Each time I look at most of those leading us in Nigeria at the highest level in the realm of governance, it is very easy to see that they are not relevant to the Nigeria of today. They could have been relevant to either 18th or 19th century Nigeria! It is clear as water that they stopped learning a long time ago! And when you stop learning, you actually stop leading! You may be occupying a leadership position, but it does not mean you are leading. This is neither debatable nor contentious.
Many people are occupying varied leadership positions without actually leading in our clime. When people—who are occupying varied leadership positions speak, you would know. And when folks—who are both occupying leadership positions and are leaders speak, you will know also. When a true leader speaks, everyone listens and does what he says! How many people listen today when our political leaders speak let alone do what they say?
The reason leaders learn everyday is not because they want to impress anyone with how much they know, but it is because they care so much about those they are leading. It is the love they have for those they are leading that make them consistently pant after knowledge as a deer pants after water. They know that when they stop learning that they will lead their followers into the bush.
For the umpteenth time, leaders are lifelong learners. Remember, lifelong learning is the minimum requirement for success in your field, or in any field of leadership. With knowledge and information doubling every three to five years, your personal knowledge about your field of leadership must be doubling every three to five years as well, just to stay even and relevant.
Each time I go to speak to would be leaders in “Ajegun,” the most notorious slum in Africa, I always teach them to set up their own functional libraries, making them to buy at least a book a month and read through it all, because it is of no use to buy good books and not read through them. Over the years, they have built good functional libraries, because no one can truly lead without having the tool of relevant knowledge.
Your goal in this day and time as both leader and would be leader should be to join the top 10 per cent in your field of leadership. You should do an analysis of your field and determine what the people in the top 10 per cent today are earning. You should then find out what it is they are doing to earn that kind of money. You can ask them directly if you do have a relationship with them and they will probably tell you. Whatever answer you get, follow up. Read the books they read. Listen to the audio programs and take the same courses they take. Do what they do until you get the same results they get!
What I am writing on here is very imperative and important—because our clime is a very religious one, very godless though. Most of our people—who desire to become successful detest buying and reading through the books that those who are successful are reading. They wrongly think praying on mountains alone is enough to birth success. What reading through good books (and doing what you glean from them) will do, prayer will not do it!
Hear me, no one is better than you and no one is smarter than you. If someone is doing better than you at the moment, it is because they have learned and applied knowledge and information faster than you are. And anything that anyone else has done, you can do as well, if you know what he knows. This understanding has helped me a great deal in life and purpose.
I do not look at anyone, who is doing fine and well and envy him or her. No! The reason is because I believe I can do what he or she is doing, (especially if he or she is laboring in the same field I am also laboring in) on the condition that I do know what he or she knows. Instead of envying him, I will try all my best possible to get to know what he knows and keep practicing till I can do what he or she can do.
It is ignorance that makes us envy ourselves on this continent. You will stop envying people once you know you can do what they are doing if you know what they know. I challenge you today to stop envying successful people and start finding out what they know and get busy learning what they know. Take for instance; I am too busy learning to have time to envy anyone!
As I coast home this Monday, leaders are lifelong learners is not a mere slogan, it is what you need to consistently work out in shoe leather. Do not forget these words as long as you respire: it is easy to greatly lead once, but it takes a lifelong learner to keep leading greatly. It is easy to make a great presentation once, but it takes a lifelong learner to keep making great presentations.
Lastly, to keep leading, you have to keep learning. You cannot lead today with the knowledge of yesterday. The day you stop learning is the day you start losing relevance as both a leader and would be leader. Till I come your way again next week, see you where lifelong leaders are found!
Fiction, Faction And Presidential Marabouts As COVID-20
In discussing the above, permit me to begin from a seemingly intangible occurrence that happened during the week that just ended. Yoruba Waka music genre singer, Salawa Abeni caused a stir on the information highway last Wednesday when she released her own nude pictures on social media. The 58-year-old musician was being… Read full article
We Have No Protective Gears, We Are Paid N1,000 Allowance For Three Days, Say Policemen Guarding Ejigbo Isolation Centre
Policemen guarding the Ejigbo isolation centre in Osun State on Saturday lamented over what they described as poor welfare and lack of protective gears for the discharge of their duties. This was just as all the returnees who tested negative and not from Osun State left the isolation centre in Ejigbo on Saturday for their… Read full story
Alleged Rape In Kogi: NMA Calls For Thorough Investigation
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called on the relevant law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged battering and rape of Elizabeth Oyeniyi, by the Kogi State Commissioner for Water Resources, Abdumumuni Danga… Read full story
We Did Not Put Ex-Presidential Aide Obono-Obla In Illegal Detention–ICPC
The Independent Corrupt Practises and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has denied allegation that it put the Chairman of the defunct Special Presidential Investigation Panel, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, in “malicious and illegal detention.” The agency said it was responding to the claim in a press statement issued on social media… Read full story
COVID-19: Kaduna Govt Begins Distribution Of N500m Food Items
Kaduna State government on Saturday began distribution of the N500 million worth of food items in the eight pilot local government areas of the state. The commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba disclosed this, while flagging off the distribution at Kaduna North local government which is… Read story
UPDATE: Chronic Kidney Disease Killed Enugu Health Commissioner ― Family
The Enugu State Commissioner for Health, Professor Anthony Ugochukwu, died of chronic kidney disease, the family of the late top government official has revealed. A statement signed by Dr. Kingsley Ugochukwu on-behalf of the deceased family which was made available to Tribune Online in Enugu on Saturday stating that the late… Read full story
COVID-19: Oyo Begins Markets Fumigation This Week
Interim Chairman, Oyo State COVID-19 task force, Professor Temitope Alonge has said the state will this week decontaminate (fumigate) markets spread across the state. As contained in a statement by Chief Press Secretary to Oyo State governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, the decontamination would be carried out using experts… Read full stor
COVID-19: Bauchi Gov, Bala Mohammed, Tests Negative
Unconfirmed reports have it that Bauchi State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, has tested negative after completing the first round of treatment for COVID-19. Though the story is trending in the social media, as at the time of filing this report, no official statement from the government unlike in the past when such… Read full story