The need for Nigeria as a country to be governed by leaders with clear and meaningful visions at both government and private sectors has again resonated at a colloquium put together by Akinjide Adeosun Foundation (AAF) in Lagos on Wednesday.
Speakers at the event held in Lekki to mark the 53rd birthday of the founder of AAF and CEO of St. Rachael’s Pharmaceuticals Nigeria, Mr Akinjide Adeosun, including the former Chairman of First Bank Plc, Mrs Ibukun Awosika; founder\CEO of Cable Newspaper Limited, Mr Simon Kolawole and a 100 level Industrial Mathematics student of Covenant University, Ota, AshepeOluwa Oyedepo, among others have all agreed that to move Nigeria out of its protracted economic and political woes certainly required visionary leaders.
Two Nigerians considered to be great visionaries, namely Dr Innocent Chukwuma, the group chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing and Dr (Mrs) Kehinde Nwani, CEO of Meadow Schools were conferred with this year’s leadership award which was sixth in the series by the foundation at the event which has the Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Mrs Olubamiwo Adeosun and some other dignitaries in attendance.
Speaking via Zoom platform, Mrs Awosika said since citizens cannot give up on the country, it is required that everyone has to play his or her part particularly from the family level up to the community and then to the government to move Nigeria to a greater height.
She said the foundation for visionary leadership either in government or private life is a long term process and encompassing starting from childbirth and continuing till adulthood.
She said children mostly learn things particularly leadership virtues from parents and other family members than in schools and the larger society and that whatever they learnt had a tendency to influence their actions as they grow older.
“That is why if the right things are done at the family level, it will certainly have positive effects on the communities and on the larger society,” she stressed.
Mrs Awosika said leadership is an act of responsibility and may not necessarily be for the smartest persons but should be for those who have good visions and can sacrifice and understand the limitations of people and also communicate effectively to them.
She, however, noted that it is not as if Nigeria does not have people with such virtues but many are not coming forward to take such responsibilities, particularly in the government circle.
In his own contribution, Mr Simon Kolawole, who spoke on “The enabler of national development,” lamented that Nigeria is continued to lag behind in the comity of prosperous nations because many political leaders are not vision-driven.
According to him, many of them go into politics or leadership positions like travellers without clear destinations and that is why when they are asked about their visions in office and how and when to achieve it, they have nothing tangible to say.
Mr. Kolawole said though having the right followership is also important, visionary leadership from councillorship position up to presidency and all other political offices are more important as they are the ones in charge of the country’s resources and drivers’ seats showing the way.
He said their non-performance makes Nigeria remain poor with grave consequences hitting hard on its people.
Making reference to the insecurity situation in the country, he said the problem would not have grown worse as it is today should a significant number of youths are economically engaged or the problem would have been better solved should the government give priority to job and wealth creation for youths rather than channelling resources towards arms and ammunition to fight criminals.
So for me, he said, Nigeria needs visionary leadership for genuine development to take place.
Also speaking on the expectations of the younger generation, AshepeOluwa Oyedepo said the youth want the country that is working and full of hope for a better tomorrow.
According to him, Nigeria needs leaders who are problem-solvers impacting positively not only on the youth but every segment of the population
Speaking earlier, AFF founder and Chairman\CEO) of St. Racheal’s Pharmaceuticals, Mr Akinjide Adeosun explained the reasons for setting up the foundation, saying it is to strengthen capabilities in today’s leaders and also produce their likes among the younger generation as future leaders in Nigeria and beyond.
He said the foundation is doing that as a valuable contribution to the national development and that the efforts within its six years existence had yielded great results.
He said that was why the foundation honours only individuals who have demonstrated acceptable leadership virtues such as good character, honesty, integrity not only in their chosen fields but in all spheres of life.
Speaking on “A raison d’etre for nation-building,” Adeosun said visionary leaders are those who can, among others identify potentials and support them for positive change and significant contributions to nation-building.
He said what Nigeria needs now particularly in political governance are leaders chosen based on merit and not on the rotation of where they come from.
He also said it would be of tremendous help towards genuine development if revenues being generated in each state of the federation are shared in the ratio of 80 per cent to state and 20 per cent to the federal government.
He, however, urged the government at all levels to invest more in building people and also in their healthcare as the two sectors according to him are the drivers of any economy.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents
In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…Need for visionary leaders Need for visionary leaders
Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train
The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…Need for visionary leaders Need for visionary leaders
and then