By; MATTHEW UKACHUNWA, Lagos
A Professor of Strategy and Development has proposed Community Leadership Model – also called Shared Leadership – for Nigeria’s democracy to leap forward.
Professor Anthony Kila who is the Director, Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies, propounded the leadership model as a counterpoise to political leadership while reasoning on the year 2023 democratic transition in Nigeria and the search for good leadership.
He gave an example of how shared leadership works, saying: “Let’s go to our local schools and tell them that we’re part of the management of that school. Let’s educate the parents of that school.
“Let us assume that the government is not doing anything for us. Let us contribute to help the teachers to train our children. This is the type of leadership that I call shared leadership.”
He urged the citizenry to define their agenda for leadership, then cross-check if what the politicians are saying is what the people want, so that to that extent the citizenry becomes part of leadership as well.
Kila declared: “We the people now need to define our interest. We need to look at ourselves personally, family, professionally and say: What is my agenda, what are those things that matter to me, and then push these agenda through the media.
He called on those who want good leadership to first redefine leadership by noting that leadership cuts across all span of human socialization and endeavours, such as the academia, agriculture, the arts, business, the public service and so on.
The don pointed out that leadership, which is a sacrifice, makes things happen, sets the trend, and that it is measured by its output.
Denouncing the prevailing leadership in the polity, Kila said, “Leadership is a culture. Leadership is what determines everything.
“There’s leadership that allows people to focus on the why, instead of the what. We have allowed leadership that justifies what is around the matter, and not the matter. That’s why you see some people say the government is not explaining what it’s doing. If the roads are good does it need explanation?”
He urged those who want to redefine leadership to understand the burden of setting the trend of value, of culture, of behaviour, of standard, stressing that these are the duty of leadership.
According to him, citizens err when they abandon some of their roles and put the mantle of leadership on just political leaders. “My leadership must battle your own leadership. Leadership should give back to society,” the professor emphasized, adding: “So, if we want leadership, the first thing we’ll do is to redefine leadership. To know that the scope of leadership goes beyond those political leaders.”
Kila stated that without sacrifice there will be nothing like democracy, noting that the democracy Nigerians enjoy today was fought for by some people with their personal lives.
He insisted that those who want democracy to thrive will have to sacrifice something for it to survive.
Kila took a look at Nigerians’ constant outcry against corruption in the polity, and, therefore, argued that Nigeria’s biggest problem is incompetence, not corruption.
He described corruption as an offshoot of incompetence.
Expantiatiating his argument, Kila said, “We tend to agree in Nigeria that our biggest problem is corruption. I disagree; I think it’s incompetence. I think corruption is an offshoot of incompetence. If everybody did their job it will be difficult to be corrupt.” He recommended that promotions have be based on merit
“Corruption thrives where there are four things: fears, uncertainty, impunity and lack of transparency,” the don explained.
He regretted that people have created a society where it is bad to be good, and pointed out that the issue that they should consider most important is for leadership to be redefined and the idea of corruption to be understood.
To get rid of corruption, he advised: Make sure there is certainty, there is transparency, scarcity is highly reduced and impunity is managed.
