Leadership and Ideology

It is a known fact that the fate of the people rests primarily on the shoulder of the man chosen to steer them. In the history of man some names will always be remembered forever as models of great leadership names like Mahatma Ghandi, Castro, Abe Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Chairman Mao, Awolowo etc.  These are men who have impacted greatly and positively on their countries so much that their effects are still felt till today. These men had one thing in common they were visionaries with compelling ideologies who had more concern for the future of their people.

For the past 49 years Nigeria has gone through a series of successive bad leaders, who have rusted the wheels of progress of the country starving the nation of necessary nutrients, turning progress to endangered specie.  The condition of the country has taken a downward spiral, with things getting worse everyday, the once glorious powerhouse of Africa now just blighted handicap, all aspect of the national system at an all time low the dreams of the fore fathers dumped in the thrash. 

This situation is not peculiar to Nigeria alone as every nation has gone through this phase in their national history, Uganda had Amin, Italy had Mussolini, Pinochet, Military junta in Ghana, Hitler in Germany, Philippines, Saddam  etc and these countries have emerged from these conundrums because they had a “Moses” to lead them through the succeeding wilderness.

It always seem like when our hopes are raised that our “Moses” has come our hopes soon fizzle out as they all turn out to be enslaving pharaohs. We always get dysfunctional leaders, one obvious the fact is that our leaders lack principles. They see the situation in other countries but it does nothing to affect their psyche about their home country.  They don’t think of the future as a function of the present, selfishness reigns supreme in their hearts, most of the policies made have always being in favour of them and their cronies e.g. SAP.

The problem lies in the negative ideology of the country, people contest for positions for the wrong reasons. It’s been a long time since we had someone who with his party had a vision for the country, an ideology is a guideline to achieving your goals.

As things are panning out it doesn’t look like our generation will produce better leaders than we have had, plagued by a get rich quick (Economic and financial crimes), less nationalistic, fun and nonchalant attitude the future of this country seems to be in wrong hands. The only promising sect is the generation of the 70’s and early 80’s who are at the fore front of national rejuvenation.

We require a reorientation in this country, we can’t all belong to the same wing but not having an ideology is a great deficit in any plan for national development, (one of the reasons why we see our politicians moving around parties like prostitutes)

In those days in Russia, China and Germany they always had public lectures geared toward educating youths on issues of social significance, publications creating awareness and re aligning minds towards benefiting issues, a reason why they had lasting and successful revolutions, fall out of which happened throughout South America.  The USA for instance has two popular ideology groups both of which have at one time served the purpose of the people differently making the US what they are today.

We have potential heroes among us who have the wherewithal to turn this country around, but as a people generally we require the right nurturing, right tutorship, right ideology, right vision and right attitude to be capable of effecting the desired change the country requires.