The Nation Newspaper

Tag: politics

  • ‘I’m not afraid of politics’

    ‘I’m not afraid of politics’

    Rinsola Abiola is one of the daughters of the acclaimed winner of June 12 I993 presidential election, the late Chief MKO Abiola. The energetic lady is also the interim Public Relations Officer of the All Progressive Youths Forum (APYF). In a chat with ADETUTU AUDU, she disclosed that unless qualified youths take up the challenge, the country will continue to be represented by those who have absolutely no idea of what leadership entails.

     

    COULD you kindly brief us about the All Progressive Youths Forum?

    Basically, what we are is a group of youths belonging to the parties which make up the merger. Our structure consists of the Central

    Networking Committee, Zonal Support Groups, State Caucuses, and Local Mobilisers.

    What sets the APYF apart from every other youth groups out there?

    The one thing that makes us unique is the passion and the drive to not just complain about how things are, but to actually get involved in the process and do what really needs to be done to restore sanity to our society. We at the APYF realise that this democracy must be sustained in order for young people like us to have a chance at occupying leadership positions in future, and that if we continue to avoid politics, then that chance may never come. What makes us unique is the will and ardent desire to establish democracy as a system, and not just something that has to do with only elections and nothing more.

    Is your group an open one? Would it be easy for youths to join even if they do not currently belong to any of the merging parties?

    Yes, the APYF is indeed a very open group. Youths who are interested in being a part of this movement may do so by liaising with state coordinators. They could also engage us directly via social media platforms.

    What are you doing apart from the APC Youth Wing?

    I’m into media consultancy and event packaging. I am also what I like to call a social worker. I deal mainly with teens and counsel them on issues pertaining to skill acquisition, sexuality, and social vice.

    Are you not scared of politics, considering what your late father went through?

    The Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, said that if the whole world should come together to harm you, they can’t do that except that which has already been ordained for you. Same as if they come together to help you.

    I don’t see politics as something to be scared of, and I don’t think dad’s experience should deter me from politics. I see his life as a big lesson – a source of inspiration, and something I should learn from. Fear, as far as I’m concerned, is not something that any child born of such a great, courageous man should entertain. And fear is not an emotion that a believer should even remotely feel, except when one thinks of the greatness of God.

    Also, as a Muslim, I believe that whatever he went through was pre-ordained by God, so why stay away from politics due to fear of a destiny that is beyond my control?

    Ultimately, God decides what the end of this road is going to be like, so whether or not I shy away from politics, what will be will be.

    What inspires your interest in politics?

    I’ve been a social worker for long enough to know that occupying a position in government still remains one of the most effective ways of bringing about positive change. There’s a lot that being empowered by the constitution can help one achieve. I do not like the idea of sitting at home, or tweeting about how inept a particular politician is, or complaining about how things are, but not being willing to get involved in the process. It is through democracy that I and others like me can become leaders tomorrow, and it is therefore a duty inherent upon each and every one of us to do all that we can to sustain it. You don’t have to like politics, but you do have to acknowledge that it is a vehicle through which those solutions and bright ideas that you have can be used to better the lives of more people than you could ever reach through individual effort or even an NGO. Also, unless qualified youths take up the challenge, we will all

    continue to be represented by those who have absolutely no idea of what leadership entails.

    In what way has being MKO’s daughter affected you?

    Well, firstly, his story is reason enough for me to strive hard in order to make something good of myself. My father was from a poor home, yet he worked hard and succeeded. My upbringing, compared to his, was very privileged; so if someone from such a humble background could gain global recognition, what excuse could I possibly have not to be successful too? Also, I meet very many people who benefitted from his philanthropy in one way or the other, and they’re usually very nice to me.

    I feel overwhelmed, really, that he touched so many lives. He was rich, he had the wives, the children, he had basically escaped poverty and could have chosen not to care about others, but he did care. He dedicated his time to helping others escape poverty too.

    The negative aspect would be the erroneous opinion that some might hold – people tend to assume that I have a huge stash of hard currency somewhere, and that is not true. I work hard like every other young Nigerian out there.

    How do you go about your programme on teens?

    I don’t have a rigid schedule; I could encounter a group of teens, or even just one somewhere and we could begin a discussion. I’ve also visited a couple of schools. What we do is to enlighten them, and encourage them to learn skills. The enlightenment could be about religion, other cultures, sexuality and the benefits of abstaining, and of course skill acquisition. We also talk to them about Nigerians – and other famous people – who made it through honest labour, and share stories of wealthy people from especially disadvantaged backgrounds who grew to become successful. We urge them to remain steadfast and hold on to education because it is extremely important in the fight against poverty.

    You studied statistics; how come you’re a media consultant, and have you abandoned statistics?

    You know, I think this is a rather common phenomenon in Nigeria – where we study one course and end up making a career in another. I’ll be honest with you – initially, I had dreams of becoming a math professor. I got into the university, was offered statistics, and along the line, I just got frustrated with the system. This was a school where a bad lecturer was one who permitted too many students to pass. This was a school where a lecturer took great joy in seeing students come back year after year, and even having an extra year or two.

    This was a system where everything seemed needlessly complicated and protracted. As God would have it, I had my IT at a magazine in Ibadan, and although I was in the accounts department, I wrote from time to time. The editor took interest in me, and told me that I had even more talent than many people in his employ. He began to send me to cover events and write more stories, then to edit in his absence, or proofread on the occasions that he did the editing. He mentored me, taught me the basics, and even now, he still lends his help when I need it. That was how my foray into the media world started, and so far, so good. No, I haven’t abandoned statistics because I believe that no knowledge is wasted. Statistics is an especially important field of study because of its universal appeal.

    Did you choose not to work for anybody?

    I don’t have a boss, if that’s what you’re asking, but I do render services. So, yes, I work for my clients from time to time. I like what I do because it gives me the freedom to engage in other activities.

    What is your academic background.

    I have a BSc. in Statistics from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. I’m currently working on a degree in Islamic Studies, and another in Mass Communication.

  • Jonathan and Southeast politics

    Jonathan and Southeast politics

    President Goodluck Jonathan and the southeast leaders gave commentators a lot to relish, when he visited Enugu recently, to inaugurate the remodelled Akanu-Ibiam International Cargo Airport, and lay the foundation for its international wing. Some of the commentaries, including this paper’s Hardball, used such sensual superlatives to describe the meeting, such that you could mistake the narrative as a scene in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Yet, the remodelling that took place in the southeast had been completed at the Lagos and Kano airports, without the President extracting from those political zones, the type of political capital that the southeast leaders effusively stuffed into his pockets.

    At the so called town hall meeting at Enugu State Governor’s Lodge, major political leaders from across the five states of the region were excited to be associated with the event. Indeed, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, who gave the vote of thanks had a herculean task going through the protocol list of the past and present eminent personalities present; and those he left out, Governor Peter Obi, had to be quickly recognised. On the high table with all the governors from the region, were the preeminent leader of Ndigbo and, indeed, Nigeria, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, who from the comments appeared to be the convener of the political event, passed off as the inauguration of Federal Government’s project.

    As the eminent persons at the meeting kept pouring encomiums and edifying President Jonathan, by their words and conduct, one thing kept agitating my mind: for what price? To put it more succinctly, what has President Jonathan done for the southeast geo-political zone since he became the President, which according to his own confession at the town hall meeting, gave him the highest number of votes in 2011, to merit all the attention? Of course those votes are without prejudice to millions of other votes he garnered from Ndigbo across the country. Again, while eulogising President Jonathan and promising him the support of Ndigbo in 2015, I again asked: for what price? To put it clearly again, what has the leaders extracted from Mr President in exchange for their support and vote in 2015?

    I just hope that Igbo political leaders are not selling on credit? No doubt the people of the region had been done-in by the Federal Governments since after the civil war, otherwise an international appoint would have been built in the region, just like in other regions, during the oil boom of the 1970-80’s. As President Jonathan correctly stated at the ceremony, the southeast is home to commercial entrepreneurship in Nigeria, yet the region had been deliberately denied a platform to practice their trade. Notably, with the southern fringe of the region in present Rivers state forcefully appropriated out of the zone by the Nigerian state, the region is doubly jeopardised as a landlocked region. To make matters worse, the dredging of river Niger as an alternate access for the zone has been deliberately frustrated.

    I guess that it is in this state of frustration that President Jonathan’s promise of an international cargo airport has become a big tantalizer. Of course with time running out for the major beneficiaries from the ruling party in the zone, over all the unfulfilled promises made to Ndigbo by President Jonathan prior to 2011, and with the new political realignments that are seriously threatening President Jonathan’s reelection in 2015, both groups also saw the airport project as a saving grace. As I have argued on this page, I condemn the deliberate holding down of Ndigbo and other regions through duplicitous and skewed federal system of government, as that is the cause of our national underdevelopment.

    A dysfunctional Nigeria is a zero sum game. No region, including the temporally advantaged southsouth, will make a genuine progress with the debilitating political structure in place. While I will be happy to fly directly to Europe or America from the long deprived Enugu airport, instead of through the existing international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt or Kano, I do not believe that the entire Ijele of the south-east should assemble to celebrate just a promise of that fundamental right. Now if Jonathan fails to deliver, as he has failed to deliver the second Niger Bridge and a dredged River Niger, what will happen to all the goodwill already extended? Indeed, who will come out from the alternate political stable to lead the battle in another direction?

    This wholesale alignment with Jonathan’s politics brings me to the reaction of the predominant political leaders of Ndigbo to the realignments that gave rise to the All Progressive Congress (APC). In my view, it is yet again unfortunate that the famed handshake across the Niger has failed to fully materialise, leaving the southwest and the core north as the major drivers of this new alliance to provide an alternative to the bumbling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). My hope for a new Nigeria, however, remains the emergence of a new political movement based on clear templates for solving the demons plaguing Nigeria, and drawing power from the scandalised youth, to birth a new country.

    Unfortunately, President Jonathan understands the Nigeria’s underbellies and is working hard to exploit it. Again, unfortunately, a nation ran on patronage over the nearly four decades of military and quasi-military ascendency had left Ndigbo the most vulnerable, and they are hasting to recoup. However, despite the glaring challenges from that era, there is need for clear-thinking in the effort to gain momentum in the emerging Nigeria. One sure way is for the zone to agree on where they stand on the core national questions and compare notes in seeking alliances.

     

  • ‘APC will alter face of politics’

    ‘APC will alter face of politics’

    Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande recently led 4,761 delegates to the party’s national convention in Lagos where a resolution for the approval of its merger with other opposition parties to form the All Progressives Congres (APC) was passed. He also explained the prospects of the merger and its implications for progressive politics in his address to the party faithful.

     

     

    It is with great joy that I salute each and every one of you for coming to this very historic convention of our great party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). We are particularly delighted to have in our midst, leaders of other opposition parties who have come all the way to witness this occasion. This convention is a special one, because it sets in motion one of the requisite steps that will lead to the coming together of leading opposition parties and groups for the purpose of creating an alternative political platform that will fundamentally alter for good the face of politics and governance in this country.

    There is no gainsaying the fact that the merger of the leading opposition parties, which has reached an advanced stage, is already a fait accompli. The urgent need for change and the crushing desire to rescue our country from decay compel us to act quickly to provide an alternative leadership for Nigeria. This endeavour has become necessary given the efforts of the ruling party to stifle democracy and destroy its institutions.

    We must not entertain any weariness or surrender to sentiments or blackmail in this enterprise, mindful that merger is strange, new and unique in Nigeria and that the law did not envisage the ambush presently being placed on our ways. But we shall overcome. This merger has come to stay!

    The question I have had to answer from many of our party members is, why must we merge? Our experience of a miniature merger of the truncated Alliance for Democracy with the splinter of the PDP called ACD in 2006 which resulted in the AC, and later ACN, promoted our control from one state (Lagos) in 2007 to six states (Lagos, Edo, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo and Ogun) in 2011; and, increased our representation in the National Assembly from (32 in the House of Representatives and 6 in the Senate) in 2007 to (69 in the House of Representatives to 19 in the Senate) in 2011. It is our hope therefore that a merger of big parties like ACN, CPC and ANPP with DPP and a major portion of APGA, would yield a much bumper harvest.

    The leadership of our great party after deep deliberations and consultations and in view of the current political reality is convinced that a merger is the way to go. We have threaded this path before. We are wiser, smarter and more prepared to make the sacrifices that this process requires for the sake of our country.

    Why have we succeeded so much in ACN, many may want to ask? We have selfless caucus of leaders who provided the backbones for the raising of funds; and, who exercised the tremendous influence that promoted the confidence of our party organs like the NWC and the National Executive Committee (NEC) under my leadership. We encouraged selfless officers in the party and patriotic directors in the headquarters at Abuja to serve tirelessly without any emoluments, salaries and allowances; and, we enjoyed the example of an experienced, devoted and self disciplined chairmanship that drove the party secretariat to perform so honestly such that the INEC auditors had to single out ACN as having provided a most enviable and credible records of financial statements among all the political parties in Nigeria.

    This is the kind of tradition I would urge us to re-establish in the new family, All Progressives Congress (APC). The next few changes of the merger are the final bold steps that will position us politically for greater gains and deliver one of the most formidable political platforms in post independent Nigeria.

    As democrats, we must strive to put a stop to the present lamentable state of affairs in Nigeria by constructively engaging the political process with a view to overcoming the challenges that arrest our development as a nation. We must strive to build a strong, disciplined and internally democratic political platform that guarantees greater citizen’s participation at all levels. It, therefore, behoves us as leaders to always lead by example, and insist on discipline from our party members while remaining vigilant and constantly watching out for mercenaries who are wont to throw spanners in our good works.

    In over 13 years that the PDP has been in power, not only has it failed to deliver on its promises, it has infected all institutions of state with its moral infirmity, aversion to the rule of law and entrenched monumental corruption never seen in the history of this country. Today, our country has become a society where the safety of life and property is at its lowest ebb and poverty level at its highest. Nigerians are waiting patiently but with bated breath, to see the successful outcome of the merger talks. We must never let them down. We must rise above pettiness and personal ambitions and put the greater interest of this nation over any other thing else, for this is the only guarantee, to salvaging Nigeria from the precipice.

    Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, this may be the last convention we are holding as ACN. However, it marks yet the beginning of another journey towards the attainment of higher objectives. At this juncture, let me publicly acknowledge the contributions of those I have been privileged to work within our party in the past seven years. I seize this opportunity to express deep appreciation to our party leaders across the country for their support. Your inputs, and respective wealth of experience in caucus and other informal meetings have enriched in no small measure the way we run our party.

    This ACN convention is not designed to relegate the position of its leaders and members. It is to make you a trail blazer, it is to make you the innovator, it is to make you the pioneer, it is to make you the ground breaker in a noble venture. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, this is the convention of a great party, which is at the threshold of making history. I am pleased to declare this Convention open.”

     

  • Politics, speeches, tips for tourism

    Politics, speeches, tips for tourism

    PERHAPS confirming the event as a tourism show, Bayelsa State governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson said his government is determined to position Bayelsa State as a key investment destination in Nigeria with emphasis on entertainment and tourism. The governor emphasized that his government will continue to support the annual event, which he said has encouraged the youths in different aspects of creative endeavours. He disclosed that the sum of N800million was spent to organise this year’s edition of AMAA, and announced an initial donation of N250million for the proposed Bayelsa Film Trust Fund.

    President Goodluck Jonathan who was represented at the event by the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Edem Duke, pledged technical and financial support to the host state in the promotion of the tourism industry and establishment of an under-water Research and Imaging Centre in the state. He noted that the project would be executed in collaboration with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to create training opportunities for the people.

    Duke used the opportunity of the event to reiterate government commitment to the development of the film sector. He noted that the N3 billion grant promise by Jonathan during a Presidential dinner a few months back was still valid. He disclosed that the framework for the fund will be out soon, and that the leaderships of the film industry will be appointed into a committee that will determine the modalities for disbursement. The Minister also announced a donation of N25 million in support of the proposed Yenagoa Film City.

    President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, who was represented by his country’s high commissioner in Nigeria, Lulu Luis Mnguni said his country shares in the aspirations and struggles of Nigeria and the entire African continent to eradicate poverty and marginalization as well as create a better Africa and a more cohesive world.

    For Chief Executive of AMAA, Ms Peace Anyiam Osigwe, it is incumbent on filmmakers to use the medium to change the mindset of Africa by Africa and for Africa. She noted that this was the essence of the Academy.

    Osigwe had asked for a minute silence in memory of popular entertainment industry lawyer, who died penultimate Thursday. The AMAA CEO complained about the challenges of moving guests from within African countries to Nigeria for the event. She appealed to the authorities in African countries to break the barriers and foster unity among African nations.

    Osigwe’s points were buttressed by Hollywood star, Mario Van Peebles who was visiting the country for the first time with his son. Mario expressed his desire for a united Africa, just like the United States of America.

  • Politics in the work-place: Are you an owl or a fox?

    To be effective and to survive, managers require leadership competencies which include envisioning, mental energy and stamina, a sense of purpose, ability to continue learning, ability to handle organisational politics, understanding and managing teams, facilitative in approach, being intuitive, change management, communication, stress management, balancing ambition and integrity, etc.

    Countless hours of training, books upon books, academic and non-academic papers and vital units of business education curriculum have been devoted to one of the above competencies/skills or the other.

    However, little has been written about organisational politics, either because many find the subject distasteful or perhaps because it is deemed to be worthy of study. Neither is it found in the syllabus of any management programme of MBA course that I have come across. What a waste! It is possible that more people’s careers flounder on the rocks of organisational politics than for many other reasons. Yet it is an area of great interest to practising managers. An exceedingly high proportion of the extra-curricular questions (i.e. those asked in the bar at the end of the day) in most out-of-site training programmes centre on this thorny area.

    Whether we want to admit it or not, the stark reality is that there is heavy, sometimes dangerous politicks, is going on in our establishments and corporations. While it may not be surprising to find it in government institutions and corporations, the academia is not left out. Even the so-called blue chip companies are not left out, including the local subsidiaries of trans-national corporations. In our environment, the basis of the politicking is a little more complex and the instrument of practice can be scary. Organisation politics here is complicated by unbridled nepotism, ethnicity and corruption. It is not unusual for promotions, appointments and postings to be done on one or more of the above considerations rather than merit and competence. And the instrument ranges from the absurd to the macabre-juju, assault, arson and, even, assassination!

     

    So, how can politics be defined and, more importantly, how can it be survived?

    If company politics can be described as ‘the way we do things around here’, then surely it can also be described as ‘the way that we do things to people around here’. It is sad truism that whatever people gather to tackle a task, there will be tension, rivalries, jealousies, hidden agendas and plain old-fashion mischief. Not only do people want to achieve the task their own way, they also want the way that the task is approached to reflect glory in certain specific directions and to help the careers of specific individuals or groups. It may not be pleasant, but, whether your place of work is a merchant bank or a monastery, it is unavoidable. Indeed, there is evidence to show that the more senior and better educated the participants, the more prevalent and unpleasant will be the politics. At Marks & Spencer’s Head Office in London in the 70s, a number of highly qualified, talented individuals played fast and furious political games. The reasons? The awesome organisation in its retail stores did not extend to Head Office, where many senior professionals were somewhat under-employed. As the saying goes, ‘the devil makes work for idle hands’, and the spare hours were filled with all sorts of intrigue.

    The concept of political animals is a popular one, and the University of Birmingham has conducted intriguing studies on the nature of these beasts in organisations. Researchers identified two axes behaviour:

     

    • That of being ‘well-read’ in what was going on politically within the organisation: having an interest in the different factions’ power camps and power plays. The degree to which one was well-read could be high or low

    • That of having an interest in self and the promotion of one’s own aims versus that of having a prime interest in the fortunes and welfare of the organisation.

    With these axes in mind, it then became possible to identify four discrete orientations and to label each with the name of the animal most representative.

     

    Orientation 1: Here the individual was politically well-read and had a high interest in the fortunes of the organisation rather than self. This individual they labelled the Wise Owl. Owls are both liked and respected; furthermore, they are seldom hunted and usually survive. There is one downside, however: they do not often get to the head of the forest.

     

    Orientation 2: In this box the individual was well-read and took an active interest in the politics; moreover, the individual promoted him – or herself actively within the organisation. Here we have the Crafty Fox. The fox is not always popular, for it hunts and it can create mayhem, but usually it is a survivor. Occasionally, it oversteps the mark and is hunted down, but even fox hunt in the area of southern England where I live are anything to go by, I’m glad to say!)

     

    Orientation 3: In the first of the lower boxes is found the person who is politically ill-read, but who on the other hand has a high degree of self-interest.

    The researchers contemptuously label this individual as the Donkey – both stubborn and stupid. The donkey is used as a beast of burden, resents it and is seldom thanked. It never reached the top.

     

    Orientation 4: The final box contains those who are badly read politically, who have no interest in improving their knowledge or skills and yet who continually put the organisation before self, Loyalty, blind loyalty, is the name of the game, and these people are labelled Sheep, unquestioning naive. It is often happens that the sheep end up in the slaughterhouse.

    So, where is the best position to be politically? Having put this question to a wide variety of executives from different countries and cultures, the answer is invariably ‘just to the right of the Fox/Owl divide (i.e. a combination of both, but being slightly more of a Fox). In other words, they were saying that you have to know the political forces at work and have to keep up to date with the trends and development here.

     

     

    In addition, you have to know how to play the game in order to appreciate the games was not worth the sacrifice or one’s own personal integrity and self-respect. So, to survive, the effective leader must be ‘aware’ and must learn to apply this awareness in ethical ways that reinforce the leader’s credibility rather than detract from it. All the essential skills of questioning, listening and above all intuition must be used to the full. Having the antennae out of all times is not being manipulative and does not sacrifice integrity. It is simply being smart.

    Acknowledgement: we have relied heavily on John Maurik, Management Consultant and author, Discovering The Leader in You (McGraw-Hill, 1994) and The Portable Leader (McGraw-Hill, 1997).

     

    Olu Oyeniran is the Managing Partner/CEO, EkiniConsult & Associates, Job Search

    And Career Management Consultants and publishers of www.jobsearchskill.com

    Email: oluoye@jobsearchskill.com, jobsearchskill@yahoo. co.uk

     

  • Politics in the work-place: Are you an owl or a fox?

    To be effective and to survive, managers require leadership competencies

    which include envisioning, mental energy and stamina, a sense of purpose, ability to continue learning, ability to handle organisational politics, understanding and managing teams, facilitative in approach, being intuitive, change management, communication, stress management, balancing ambition and integrity, etc.

    Countless hours of training, books upon books, academic and non-academic papers and vital units of business education curriculum have been devoted to one of the above competencies/skills or the other.

    However, little has been written about organisational politics, either because many find the subject distasteful or perhaps because it is deemed to be worthy of study. Neither is it found in the syllabus of any management programme of MBA course that I have come across. What a waste! It is possible that more people’s careers flounder on the rocks of organisational politics than for many other reasons. Yet it is an area of great interest to practising managers. An exceedingly high proportion of the extra-curricular questions (i.e. those asked in the bar at the end of the day) in most out-of-site training programmes centre on this thorny area.

    Whether we want to admit it or not, the stark reality is that there is heavy, sometimes dangerous politicks, is going on in our establishments and corporations. While it may not be surprising to find it in government institutions and corporations, the academia is not left out. Even the so-called blue chip companies are not left out, including the local subsidiaries of trans-national corporations. In our environment, the basis of the politicking is a little more complex and the instrument of practice can be scary. Organisation politics here is complicated by unbridled nepotism, ethnicity and corruption. It is not unusual for promotions, appointments and postings to be done on one or more of the above considerations rather than merit and competence. And the instrument ranges from the absurd to the macabre-juju, assault, arson and, even, assassination!

     

    So, how can politics be defined and, more importantly, how can it be survived?

    If company politics can be described as ‘the way we do things around here’, then surely it can also be described as ‘the way that we do things to people around here’. It is sad truism that whatever people gather to tackle a task, there will be tension, rivalries, jealousies, hidden agendas and plain old-fashion mischief. Not only do people want to achieve the task their own way, they also want the way that the task is approached to reflect glory in certain specific directions and to help the careers of specific individuals or groups. It may not be pleasant, but, whether your place of work is a merchant bank or a monastery, it is unavoidable. Indeed, there is evidence to show that the more senior and better educated the participants, the more prevalent and unpleasant will be the politics. At Marks & Spencer’s Head Office in London in the 70s, a number of highly qualified, talented individuals played fast and furious political games. The reasons? The awesome organisation in its retail stores did not extend to Head Office, where many senior professionals were somewhat under-employed. As the saying goes, ‘the devil makes work for idle hands’, and the spare hours were filled with all sorts of intrigue.

    The concept of political animals is a popular one, and the University of Birmingham has conducted intriguing studies on the nature of these beasts in organisations. Researchers identified two axes behaviour:

     

    • That of being ‘well-read’ in what was going on politically within the organisation: having an interest in the different factions’ power camps and power plays. The degree to which one was well-read could be high or low

    • That of having an interest in self and the promotion of one’s own aims versus that of having a prime interest in the fortunes and welfare of the organisation.

    With these axes in mind, it then became possible to identify four discrete orientations and to label each with the name of the animal most representative.

     

    Orientation 1: Here the individual was politically well-read and had a high interest in the fortunes of the organisation rather than self. This individual they labelled the Wise Owl. Owls are both liked and respected; furthermore, they are seldom hunted and usually survive. There is one downside, however: they do not often get to the head of the forest.

     

    Orientation 2: In this box the individual was well-read and took an active interest in the politics; moreover, the individual promoted him- or herself actively within the organisation. Here we have the Crafty Fox. The fox is not always popular, for it hunts and it can create mayhem, but usually it is a survivor. Occasionally, it oversteps the mark and is hunted down, but even fox hunt in the area of southern England where I live are anything to go by, I’m glad to say!)

     

    Orientation 3: In the first of the lower boxes is found the person who is politically ill-read, but who on the other hand has a high degree of self-interest.

    The researchers contemptuously label this individual as the Donkey – both stubborn and stupid. The donkey is used as a beast of burden, resents it and is seldom thanked. It never reached the top.

     

    Orientation 4: The final box contains those who are badly read politically, who have no interest in improving their knowledge or skills and yet who continually put the organisation before self, Loyalty, blind loyalty, is the name of the game, and these people are labelled Sheep, unquestioning naive. It is often happens that the sheep end up in the slaughterhouse.

     

    So, where is the best position to be politically? Having put this question to a wide variety of executives from different countries and cultures, the answer is invariably ‘just to the right of the Fox/Owl divide (i.e. a combination of both, but being slightly more of a Fox). In other words, they were saying that you have to know the political forces at work and have to keep up to date with the trends and development here. In addition, you have to know how to play the game in order to appreciate the games was not worth the sacrifice or one’s own personal integrity and self-respect. So, to survive, the effective leader must be ‘aware’ and must learn to apply this awareness in ethical ways that reinforce the leader’s credibility rather than detract from it. All the essential skills of questioning, listening and above all intuition must be used to the full. Having the antennae out of all times is not being manipulative and does not sacrifice integrity. It is simply being smart.

    Acknowledgement: we have relied heavily on John Maurik, Management Consultant and author, Discovering The Leader in You (McGraw-Hill, 1994) and The Portable Leader (McGraw-Hill, 1997).

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Youths rise against thuggery, money politics

    Youths rise against thuggery, money politics

    In their resolve to create an enabling environment that would engender free, fair and credible election, youths in Anambra State gathered in Awka, the state capital recently to deliberate on ways to consolidate on the existing peace and political stability in the state.

    During their deliberations, they realised that money politics and political thuggery had been the bane of the state since its creation. They, therefore, expressed their willingness to kick against these hideous phenomena in the forthcoming governorship election slated for later part of the year.

    The gathering, the second in a week, brought together youths from the 21 local government areas.

    The event took place at King David’s Hotel in Awka. The state Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Dr Edozie Aroh represented Governor Peter Obi at the event which was organised by Golden Morning International (GMI). Its theme was “Youth against Thuggery and Money Politics in Anambra 2013.”

    Speaking at the event, the Director of GMI, Anthony Aniegbue regretted that those whose dead bodies floated in Ezu River were youths and not the aged, adding that if what happened in Anambra State was to be in a civilised world, security agents would have resigned en masse.

    He added that the governorship election which will take place later in the year would be violence-free as the youth would be seriously involved.

    Prof. Mercy Anagbogu, in her speech, said it was a pity that in the past 21 years, youths of the state had not been given the opportunity to participate actively in governance.

    “2013 is the year the youth in Anambra State will rise up against all evils; and if this opportunity slips from them, then, there will be problem. We pray that such a thing will never happen,” she said.

    Governor Peter Obi, represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Dr Edozie Aroh, stated that it was not the youth who had been involved in thuggery and money politics, rather the adults who pay them to perpetrate such ugly acts.

    He opined that stopping such act would be through legislation, adding that the youth should be mindful of the politicians who use and dump them after elections.

    A governorship hopeful, Dr Chike Obidigbo said that 80 per cent of this group lives in communities where economic, civic and social opportunities are insufficient to address their diverse needs.

    He said: “What makes the youth prone to thuggery and money politics can easily be changed through genuine initiative like what we are having today. Such initiative, I believe, stems from that love and faith for sustainable good governance which brings us to the theory of change.

    “The youth, who are hungry, unemployed, and have no skills for self-sufficiency are likely to engage in political thuggery, kidnapping, shooting and snatching of ballot boxes during elections as these have become their sources of livelihood,” Obidigbo said.

  • Politics in the work-place: Are you an owl or a fox?

    To be effective and to survive, managers require leadership competencies which include envisioning, mental energy and stamina, a sense of purpose, ability to continue learning, ability to handle organisational politics, understanding and managing teams, facilitative in approach, being intuitive, change management, communication, stress management, balancing ambition and integrity, etc.

    Countless hours of training, books upon books, academic and non-academic papers and vital units of business education curriculum have been devoted to one of the above competencies/skills or the other.

    However, little has been written about organisational politics, either because many find the subject distasteful or perhaps because it is deemed to be worthy of study. Neither is it found in the syllabus of any management programme of MBA course that I have come across. What a waste! It is possible that more people’s careers flounder on the rocks of organisational politics than for many other reasons. Yet it is an area of great interest to practising managers. An exceedingly high proportion of the extra-curricular questions (i.e. those asked in the bar at the end of the day) in most out-of-site training programmes centre on this thorny area.

    Whether we want to admit it or not, the stark reality is that there is heavy, sometimes dangerous politicks, is going on in our establishments and corporations. While it may not be surprising to find it in government institutions and corporations, the academia is not left out. Even the so-called blue chip companies are not left out, including the local subsidiaries of trans-national corporations. In our environment, the basis of the politicking is a little more complex and the instrument of practice can be scary. Organisation politics here is complicated by unbridled nepotism, ethnicity and corruption. It is not unusual for promotions, appointments and postings to be done on one or more of the above considerations rather than merit and competence. And the instrument ranges from the absurd to the macabre-juju, assault, arson and, even, assassination!

     

    So, how can politics be defined and, more importantly, how can it be survived?

    If company politics can be described as ‘the way we do things around here’, then surely it can also be described as ‘the way that we do things to people around here’. It is sad truism that whatever people gather to tackle a task, there will be tension, rivalries, jealousies, hidden agendas and plain old-fashion mischief. Not only do people want to achieve the task their own way, they also want the way that the task is approached to reflect glory in certain specific directions and to help the careers of specific individuals or groups. It may not be pleasant, but, whether your place of work is a merchant bank or a monastery, it is unavoidable. Indeed, there is evidence to show that the more senior and better educated the participants, the more prevalent and unpleasant will be the politics. At Marks & Spencer’s Head Office in London in the 70s, a number of highly qualified, talented individuals played fast and furious political games. The reasons? The awesome organisation in its retail stores did not extend to Head Office, where many senior professionals were somewhat under-employed. As the saying goes, ‘the devil makes work for idle hands’, and the spare hours were filled with all sorts of intrigue.

    The concept of political animals is a popular one, and the University of Birmingham has conducted intriguing studies on the nature of these beasts in organisations. Researchers identified two axes behaviour:

     

    • That of being ‘well-read’ in what was going on politically within the organisation: having an interest in the different factions’ power camps and power plays. The degree to which one was well-read could be high or low

    • That of having an interest in self and the promotion of one’s own aims versus that of having a prime interest in the fortunes and welfare of the organisation.

    With these axes in mind, it then became possible to identify four discrete orientations and to label each with the name of the animal most representative.

     

    Orientation 1: Here the individual was politically well-read and had a high interest in the fortunes of the organisation rather than self. This individual they labelled the Wise Owl. Owls are both liked and respected; furthermore, they are seldom hunted and usually survive. There is one downside, however: they do not often get to the head of the forest.

     

    Orientation 2: In this box the individual was well-read and took an active interest in the politics; moreover, the individual promoted him- or herself actively within the organisation. Here we have the Crafty Fox. The fox is not always popular, for it hunts and it can create mayhem, but usually it is a survivor. Occasionally, it oversteps the mark and is hunted down, but even fox hunt in the area of southern England where I live are anything to go by, I’m glad to say!)

     

    Orientation 3: In the first of the lower boxes is found the person who is politically ill-read, but who on the other hand has a high degree of self-interest.

    The researchers contemptuously label this individual as the Donkey – both stubborn and stupid. The donkey is used as a beast of burden, resents it and is seldom thanked. It never reached the top.

     

    Orientation 4: The final box contains those who are badly read politically, who have no interest in improving their knowledge or skills and yet who continually put the organisation before self, Loyalty, blind loyalty, is the name of the game, and these people are labelled Sheep, unquestioning naive. It is often happens that the sheep end up in the slaughterhouse.

     

    So, where is the best position to be politically? Having put this question to a wide variety of executives from different countries and cultures, the answer is invariably ‘just to the right of the Fox/Owl divide (i.e. a combination of both, but being slightly more of a Fox). In other words, they were saying that you have to know the political forces at work and have to keep up to date with the trends and development here. In addition, you have to know how to play the game in order to appreciate the games was not worth the sacrifice or one’s own personal integrity and self-respect. So, to survive, the effective leader must be ‘aware’ and must learn to apply this awareness in ethical ways that reinforce the leader’s credibility rather than detract from it. All the essential skills of questioning, listening and above all intuition must be used to the full. Having the antennae out of all times is not being manipulative and does not sacrifice integrity. It is simply being smart.

    Acknowledgement: we have relied heavily on John Maurik, Management Consultant and author, Discovering The Leader in You (McGraw-Hill, 1994) and The Portable Leader (McGraw-Hill, 1997).

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Politics of exco composition in Benue

    Politics of exco composition in Benue

    Correspondent UJA EMMANUEL writes on the intense lobby for executive council positions in Benue State by politicians and other stakeholders.

    Since Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam sacked the Secretary to the government and 11 commissioners, there have been intense lobbying for cabinet positions by many politicians. Anxiety has also gripped the remaining five commissioners who were no were not affected by the sack, following feelers that they may be re-assigned to new portfolios.

    It was the first major cabinet shake-up since 2007 when the governor assumed office. Suswam issued a stern warning that nobody should lobby him or his deputy ,Chief Lawani, for appointment. He said the sacked commissioners had served the state and should come to terms with the reality that they cannot be in the cabinet for ever.

    Many believe that the dissolution was long overdue. However, the criteria for the sack and retention of four commissioners was strange to them.

    There is also disquiet in the various political camps over the fate of the affected commissioners because they were very close to the governor. Some influential political leaders are already mounting pressures on Suswan to re-appoint them. Some of the commissioners involved in the intense lobby to bounce back are Hon. John Ngbede( Water resources and Environment), Hon. John Tondo( Lands and survey) and Hon. Benjamin Ashaver(Works and Transport).

    Those mounting pressures on the governor on their behalf are of the opinion that, apart from performance, they are tested and trusted.

    There is also the feeling that Governor Suswam is very unfair to the trio of Ngbede, Ashaver and Tondo, who worked hard to ensure that he was re-elected for a second term and remained loyal when he was defending his mandate at the tribunal and court.

    Besides, the three of them command large followers, especially among the youths who are the strength of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the state. Others have reasoned that their premature departure from the cabinet may likely affect the chances of the party in the future electoral contests. Some party leaders felt that the former commissioners may team up with the opposition to wreck havoc on the PDP.

    “John Ngbede is forced to reckon with in his Apa/ Agatu area and the entire Zone C,while Bejamin Ashaver is the only man from Sankera in the PDP who could check Professor Daniel Saror, his uncle, who contested the election against Suswam on the ticket of All Nigeria Peoples party (ANPP. John Tondo is the toast of the PDP youths as he has empowered many of them”, said a PDP chieftain in Makurdi.

    A youth leader in Gboko local government, Comrade Terwase Akure, told The Nation that those sacked from cabinet are incidentally the ones supporting Suswam to build the PDP and those retained have not added much value to the party. “The end of the PDP may be near becaue those sacked from the cabinet are popular and they may team up with the APC”, he added. But those retained disagreed with this view, saying that they are loyal to the party and the administration.

    To avoid any political calamity, Akure appealed to Governor Suswam to reappoit Asahver, Ngbede and Tondo in the interest of the party.

    It is not clear whether the governor will yield to these appeals. Lask week, he read a riot act to the PDP chieftains. He said that any political appointee who engages in 2015 campaigns would be sanctioned. They grumbled at this threat.

    For now, the ruling party and other stakeholders are waiting for the new list of commissioners. Many believe that the composition may shape the political calculations ahead of 2015 in the state.

  • Ajimobi calls for more women in politics

    THE wife of the Oyo State Governor, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, has canvassed for more active participation of women to occupy political positions in Nigeria.

    Mrs. Ajimobi, who was represented by the Special Adviser to the governor on trade and investment, Mrs. Oyefunke Oworu, noted that women’s participation in politics would facilitate development and sustenance of democratic values.

    She spoke on Friday at the 2013 International Women’s Day celebration with the theme “The Gender: Gaining Momentum,” organised by Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Community Development, held at the Civil Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

    She noted that the state government recognised the indispensable role that women play in nation building and has therefore appointed women into key decisions, such as Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chief Judge of the State, Honourable Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, among others.

    She urged government at all levels to encourage women’s participation in nation building efforts, saying  women had always been involved in transformational initiatives.

    Earlier in her welcome address, Mrs. Atinuke Osunkoya, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, said the administration had performed well in involving  women in  political positions.