The need for visionary leaders to pilot the affairs of the nation was the thrust of the recent Leadership Colloquium and Award series by Akinjide Adeosun Foundation, Sunday Ehigiator reports
The ability to see the potential for change, see beyond blurry visions of others, combined with the ability to lead others to achieve their maximum potentials, even with limited resources has been ascribed as one major attribute of a visionary leader.
This formed the center of conversations at the sixth colloquium of Akinjide Adeosun Foundation
(AAF), which was also held in commemoration of the 53rd birthday anniversary of the founder, Mr. Akinjide Adeosun.
Joining the conversation via zoom, former Chairman of First Bank Plc, Mrs Ibukun Awosika, noted that the youths must be encouraged to take active part in governance, and leadership training must be included in Nigeria’s secondary school curriculum.
According to her, “the foundation for visionary leadership either in government or private life is a long term process encompassing from childbirth and continuing till adulthood.”
She said leadership must be inculcated in children from young age through learning of leadership virtues from parents and other family members, even before school age, as whatever learnt at that early age, has a tendency to influence children’s action 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.
She therefore concluded that leadership was 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.
Also speaking, the AAF Founder, Adeosun opined that the country does not need a brand new constitution but an amendment of the current one to correct anomalies in the leadership of the country.
He also recommended that states should take 80 per cent of their resources and contribute 20 per cent to the center, “This will make states to be creative and stop the monthly crave for Abuja money.”
While stating that he was against state policing, Adeosun said “we must be careful not to create another problem because of a perceived problem. If we allow state police in Nigeria, don’t be surprised if Nigerians in future start asking for State Army, State Airforce and State Navy.”
He therefore suggested an amendment of the constitution, to allow guards of private security companies, similar to South-Africa, and regional security networks, to carry arms.
“Our problem is not the constitution but poor leadership. If you have the best constitution with a flawed leadership-we will not develop. However, I am an incurable optimist. I know we have visionary leaders in Nigeria especially in the private sector.
“However they are afraid and do not have the money required to get into the public space or will not spend their hard earned money chasing political or elective positions,” he said.
Speaking on ‘The Enabler of National Development’, Founder\CEO of Cable Newspaper Ltd, Mr. Simon Kolawole, lamented that the country has 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 travelers 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.”
He thereby concluded that Nigeria needed a visionary leadership for genuine development to take place.
