Leading By Example

A good leader leads by example. That is integrity. A leader cannot tell the people to do one thing while he does another. Leadership is a burden. It is service and involves lots of sacrifice. A leader is looked up to not with the mindless servitude seen from many but with respect for inspiring the people and instilling confidence. A leader is that one person whom when everything seem to be falling apart stands as a buffer inspiring and urging the people to a great future with a vision he has effectively outline.

Nigeria is daily plagued by anomalies. Standard and acceptable behaviour now look alien and out of place. We are a Nation of one day one drama! If Nigeria was to be put together as a reality show we probably will end up with a foreign exchange earner that will rival what we currently earn. Our drama as a Nation is extra!

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The President, after the budget presentation banned all international travels by cabinet members and head of government agencies. The reason for this was so they can focus on the defense of the budget and all related budget matters. At face value one would say good move knowing fully well most of these travels are mere frivolity with nothing tangible being achieved. More like the case of motion without movement. The President announcing his travels not long after issuing a ban on all travels by his appointees is disappointing but not surprising with the many precedents set by the president over the years! He seems to think the rules that are set for others do not include him. What happened to sitting at home, rolling your sleeves and working with your team to ensure that the budget is passed? What happened to ensuring they are doing what is expected of them and also knowing you are on top of the issue? What happened to being a leader and leading by example?

As if that was not enough we were again informed that the President will not be returning directly to Nigeria after the travels but will be going to London on a private visit. Private visit when there is a task at hand that your team is supposed to fervently work on? A private meeting at a time the Nation is in need of leadership? What private visit that cannot be done in Nigeria? Repeatedly the President has told Nigerians to live within their means. Is a private visit to London by our President within our means? What happened to patronise made in Nigeria that the President has again lately been advocating? Why is the President in London patronising non made in Nigeria when he could be in Obudu cattle ranch patronising made in Nigeria? For a President that ordered closure of border it would have been hilarious if not for the gravity of the issue, that he jets off abroad for a private visit. When would the President come to the realisation that one’s action is extremely important and must always match one’s words?

Just like the intricacies of a reality show made to entertain we were again bombarded with pictures of President Muhammadu Buhari signing a bill in London with the picture of a man reported to be the Chief of Staff Abba Kyari besides him. It was reported that the Chief of Staff flew to London to have the President assent to the bill in faraway London. A country with closed borders, patronising made in Nigeria policy, ban on cabinet members and head of government agencies travelling abroad and living within our means mantra. This reality is truly stranger than fiction

For a Nation reeling in debt and borrowing to service its debts this is a gross waste of public funds. What is the essence of having a Vice President? Before going on for a private visit why didn’t the President transmit powers to the Vice President? Why did the President go on a private visit with so many pending acts on ground? Is the Vice President delegated to sharing trader moni and condolence visits? Is he only good at going to event where he would give speeches and inform the people of how a farm started with 1.5m naira loan was worth over 1bn in two years? It is quite saddening how the office of the Vice President has been reduced by a man who sees himself as son to the President rather than as partner towards moving Nigeria forward. No wonder he was nicknamed starboy and of course you do not delegate sensitive issues to boy to handle. More saddening will be the tweets coming from the Vice Presidents handle as he gleefully announce his chairing of the federal executive Council meeting like a kid in a toy shop.