Providing the needed leadership

It is a well-known fact that elections are here and quite a number of intrigues in form of banters, mockery, criticism, mudslinging and verbal attacks are expected among the candidates and members of opposing political parties all in the name of outdoing opponents to win votes. It must be noted that Intrigues of this type must however be observed with decorum devoid of character assassination, outright abuse, indecency, fallacies and blackmail.

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In the past many factors have militated against the electorate in the choice of their leaders as no standard yardstick was employed to evaluate the personal attributes of the candidates. The people never insisted on minimum standard for the leaders.  As a result of this, a reluctant candidate can become the president; a governor can be voted for because he is a moneybag, a conman senator and a spoilt federal lawmaker can find themselves in the hallowed chamber if they contested on the platform of a popular party; a council head may emerge because it is the turn of his ‘zone’ to produce the chairman. It is pathetic.

This apparent lack of attention to the substance of the person to vote for has opened the political space to novices, fortune hunters and above all misfits who can buy and bribe their way into the highest of offices.

Truly, everybody has fundamental right to aspire for any post he or she so desires but it should be made known and quite clear that nobody has the right to reduce the very serious job of governance and leadership to an object of mockery. Governance is a very serious business; it should not be for beginners, apprentices or scammers. It is, without being immodest, a job for the fittest.

In the chequered history of our environment, we have seen how best and how worst we have been governed by those who have business in being in government and those who do not have an inkling of what governance is. Personality is one essential ingredient that is central to leadership.

Let it be known that the gravity of responsibility of office brings with it humility. Humility here refers to the modesty and grace to recognise the limitations of one and power itself. This is an essential ingredient of leadership.

The old order must change and old assumptions dethroned. Our search for leadership, this time around, should be based on merit and not money, experience and not ego, humility and not harassment, preparedness and not prejudice.

Let the electioneering campaign be issues-based and not on flimsy and childish taunts. We simply need to grow.

Akinola Thomas, Lagos