The Head And The Rest

AMBASSADOR EZEWELE CYRIL ABIONANOJIE

In a very high degree, there is a way the head of an organizational body influences the activities, commitment and the acceptability of his followers which in turn influences the production outcome of the organization. That is, the contents of a leader to an industrial scale conjure the contents of his followers.

In a similar vein, in the human body, the contents of the head which is the brain determine the movement and the feelings of the other parts of the body. If the head is sane, automatically the whole body will function in a conventional way. But if the head is not sane, you will behold a lunatic in display. In any business organization, the managerial heads are the engines that move it forward. They are to be praised or blamed concerning the outcome of the organization. The responsibility of the functionality and the advancement of the organization are on their shoulders and they do try all means to make sure every other part of the organization functions well to meet the demand of the company. They enjoy higher stipends and elevated positions than the men grinding down the machines in the production sector. Though, it is more exerting to think than to grind the machine in the production sector, for life solutions are cultivated through cerebral manipulation of information before it can be struggled into reality through physical engagement of bodily strength.

In the same way as the functionality of a business organization, the strength of a nation is determined by the colour of thoughts of their leaders. If and when a leader eschews evil and corrupt practices in the real sense of zero tolerance, the ordinary citizens will dance to the rhythm of the new beat and automatically spearhead their ambitions, visions and pursuits towards the creation of a nation that will be fit to sit at the dining table of able nations.

One thing you must know about the happenings at the dining table of able nations, if your nation is not sitting there automatically her name will be among the menu options for consumption. And I will put it to you that, till date, as a result of corruption, no Africa nation had been able to catapult herself to the height of recognition and admission into the universal region of self reliance that qualifies a nation to gain a seat at the dining table of able nations. It is a pity that most Africa leaders are still in the business of self – destructive engagement of sucking their nation dry; looting instead of planting, killing instead of healing, bribing instead of building, brainwashing instead of brainstorming, rigging elections instead of allowing the wishes of the people to take the lead as stipulated in a democratic setting and above all some have made themselves demi – gods and want to die in the power they have abused for so long with obtuse, inhuman, disgusting and corrupt mentality. There is a saying in Africa that no matter how good a dancer you are, once you stay too long on the dancing floor, your dancing moves will no longer be interesting. Leadership is a relay race.

If only 40% of Africa’s political leaders could altruistically work for the advancement of Africa nations with the same measure of desperation with which they struggle to secure a position of authority, there will be a new dawn with new feelings gliding in the air of freedom all over the continent of Africa.

Historically, it has been proven that when a good man is in power the people rejoice and that when an evil man is in power the people mourn. Throughout history, the growth of a nation or that of a people has been the product of non conformist individual leaders whose agendas wheel towards the sole interest of their nation and in extension of their people. The power behind the strength of America is traceable to the selfless contributions of America leaders. The resilient power of France is a product of her committed leaders which in turn affects the ordinary citizens positively to think in the same direction. Same thing happened in Germany, Japan, United Kingdom and many more. The power behind the strength that made China second most potent economy nation in the world today was birthed by the capital penalty on corruption as stipulated by their constitutional laws that is defended by the good leaders of the Communist Party of China. According to Xi Jiping, the president of The People’s Republic of China, “the greatest threat to the Communist Party was corruption”.  In the same vein, it is the greatest threat to the growth of a nation or that of a people.

Dr. John Pombe Magufuli, the President of Tanzania, by the reason of his transparency, integrity, wise spending of public funds and accountability in governance, turned the mentality of the above majority of Tanzanians to eschew corruption, negligence in handling public responsibilities and embrace commitment in serving their nation. He came into power when Tanzania was neck deep in corruption and almost at the verge of collapsing. He revivified his nation within a very short period and made Tanzania the fourth fastest growing economy in the world.  Though, you don’t expect anyone to speak well of you when you are making a progress, especially those who benefit from your ignorance and failures. And I can’t see a just man who surrounds himself with unjust men making just moves.

As a nation, there is no other way to survive in this world of competition without uprightness and accountability in leadership circle. We must sanitize our leadership system and make it less attractive by reducing the immunity, fat salaries and other huge benefits attached to it. This will discourage the leaders whose sole interest is to go there and steal. The huge opportunity to steal and make money there is the force of attraction that pulls hoodlums and criminals to war their way in there. If it is made less attractive and a harsh penalty awaits the leaders who steal public funds or abuse the right of the public, political hoodlums and criminals will go into hiding. And if it is done this way, the 99% of the politicians you see in Africa today will retire into their private lives and probably go into agriculture and be useful to their nations, which in turn, will change the mentality of the ordinary citizens for good.

Ambassador Ezewele Cyril Abionanojie is the author of the book “The Enemy Called Corruption” and writes from Lagos.