focusing on the goals and the positive impact on the society at large, I have been able to bring myself out of the box and step out of my comfort zone; as a matter of fact, I have come to terms with the fact that the imaginary box is too small to be made a place of residence.

    Friendship made during this programme is one that you cherish for life. It is my belief that if those of you here could have the experience of HHFP, our society will be a better place to live in, doing things together with genuine love.

    I encourage as many people as possible who would want to improve on themselves so as to be a positive change in the society to take part in this programme. We should take a cue from Gavin Belson, a one-time Chief Innovasion of Hooli at Silicon Valley who says: “I don’t want to live in a world where someone else is making the world a better place than we are.”

    • Concluded

  • Leadership: A distinctive skill

    Being a paper presented by the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Opeyemi Oke, at the inaugural Humphrey Fellow Lecture series by Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Alumni Association (HHHFAA) at the United States Consulate.

    I thoughtfully chose ‘Leadership: a distinctive skill of every Hubert Humphrey Fellow’ as my topic of presentation as it remains a theme which is incessantly relevant across board and through every facer of life.

    Sometime in 1998, I recall applying  for the fellowship which happened at a time I was not exactly satisfied with the way and manner justice delivery system in Nigeria was manned. These were days  when proceedings were recorded manually and as a judge, you practically had to handwrite every every word that proceeded out of the mouth of every counsel, witness and litigant.

    Dissatisfied with this age-long practice and style of recording proceedings, which apparently took its toll on our justice delivery system, I approached the office of the United States of Agency for International Development (USAID) on Broad Street and enquired if there existed any Exchange Programme for Judges, but I was told there was none. I then asked if there was a programme centered on personnal and professional development and the contact person articulated the Hubert Humphrey programme.

    Although the contact person thought I was over qualified for it, I did not quite agree with him because I was yearning for judicial insight, at that point, on working reforms in the United States as well as other advanced/developed climes which could greatly improve our justice delivery system if imbibed.

    After a successful application and interview, I was found qualified for the programme. I took part in the series of lectures and conferences at the American  University, Washington D.C. which was my learning base and the Supreme Court of Justice in D.C.  I was  greatly imparted by the training on leadership, hence my choice of the presentation theme.  From the training, I obtained practical knowledge which strengthened my leadership skills on who a leader is and qualities of an effective leader. You will agree with me that every human being gets to take on a leadership role at some point in life whether in the family (as a parent or sibling), in the community, in a religious organisation, in an education institute, at the workplace, or even the young lad who volunteers to direct traffic in the face of a gridlock.

    I can very much relate with leadership and the responsibilities that come with it as the head of the third arm of government in Lagos State. First of all, it is pertinent to note that leadership is not and does not involve dictatorship or subjugation of the weaker neighbour. Often times, people are desirous to lead people and be followed; they want to rule, control people’s lives and boss everyone on their down line around.

    The knowledge I have garnered from the lecture series of the Fellowship, which has made me who I am today were planted in me, through the grace of God,  by the Hubert H Humphrey  Programme. I then on my own watered the knowledge imparted or planted and  it germinated and is yielding fresh, flourishing and  healthy fruits today.

    How then have I been able to make use of the knowledge gained ?

    Understanding the Concept of Leadership

    How is leadership defined in today’s world? For ages, people have given a multitude of answers to the definitions of leadership and this is what makes the concept of leadership very rich. I think there is a diversity of definitions on the concept of leadership because each definition is influenced by the turn of a situation or a change in direction which may require a different type or style of leadership; hence, its multi-faceted identity.

    Peter Drucker once said: “leadership is about getting results.” The most spiteful half-truth about leadership is that it is just a matter of charisma and vision – you either have it or you don’t.  Leadership is the potential to influence the behaviour  of others. It can also be described as the capacity to influence a group of people towards the realisation of a goal.

    Another authority on Leadership and a famous author, Stephen R. Covey, referred to Leadership as more than a position but a proactive intention to affirm the worth and potential of those around us and to unite them as a complementary team in an effort tom increase the influence and impact of the organisations and important causes we are part of.

    According to Keith Davis, “Leadership is the ability to persuade others to seek defined objectives enthusiastically . it is the human factor which binds a group together and motivates it towards goals.” Leaders in organisations and elsewhere may have formal authorities, but they mostly rely on the informal authority that they exercise on people to influence them. In essence, leaders may have positional authority or none at all, but exercise leadership through their actions. Old conceptual models around leadership are fading and innovative ideas about what it takes to lead in the world today are fast rising.  One can audaciously take initiative and harness the energy and drive of a team without necessarily the title of a team lead or Group Head. This creates a phase of preparation before the positions or titles actually come. Essentially, leaders exist at all levels. Instead of leadership thought of as reserved for the few at the top, today anyone can lead from anywhere.

    Who then is a leader? A leader can be described as a person of influence; a person who motivates and guides, whether purposely or reflexively, a group of people to act towards realising a common goal. Leaders are trusted for their judgment and respected for their expertise, integrity etc; hence, they are followed, not because they hold a certain position. By way of illustration, M.K. Gandhi for the most part did not hold any official position to lead the Indian freedom struggle.

    Qualities of an effective leader

    It is pertinent to consider the qualities and core values of an effective leader. Quite a lot of leadership qualities have been identified over time but these have proven to be most significant across board.

     Integrity:  unarguably, the ultimate quality of an effective leader is integrity. Effective  leadership is a “do as I do” affair and not a “do as I say” affair. A good leader is honest, treats people right, does not exaggerate achievements and milestones and gives accolades to the deserving for their contributions. It is essential for leaders to operate in a circle of openness and honesty, and this extends to both personal and professional levels. Great leadership inspires people to keep their integrity, that they must be brave to tell the truth. It should go without saying that effective leaders hold themselves accountable not just to their superiors but also to their peers and staff. Similarly, they treat everyone fairly, regardless of a person’s standing in the organisation. Leaders succeed when they stick to their values and core beliefs and without a sound belief system, this will not be possible.

    The ‘I Can’ or ‘Can do’ Spirit: “Leadership is the ability to see a problem and be the solution,” said Andrea Walker-Leidy, owner of Walker Publicity Consulting. “So many people are willing to talk about problems or can even empathise, but not many can see the problem or challenge and rise to it. It takes a leader to truly see a problem as a challenge and want to drive toward it.”

    For an effective leader, there are no limits or impossibilities. A good leader does not go hiding in the face of overwhelming pressure. Rather, he is inspired by the stumbling block and does not rest until he moves his team above every impediment with an unapologetic aim at the goal set to be attained. More importantly, to be an effective leader, you should be confident enough to ensure that others follow your directives. If you are hesitant about your own decisions and qualities, then your subordinates will never follow you.

    As a leader, you have to exude confidence, show some swagger and assertiveness to gain the respect of your subordinates. This does not mean that you should be overconfidence required to ensure that your followers trust you as a leader. When you ooze with confidence, you gain the trust of your followers. Leaders are to express their opinions confidently, irrespective of relationship. They are to stand up for self even in challenging situations. Good leaders know the power of a No, when it is most necessary.

    Vision: Vision is the bedrock of leadership for without vision, leadership loses its essence. The vision has to be clearly and forcefully articulated on every occasion. Jack Welch says, “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion”. Leadership means being visionary, keeping in mind at all times the bigger picture. Leaders can articulate that big picture to others and the best leaders help people to see their role in that big picture. They also hold themselves and their organisation accountable to that goal.

    There are fundamentals necessary for a vision that excite and motivate people to follow the leader. The vision must:

    • Clearly set structural direction and purpose;
    • Inspire loyalty and caring through the involvement of all personnel;
    • Display and reflect the unique strengths, culture, values, beliefs, and direction of the organisation;
    • Inspire enthusiasm, belief, commitment and excitement;
    • Help employees believe that they are part of something bigger than themselves and their daily work;
    • Be regularly communicated and shared, not just through monthly announcements and reminders at the company meeting, it must permeate all communication at every level of the organisation every day;
    • Serve as the reason for why courses of action are chosen, people are hired, markets are selected, and products are developed;
    • Challenge people to outdo themselves, to stretch and reach.

    Slightly divagating, at the inception of my administration in the Lagos State Judiciary, it was important to set out the vision of the administration and it was clearly spelt out thus:

    •  ”To create a truly independent and empowered branch of government by providing a fair and responsive system of justice committed to excellence.
    •  To uphold the rule of law in interpreting laws.
    • To stamp out all forms of official corruption.
    • To make speedy dispensation of justice a hallmark of Lagos State Judiciary.
    •  To improve on the reputation of Lagos State Judiciary as a pace setter and the best in Nigeria and Africa.
    • To improve public access, transparency and accountability so as to boost the confidence of the public in of Lagos State Judiciary.
    • To improve the training and welfare of judicial officers and staff of Lagos State Judiciary.
    • To position the judiciary as a partner in improving the quality of professional legal training in Lagos.”

    The vision was shared with all employees to have them align, adjust and adapt to the organisational vision. It was designed to permeate the workplace and manifest it in our actions, beliefs, values and goals. This vision attracts and affects every employee who is engaged in living this set of actions, beliefs, values and goals and everyone is encouraged daily to share in the vision and employees’ buy-in has been very impressive. The vision has also guided and in fact inspired every project, innovation and achievement of my administration. I will later on share with you some of some of the achievements we have recorded which have continued to put the spotlight on the Lagos State Judiciary all over Africa.

    Innovation:  This is the ability to think out of the box, to come up with unique ideas and goals into reality. It can also be considered the ability to think without the box and come up with the finest inventions. To achieve this, critical thinking is sine qua non. There is always a way out; all we have to do is think. Innovative leaders are proactive and lead with confidence and authority. They turn tough circumstances into prime opportunities to demonstrate their decisive capabilities and take responsibility for difficult decision making. With innovative leaders, impossible is nothing. An innovative leader is a trail blazer with so many firsts.

    The justice sector in Nigeria has incessantly faced the challenge of back log in the dispensation of justice and this has continued to mar the performance of our Hallowed Courts. I knew that it was not enough to keep talking about the problem without brainstorming and coming up with a solution to the problem which slows down justice delivery. Early enough, my team and I were able to come up with the idea of launching a backlog elimination project to primarily focus on the timely disposal of all age-long cases for courtroom effectiveness and efficiency.

    The project kicked off January 2018 with a case-by-case review of all pending cases before the court to ascertain the cause of delay and put in place feasible modalities, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms inclusive, for the disposal of each case. I am convinced that the successful completion of this project, God willing, shall give the justice system in Lagos State a new lease of life.

    Empathy or Emotional Intelligence:   Emotional Intelligence (also referred to as EI) is the ability to understand and manage your emotional response to events and pressures and that of people around you. EI has been proven to be more important than Intelligence Quotient (IQ). IQ which is generally considered threshold capabilities may get you a leadership role but EI helps you keep the role and sustains you on the role.

    According to Daniel Goleman, an author on the theme of emotional intelligence, there are five EQ competences: Motivation, Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Social skill and Empathy. By motivation, leaders lead by example, inspiring, not afraid of difficulties, focused and driven; by self-awareness, they are aware of their strengths and weaknesses, and strive for continuous improvement; by self-regulation, they are clear, decisive, straight forward, intuitive; their social skills are demonstrated  by their ability to manage change and resolve conflicts diplomatically, they are rarely satisfied with leaving things as they are, but they don’t sit back and make everyone else do the work: they set an example with their own behavior; and by empathy, they put themselves in someone else’s situation. They help develop the people on their team, challenge others who are acting unfairly, give constructive feedback, and listen to those who need it. Effective leaders demonstrate that they have great value for their Team.

    I would love to share with you one of the stories of leadership once told which may interest you:

    One day, an Executive in a blue-chip company was meeting privately in his office with a staff member. They were discussing some work-related issues important to them when the phone rand.

    The Executive ignored it.

    After three rings, the staff member looked at him and asked, “Aren’t you going to get that?”

    He paused, and remarked, “No. I don’t know whether that call is important or not, but it can wait. I do know this meeting is important”.

    Feeling valued, she got a big smile and they continued the conversation with new energy.

    The Lesson:

    What you pay attention to, and how you respond to things matter a great deal to your team.

    If you meet with your people and let push notifications, texts, instant messages and calls constantly distract you, you’re telling your team those things are more important than them.

    When people don’t feel valued, they won’t trust you, or bother to bring issues to you unless they feel they will get your attention. It’s a  great way to end up in a constant fire fighting, combative management mode.

    • To be continued next week

  • Academy holds workshop on leadership

    Africa’s first practical school of integrated brand experience and idea management, Orange Academy, in collaboration with Vega School, South Africa, will hold a five-day, seven-session practical workshop dedicated to the strategic models and tools of meaningful brand building.

    The workshop is the third in a series with a focus on Strategic Brand Leadership and it is scheduled to hold from May 20 to 24 in South Africa.

    Vega School is a brand of The Independent Institute of Education and offers qualifications in design, brand and business studies.

    Participants will have the opportunity to experience the learning environment at The Independent Institute of Education (IIE), Vega School in Cape Town, South Africa.

    The Vega-Orange Academy partnership has once again presented employees with the opportunity to learn, imbibe and apply pragmatic leadership culture when challenged to provide their organisation with practical solutions that work.

    Spokesman for Orange Academy ‘Femi Odukoya said: “It is in line with our aim to re-engineer employees’ school of thought and attitude to work that we have partnered Vega School to provide a unique learning experience with some of the finest workshop facilitators that Africa offers.”

    Leading the team of facilitators at the workshop are Dr. Carla Enslin, Thys de Beer and Mike Perk.

  • Football, presidential poll and leadership

    The more I see (Manchester) United play, the more I’m amazed at how (Jose) Mourinho was able to get so little out of this group.-JJ Bull, football writer with The Telegraph of UK.

    The tragic reflection of a keen football writer thrown into incomprehensible consternation by the hard-up performance of a club brimming with world class stars on account of a coach’s inability to manage resources and talent in his custody is also the tale about, and the summary of, the recurring misfortune of Nigeria at the hands of destitute leadership since our Independence in 1960.

    After visiting Manchester United, under a new manager, had hammered Fulham 3-0 in a league match last week to give the club 11 games without a single loss and to lift it to fourth place for the first time this season, the Scottish newsman at The Telegraph wondered what had been happening all along in the days of Mourinho, when a string of losses and draws threatened United with unprecedented relegation. His surprise was that the new coach, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, fielding the same players at the disposal of his predecessor, had suddenly returned the winning ways to the Old Trafford giants. Now, a few soccer pundits say the club still has a chance of bagging the EPL crown.

    What has happened to usher in such wild optimism where until now there were negative omens? What changed when no new players had been bought? Why, in less than two months of the change in coaching leadership at the club, there is no more talk of a drop into a lower division, but of move ‘’beyond the top four’’? What is making the difference is leadership. Nothing else. There are some voodoo theorists arguing that the problem wasn’t management but dressing room feud, first, among the players and secondly between some of the footballers and Mourinho. They say it was a deadly mix no coach could handle, even if he was the collage of all the best coaches in history.

    Many don’t agree with them. The point remains that to be a good leader isn’t only about taking care of the agreeable hands in your care. You must make use of the ‘good’, ‘the bad’ and ‘the ugly’. The condemned ‘ugly’ and ‘bad’ all have a value, even if it is counted as the proverbial nuisance worth. They must all fit into your cosmos of operations. You will fail if you build your hopes only on the ‘good’ ones. So the argument of a player conspiracy being the undoing of the Mourinho era is knavish. Let’s just admit his legendary skills deserted him when it mattered. The man had a surfeit of resources he failed to prospect, which his successor is exploiting to no end.

    In Nigeria, we are also giving the global community the Eighth Wonder of the World, which the ancient world couldn’t offer. That old order stopped at Seven Wonders, unable to add another stupendous human feat. Now I am happy to declare that Nigeria, with our inexhaustible human and natural resources but perennially without an adroit manager to tend them, is The Eighth Wonder.

    If Nigeria were among a collection of museum pieces at an exhibition, I very much doubt whether any other artifact would command more interest than Nigeria. We would certainly be the cynosure of every tourist. The magnetic pull would be irresistible. For they would wonder as The Telegraph reporter did: The more we see Nigerians in their necessitous state, the more amazed we are at how they are getting so little out of their abundance.

    Why is our case akin to that of the misery of the sailors in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner by the English poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge? When they had stayed for a long time on the high seas without a hope of sighting land and with basic needs out of stock, the seamen were now hungry and thirsty. Well, if there was no food, let there be water. Now, they were surrounded by water. But alas, it was salt water which they couldn’t drink. So a sailor on the trip exclaims: “Water, water everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.’’

    Nothing could be more excruciating: to live in, and behold cornucopia, and yet be alienated from it or be denied access to it!  It has to do with those we elect to drive these resources. We need to choose those who would identify with the people who give them the mandate to rule. None ought to come from the circle of those we have marked as the authors and grandfathers of what has brought us to our knees and put us in the same vessel as that of Coleridge’s dying seafarers.

    Tomorrow, Saturday February 16 and March 2, Nigerians must go for the next generation of politicians for a new leadership who can convert our mammoth resources into prosperity for our land.

    Let us shun babalawo analysts who play down the leadership factor and insist that a docile citizenry is responsible for our stagnation, that once we do away with a pliant disposition, a pro-people leadership would emerge. No. Enduring change in society begins with right leadership. The great revolutions and movements in history had selfless leaders with the people on their side. These leaders didn’t have homes or doctors or schools abroad to flee to when fixing domestic infrastructural challenges. These are the leaders we need: those who will leave office poorer materially than when they come in, but unfathomably rich in unrestrained loyalty to the society!

  • Vision, leadership  and  the  rule of  law

    The presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji  Abubakar Atiku delivered a lecture in Lagos  at the  prestigious Island Club, Nigeria’s premier social club this week. The topic of the lecture was ‘ My  Vision  To  Get Nigeria  Working Again.’ It  was a topic that he said  he chose himself for  the 2019  Quaterly  Business Luncheon  of the Club . Given  that    the presidential  election is this  month and he is the main  alternative to  choose against  the incumbent president  in the 2019  presidential  election one cannot blame him  for  striking  whilst  the iron is hot  against  the government of his main  rival. He did that I grudgingly concede rather  eloquently  even  as I am  very  much  at odds  with his prescriptions for making Nigeria  work  again.

    My  main  grouse with the Turaki  Adamawa  as his title in his state  is,  is  that  he cannot  claim  ignorance  or  culpability in the  way  Nigeria came to be  the way  he  found it and which  gave way  to his vision  to mend it. Just    as  the topic  clearly  stated,  My  vision  to get Nigeria working  again. This, to  me    is a  vision  that  can be described  as getting  wise after an  event or  locking the stable gates after  the horses  have bolted.  Yet  in a democracy the choice of a leader is before  the electorate regardless of any  analysis including this, and I wish  the PDP candidate  the  best  of luck, like the president wished all governorship  candidates in Imo  state in his campaign there  this  week.

    I  also  wish  to congratulate the PDP presidential  candidate for the entourage and enthusiastic  crowd  that  followed him to Island  Club at Onikan Lagos. The entourage included  his present Godfather and past and present Nemesis former  President Olusegun  Obasanjo, under whom  he served  as  Vice President of Nigeria. The entourage included some  past  governors  as well as the Lagos state PDP  candidate Jimi  Agbaje  and the Senate  President Dr Bukola Saraki.  Indeed  Obasanjo’s speech in showing why  he has both slandered  Atiku in the past  and is  now  glorifying and magnifying him as the solution to Nigeria’s  economic  and leadership  problems today,  overshadowed the candidate’s  plan  as  articulated to make Nigeria  work  again. In  a way,  Obasanjo’s  long apologia  on slandering  Atiku  on many  occasions  and  forgiving him  as  the

    bible preached forgiveness, gave some insight  on  why Nigeria could not have worked  till the two  came  together  for this election. Obasanjo  invoked the name of  Jesus  who  he said was not  perfect on  earth.

    Yet  Nigeria  is a secular state of many religions especially  Christianity and Islam  and he need  not  invoke  the might of  one or either  of the two, to score  a political  point or to  rationalize a  past leadership  judgement  or  appreciation decision  or  mistake. Definitely the next presidential  election in  February  will  determine  clearly  how  much  of an impetus or albatross  the  involvement  of  Obasanjo in the  Atiku  campaign  has been  in  resolving  Nigeria’s    multifarious  problems. We shall  surely  see  from  the election results  how  much better or worse  the Nigerian  state and economy  will  be  because  of  this endorsement  that  Atiku  is deeming  his political  saving  grace and  democracy  elixir  to  lead  Nigeria as an executive  president.

    Good  enough the choice  is before the Nigerian  electorate  who have  a long  memory  and  are  not  afflicted  by any  selective amnesia  in spite  of the level  of  poverty, want and  insecurity they  have seen at  the hands of successive Nigerian leaders, both civilian  and military.

    Aside  from the  Obasanjo  sermon on  Atiku rediscovery  and metamorphosis into acceptability,  the PDP  candidate  raised  an issue  that is now  shaping  the way  and manner the 2019 election is evolving even  with  the dates for the presidential  and state elections clearly  known. INEC  has  even affirmed that there  can be no  postponement,  which  was an  extravagant statement that is uncalled for. At  his lecture  the PDP candidate  noted  that  –  our democracy  is in peril, and  he cited the suspension  of  the CJN and his replacement by  the president. He  said ‘ the action of

    unilaterally  suspending  the CJN  by  President  Buhari  is unconstitutional.  The  constitution provides laid  down rules for

    the suspension of the CJN  and this has not been followed ‘He  then went on to conclude that  a key  part of his vision for  Nigeria is respect  for the rule of law, ‘  because  without it we can have no society.’

    Definitely  I agree on his  vision and conclusion  that without  the rule of  law  there  will indeed  be no  society, which  clearly is a descent  to  anarchy. That is  even  a situation  to be avoided on the eve  of an election as  important as the one at  our  doorsteps right  now this month. But  the CJN  saga  has put the nation at the edge of a cliff in terms  of expectations, anger  and resentment at the happenings in our third arm  of  government, the  judiciary  and the legal  profession. I once here recently wrote  that the law is on trial  on this CJN matter. I now  say categorically that it is the Nigerian  state  that is on trial  for the simple reason  that there is a threat to  the Nigerian  state and security. Just  look  at  the legal  wranglings and precedents as  well as the positions of the legal  institutions both at the bench  and bar  and you  see that legal  interpretations  have to be made  transparently,  judiciously and timeously  for the tension and pressure on the political   system to  cool  down so that we can  have a smooth, safe  and fair election. Already  the NSA  reportedly told a meeting of State governors that a group of people including politicians are planning violence and mayhem during and after the  elections  and the security agencies say they are ready  and we pray  they  protect  the electoral process  this year in Nigeria successfully.

    Obviously  corruption is  at  the heart of the CJN debacle and the judiciary  and the legal  profession should find a way out  of the opprobrium  in their front  houses, which  in this case is their image or reputation. An  adage says if the fish  is rotten  it  starts from  the head. That is clearly  the case in the CJN matter.

    To me the Code of Conduct  Tribunal –CCT –  has  been  the redeeming grace that the presidency  has used  as its authority to suspend  the CJN who  in the face of clear infractions on assets declaration against the law, was  using  his position and wealth to make an  ass of the law by stalling all cases against his arraignment. He  could have gone on up to the Supreme  Court  with this frivolous  obstacles  and would  he then  have presided over  his own  case? Where was  the NJC in  all  this ?Could  the members not  have taken action or raised a point of order on the publicly  displayed and court cited offences of their leader who as a Supreme Court judge is simply  a primus inter pares and not superior to other judges  at the Supreme  Court?.

    Similarly,  the NBA called for an  industrial  action that  failed because both bar  and bench are  ashamed  and aghast at the revelations and defence  antics of the leader of the judiciary. The NBA  says  it is defending  the constitution  yet  the  corruption of the CJN is lost  in plain  sight to  it. A  legal  institution  of eminent  SANs  and lawyers  should  not  hunt with the hunter  and run with  the hunted .This  is a recipe  for  confusion  and  anarchy.

    How  does this augur  well  for a peaceful and fair  election and for post  election litigations for complaints  and electoral malpractices?. My  take is that the omens are bad and a reconsideration  of the timing of the election which INEC  says is not  is not  in sight,  may  be a    relief  or panacea  for now.  At  least  in the short run.  Once again  long  live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • Change, leadership  and technology

    I write today  on a topic that I regard as an abomination   and I do  so  with great discomfort.  I  am discussing today the  issue  of the cloning of the Nigerian  president with a high  sense of duty and responsibility.  Really  I   wanted to steer  clear of a topic  that I    felt  had cast aspersion on both the office  and person  of our President.  When  however I read that  the President had responded  that he is himself  and that the  rumours  were ignorant rumours  I  felt  I  should come out of  the cocoon of affront   and disrespect  of our president that  I have,  on  my own, woven around the  topic.

    Let  me state  that I found  the president’s  response on his existence, measured,  matured  and extremely  tolerant.  He  even went as far as saying that he knew  some people hoped he was dead while he  was    sick  and were soliciting the Vice  President  for   his position when  he succeeds  the ailing then  and still living    President.  Surely  our president is not dead and is not  a clone but  a lot has  changed  in him and that is what  we shall  discuss  today in the context  of our topic   here.  We  shall    muse  at how technology  especially   the likes  of  cloning, artificial  intelligence, robotics  and the internet,  especially.  Facebook and WhatsApp    have changed  our  way   of  life  generally  as  well  as our  perception of our leaders in a very  comparative manner  in the global  village we live in ,  powered  by  Information Technology  in   this   digital world.

    Aside from  the high gullibility that  followed  the President’s cloning  ignorant  rumours ,  the fake news gained audience in places  that  you   would expect  to dismiss  such  distasteful  news   as  fit for  the trash  can. Intellectuals, high  professionals  and even  religious leaders  were conspiratorially  sending sms and messages on social media on something they will  not wish to happen to their kinsmen  and loved ones and they were enjoying  it. That  is the crux  of the matter here. Social  Media  in Nigeria seems  to have created  a class  of otherwise jobless and idle  Nigerians who    have   sunk lower in morals and low esteem of those they think  are socially  and politically  above  them.   They  peddle   unconfirmed    and uncorroborated    news    in   such   a breezy    and speculative manner.  Over time   given   their   obsession   with  social  media  which  has been  branded  medically   as the digital  disease    they  have concomitantly  developed  a  brutal   psyche    with no  compunction  at  all  on any  news, or issues, no  matter   how   slanderous and  libelous,  that  they  send  out to  their accomplices  and rumour  pedlars  on the internet.   Such  then  was the speed  at  which the  unfortunate  clone story  travelled   until  the steady  and gracious   response  of the President  which I  honestly  commend.  Yet  how  I wished  the President  had  said  he wished  them  heartily  what  they  so earnestly  wished  or  said  had happened to  him. Also   I   wished  this  cloning  rumour  had  happened  when  this same   President  was our  military  Head  of State, 30  years  before  he was elected President in  2015.  Very  safely, I leave  that to your  imagination.

    Let  us look  at  two  events  this week  where technology   brought  the role of world leaders to our  doorsteps  or  living room literally.   The  two  events   were  the Brexit  Debate  in the British  Parliament   and  the   state  burial  of the 41st US President George W H  Bush.  The  two  events symbolized  change  and  are  clear  lessons  on leadership style and the globally  pervasive  nature of  technology. They  were  watched  all over  the world   live and real  time as they say in TV Production.

    The  Brexit  Debate   to approve or disapprove the British  PM’s  draft  Brexit  Deal  which she said is the best  deal  possible  and with which  the EU agrees,  is  not likely  to be approved  by the British  Parliament  which  instead  voted to accuse  the cabinet of contempt  of  Parliament in not making available full  legal  advice  given  the cabinet  by the Attorney  General.  Indeed  Brexit  is all about change and fear and mistrust of   change.  The  Brexit  Referendum  sailed  through  by a slim  majority  then  the British  people  woke  up  from their slumber  and developed  cold  feet  on leaving the EU.  The British PM, Theresa May  thinks   it is a matter of state integrity  to stick by the result of the  referendum  but  she is digging her own political grave with  that  view  point, which  unfortunately   is her  political   survival  strategy.  The  odds  are that she will lose  the debates and the final  vote on December 11 and will  be swept  into  limbo  by the  Brexit   change  she has attempted to manage  so  brilliantly  but so  hopelessly.

    The  other  issue was  the state  funeral  of the US  President George Bush  at  which  his son the 43rd US President  of the same name gave a moving  and historical oration that  moved  the whole  world.  Of  significant   historical   importance  is the fact both  the 41st  and 43rd US presidents, a father  and his son  took the US  to   the  two  Gulf   Wars  of our   time   and  the consequences  of  the change  wrought  by their leadership  continue  to shape our world   for good   or bad till  today.

    However  the  event that I want to comment on was the service at  the National  Cathedral  at which former  living Presidents Jimi  Carter, Bill Clinton , and Barak  Obama  and their wives  were present   and  chatted with each  other.  The  entrance of present President Donald  Trump  in the church   was a moment of tension as he greeted the Obamas  but ignored  the Clintons . Which  showed   that   political  animosities  die  hard and cannot be hidden  even  at state  funerals.  The  reason  for Trump’s  cold shoulder   for the Clintons  was  the manner  of the emergence   of  Donald  Trump   himself  on American   political  arena   and  the defeat  of  Hillary Clinton in the 2016  presidential election.   Donald  Trump in  particular  has  been made different from the other  previous  US presidents because  of a technology  that has made him  more communicable  in a speedier and more spontaneous,    if    nastier  way,   than any  of his  predecessors . That  technology  is tweeter which  he has used so powerfully  to take on all  comers  who  have dared  to  criticize him or    especially  doubt  the legitimacy  of his 2016  presidential  election ,    now  being   bitterly  tainted  with allegations   of collusion with  Russia which  he resolutely  disputes.  His  election  too was a  charge   and  change against  ‘political  correctness’ and that  together  with twitter  have    invariably   turned  him into  the most  influential American    leader in the modern  world as we know  it  today.  Such  is the power  of both change  and technology  in the digital  village that has  brought  us all  on stage  to watch global  leaders  in  action   literally  on a 24  by 7 basis .  Once  again  long  live the  Federal  Republic  of Nigeria.

  • Campaigns, issues and leadership

    Elections are  the engine room and raw meat of  democracy  and the quest  or competition for  power. Those seeking political  offices are  invariably    so desperate for power  that they can be compared to the brood of chicken following the little boy dishing out grains for the birds at dawn at farms all  over the world. Imagine the way the chicks rush  in the direction of the feeder’s   throws  of corn  and you will  understand the frenzy of politicians in searching frantically for where the corn or grain will land so that they can swallow before others and go on  looking for more grains  to fortify themselves  for the day  and the future contest   for  power. Such  is the competition for  power in all  political  systems   and today  we shall  look  at  the signals, and    the  issues that  political  leaders face in their quest  to fortify each  other so that that they can outpace and   outrun other  contestants  and  snatch  the grain of power  during campaigns and elections.

    Today  however  we do this  by looking at  some personalities in the war front of leadership of political  parties seeking  power  first in Nigeria and all  over the world.  In  Nigeria we  look at the two presidential  candidates that have emerged from the two  political parties  and their prospects in the 2019  presidential elections. We  examine  the spat  between the Senate President and the Chairman of the ruling APC  and wonder at their mutual animosity   and   conclusion that  the other is not fit to hold his position on moral  grounds. We venture  overseas  and look at how  the French President talked  down  at his American counterpart  at an event  in France  to  mark 100  years  since the end of the First  World War  in which  they both  fought  together  on the same side.

    First  let  us look at  the chances  and the credentials of the two  aspirants that emerged  from the presidential  primaries  of the  two  major  parties  namely President  Muhammadu  Buhari  of the ruling APC and  Alhaji  Abubakar  Atiku  of the  PDP  which  lost the 2015 presidential  election to the PDP. The  incumbent  president’s  main  electoral  asset  has been his reputation for discipline, asceticism, and integrity. He  has  been on the seat for three years  and is confident he  has done enough to be re  elected.

    His  opponent Alhaji  Atiku  is not a stranger  to power  having been Vice  President to President Olusegun Obasanjo  for  eight  years. Obasanjo  called him names before but  has now  endorsed him  just as he endorsed  Buhari  before  and has now  forsaken  him for   the  2019 election.  The  two running mates for the presidential  candidates  are Christians namely Prof  Yemi  Osinbajo  for the APC  and Peter  Obi  for the PDP. Osinbajo  is from  the Southwest, Ogun  state  to be specific  and was a long serving Attorney General  for Nigeria’s  foremost and  viable state,  Lagos  state,  which  is also the only state that experts say can  afford the 30000 naira  minimum wage if it is approved.  Peter  Obi  too was a successful governor  of Anambra  state  with  a reputation for prudence and integrity. What  is interesting is that the Igbos  at a meeting    said to be none partisan  have now endorsed  the Atiku  candidacy  for president on account  of his choice of an Igbo  man  to be his running mate in 2019. Which  is quite  significant  given the fact  that the Igbos, like  their rivals for power,  the Yorubas,  have never put their eggs in one basket  in their quest  for federal  power  which is the most  attractive  of the power structures in Nigeria’s  volatile democracy.

    The  Igbo endorsement  must bother  the APC or  they  will  be   like  the proverbial ostrich  with its head buried in the sand. This is because the Igbos  are   homogenous in terms of two  cultural  factors namely religion and language and in addition are well  travelled and dispersed all  over  Nigeria    and  have  large  presence globally  in diaspora. They  will  be a formidable electoral  asset  to Atiku  and  potent threat   to the APC  and the incumbent president in  2019. That  is one scenario  the APC electoral  eggheads must strategise   to  overcome. Whether  that will  raise  the specter of  tribalism in the competition for  power in 2019  is    a question begging for an answer. For  the Igbos  however  the die is cast  and Atiku  is their  champion  and good luck to them.

    Let  us now look at the verbal  gymnastics between the Senate  President Dr  Bukola  Saraki  and the APC  Chairman,  Adams  Oshiomole. The  APC  Chairman  even before  the brouhaha  that dogged  his handling of the  APC primaries  nationwide had  always  promised  that since the Senate President defected to the PDP  he  has no moral right to remain in office. Now  after the primaries  the  Senate  President now Director General  for the Atiku Campaign has  countered   that  the given  the allegations of corruption and irregularities leveled  against the APC  Chairman, he has no moral  grounds to remain  in office    as  well. But really  what are the facts on this cross  accusations on moral  grounds?. Let  us look  at  the case of the senate president as well  as his credentials before  defection.

    Undoubtedly  the Senate  President pulled  the rugs from under the feet of the APC  government  right  from day one in government. He  became President of the Senate   by default  and with  the collusion  of the PDP  and  with the benefit of hindsight,  his defection was a logical  progression. The  moral  lesson there is political  treachery  although   the punishment  ordained by  the APC  Chairman has  become an  illusion and the APC has  become like a  dog barking at the moon  in getting the  defected APC President of the Senate  removed. That  is the reality of the situation the APC Chairman  must learn  to fight or be forced  to live with.

    In  the case  of the APC  Chairman, he must  by now  know that those  who  live in glass  houses do not throw  stones.  He  should know  this  as a seasoned  and experienced trade unionist  and former  governor  of a politically  volatile  and combustible state. He  has  now seen that Lagos, Ogun  and  Imo  states  are  more  charged and  more  connected  than  the state  he left  as a powerful  godfather and kingmaker. Indeed  the comparison of what happened in Lagos and Ogun states will  be an  albatross  on the neck of the APC Chairman    in  terms  of  consistency  and integrity  in the conduct  of primaries in the APC  for  a long time. We  are watching to see  how the Eagle  will  land in this ding dong battle between  the APC  Chairman  and the elusive and mercurial  Senate  President.

    Finally  we  look  at  the event in Paris where former  enemies  and allies convened to mark the 100 year anniversary of the  end of the First  World  War from 1914 – 1918. At  the event in which many world leaders were  present,  the French President Emmanuel  Macron  denounced Nationalism  as an insult  to Patriotism and there  was no denying  that he was talking down  at the American President  Donald  Trump who  was present at  the occasion  and  who  recently admitted  he is a Nationalist. Trust the US president however  to live  to his billing in response. Donald  Trump tweeted that  but   for the intervention of the US the French  had been  subdued  and were learning German, the language of their oppressors   before  the US  joined the war  and changed  French  fortunes. Which  really is tit for tat   in  terms  of the abusive  diplomacy  that both presidents  were peddling  in quite an undiplomatic manner.  But  then   I call  for restraint on both sides  on account of historical  lessons.

    What caused  the first  World War  was an assassination of a visiting Grand Duke to Bosnia Hercegovina  and the assassin  was  a Serb. The  violence by Serbs against Bosnian  Muslims in the break up of  Yugoslavia years  later still  had echoes of the violent death of Archduke  Ferdinand in Saravejo  in  1914. It  is  not far  from the murder   this year  and quite  recently   of the Saudi journalist Kasshogi  in the Saudi  Arabia  embassy in Istanbul, Turkey, 100 years after the end of a brutal  war  that started with an  assassination.  World leaders   surely   need  to learn  from history  and watch  their language  so  that they  do  not lead  to  wars, assassinations  or the murder of journalists in foreign embassies. Once  again, long  live the Federal Republic  of Nigeria.

  • Leadership conference to hold December 21

    The Atlanta Leadership and Business Impact conference will hold from December 21 to 23, at Hyatt Hotel, 2999 Windy Hill Road, Marietta Ga 30067, Atlanta, United States.

    The international conference, organised by Mustard Grain Projects (A US-based Human Capital Development and Investor), aims at discussing the discovery and dynamics of operational capacity of leadership. It is also to create opportunities in global wealth creation.

    Issues to be discussed include leadership, growing a business, project presentation, personal global impact, job/career/business/leadership efficiency and effectiveness, among others. There will also be award presentation.

    Attendees expected include chief executives, professionals, consultants, Heads of Departments, sales/marketing representatives, among others.

    Speakers are CEO, Financial Broker and Advisor Selina Haris; CEO, Atlanta Custom Broker Harold Hagan; Founder, Fixdride.com Ajayi Aiyesa; Forex and Investment Expert Clarance Daveport; Executive Director, Primerica America Tommy Gunnin and CEO, Pivot Adesola Margaret.

  • Leadership, competition  and succession

    Any  political  party  that gains power in any political  system must admit that it has,  like Macbeth’s wife  murdered  sleep  and would    sleep  no more  in terms of  living  with  abiding  if  not extravagant public interest and  curiousity  in its  fortunes  and misfortunes,  as the case may  be.

    Such  is the fate  of Nigeria’s ruling party the APC  whose  candidate  won the presidential election in 2015  and is  seeking reelection in the 2019  elections.

    Today  I want  to  dwell  on the succession problem of the  party  in Lagos State which  the party controls  dominantly  but in which  there  has been  some serious brouhaha  over an automatic ticket  for  the incumbent governor  who  hails  from the party. The  threat  to automatic self succession for Governor Ambode as the APC candidate for the 2019  state  guber elections in Lagos State  occupy  our  thoughts today. We  shall  look  at the issues involved in this politics of succession in Nigeria’s  commercial  capital  where politics in Nigeria  has its roots in colonial  politics leading to Nigeria’s independence  in 1960.

    Especially  now that  the National  Leader of the party in Lagos Jagaban  Ahmed Bola  Tinubu  is  in the midst of speculation about a clash  with the governor  which has given rise to collection of  forms  by two  APC  guber  aspirants known  to be close  to  the  strongman  of  Lagos politics  for  the past  two decades.’

    It  is necessary  here  to  acknowledge  the importance  of  Lagos State as a key  element  of  Nigerian  and indeed  world  politics and that  makes the  state  elections  and campaigns  as important as any of the major  cities  or states  of the world including London and New York or  Delhi or  Kuala  Lumpur. Indeed  we shall  take a look at  some  succession issues on  competitive    platforms with a-bi-partisan’s flavour  in the US,  and  Malaysia  on a comparative politics  level. We  shall  ponder on how  and why Hillary  Clinton was not able to succeed  Barak  Obama  as  envisaged widely  at election time and how  and why a rank  outsider bamboozled  the Republican  party  to  win the party  primaries  hands down in spite of the opposition of traditional  party leaders. In  Malaysia  we shall  look  at the return of Mahathir Mohammad, the 92 year old  PM of  Malaysia  in an  election that saw him switch  sides  to his opposition while in government  years  back, when  he abandoned  his ambitious  protégé  then  and jailed  him  for  sodomy  and compare that with the politics  of succession going on in  Lagos State right now.

    I  want  to admit  again  the fact  that  I  read a statement  by the Jagaban  defending the governance record of both former  Governor Fashola, his successor  and that of  the present incumbent governor of the state. That  statement  was explicit  that the rumors  of a rift amongst  the three  political  leaders  was the handiwork or imagination of mischief makers  looking to destroy the amity  amongst the three. That was overtaken by news or  was it fake news  that even the President has waded in to mediate. Nevertheless  all  these are  in the public domain making comments on the  matter  pertinent  and necessary. Undoubtedly  the APC  and  its forerunner political  platforms  have been  good  for  Lagos State  and its citizens  in terms of provision of infrastructure and  social  development.  The  social facilities and roads, overhead bridges and night  lightings  making Lagos  State  safe to drive at night  are there for all  to see.  A major  snag  was the overzealousness  of    some  LASTMA  personnel and traffic revenue seeking VIOs  who  were  reined in and disappeared.

    Another blight was the ugly  sight of refuse that almost caused a pestilence recently  and seems to  be abating . In  terms of performance then  the APC  can claim  to have delivered  in  Lagos State. It  is natural  for  colleagues of the incumbent governor  in the oligarchy  leading the party  in the state  to want part of the action thinking they  would be better. That is a legitimate  ambition that could be ironed  out without descent  into violent confrontation.

    Similarly  if the governor feels he is on top of the competition  and  governance in  line with  the party  policies  then he has the right  to  a claim  of automatic  ticket  for reelection.

    Also  it  is the duty of the Jagaban  to lend  a listening ear  to all  claims. After  all he did it in the past  and sailed successfully  through  the mine field of succession  that  saw a Christian  governor emerge  to  save Lagos  for the party. As expected  he can put  his foot down as  a tested  pragmatist  and guide  the aspirants  on the best way  forward for the party so  that the APC  does not throw away  the baby  with the bath  tub in this explosive family  succession  politics. As  usual  in the game of politics  and the quest  for power or reelection, a  lot  of guile and  diplomacy  may  be necessary.  Which  may not be obvious to those blinded by malice  and partisanship in the present charged atmosphere and I wish  the leaders  the very  best in the explosive exercise.

    Needless  to say  succession  battles  can  be mischievous,  with intended  and unintended  consequences . In  the case of  Obama  and Hillary as successor  I  saw  some mischief  in the manner Obama’s Vice President  Joe  Biden  was pressured  to quit the  Democratic Party    Nomination race  for Hillary . The Vice  President then insisted that whoever  gets the Party’s  nomination  must  campaign on the Obama legacy  which  with the help  of hindsight was more of a political  burden  than  a lift  at least on foreign policy and the economy.  The  rest  is history. In  the  case of the cold war between  the Republican  Party  hierarchy  and  Donald  Trump  on his way  to  getting the presidential  nomination,  it  was Hillary from the opposite  side who gave Trump  the acceptability  that his party  was withholding.

    When  asked during the debates what she admired  about  Trump, Hillary  mentioned his well  brought up and organized family. That  boosted Trump’s  ego  and prestige  and was the last  straw  he needed  to take over the party for  a successful election and  he grabbed it with both  hands  and,  again, the rest  is history. Which  boils  down to the fact that elections and succession  battles are not over till they  are over.

    Occasionally they  may  look  like a potential  marathon    race and  end  up  unexpectedly  as sprints. Like  OBJ  said  at  the time Awo  lost  to Shehu Shagari  in that famous  election,  the best  man  does  not always win  the race.

    In  the politics of  succession  in any  polity, including Lagos State  APC, the maxim  – every body  for himself  God  for us all, or the devil take the hindmost,  is always  and    invariably  at play. Once again  long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • Tonye Cole needed to give leadership in Rivers, says monarch

    A former Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Theophilus Princewill, has stated that the co-founder of Sahara Group, Pastor Tonye Cole, is needed to give leadership in the Niger Delta state.

    Princewill, who is also the Amanyanabo of Kalabari, spoke yesterday in his palace at Buguma, the headquarters of Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers state, while receiving Cole, the endorsed governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers for the 2019 election.

    Cole, in a long convoy of vehicles, with his teeming supporters and well-wishers who defied heavy rain, was earlier received by his kinsmen in Jack Compound in Abonnema-Kalabari, the headquarters of Akuku-Toru LGA, with his people, led by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court,

    Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, wishing him well, while stating that they were very proud of him.

    The APC’s governorship aspirant then proceeded to the palace of the Amanyanabo of Abonnema, King Disrael Bob-Manuel, who along with members of his council of chiefs, happily received Cole, a Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

    Cole was accompanied by Rivers Chairman of APC, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree; ex-governorship candidate, Prince Tonye Princewill; a former member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Dawari George; and ex-Rivers Commissioner for Women Affairs, Joeba West; among many other eminent personalities.

    King Princewill said: “I am interested in the unity of Kalabari people. We should give Tonye Cole the support that he needs to be governor. He deserves it. He has immensely contributed to the development of Rivers State and Nigeria. Just by the mention of Tonye Cole for governorship, the whole of Rivers State is vibrating.

    “Instead of having many governorship aspirants from Kalabari, we should unite, work as a team and support Tonye Cole. If we are not divided, we will succeed. I am happy that a Kalabari man is coming to give leadership to Rivers State.

    “I am pleading with Kalabari people to ensure 100 per cent support for Tonye Cole. Let our votes be for Tonye Cole. If that is done, we will win. United we stand, divided we fall. God being with us, we will achieve the purpose of having Tonye Cole as Rivers State governor in 2019.”

    In his remarks, the governorship aspirant said he was in Kalabari land for the blessings of the monarchs and his kinsmen, stressing that the task of providing quality leadership in Rivers could not be done as a divided house, but in unity.

    Cole also stated that courage was needed to face the governorship battle and have victory, while calling on Rivers people to hold themselves as one, thereby ensuring peace, security and prosperity.