FWPI: The Price Of Leadership

 Family Writers Press International: The Price Of Leadership

This particular subject may seemingly be commonized or even appear irrelevant to some persons but remains very critically, an indispensable factor in human existence and experiment.  In every human family,  organization or society, there exists one form of leadership or the other, without which there will evolve unprecedented chaos and anarchy. Leadership provides the pedestal for law and order, progress or regress, depending on the quality of personalities and intents involved. 

To fully understand these words, PRICE and  LEADERSHIP in their simplest meanings, let us try to give their definitions. PRICE: This precisely means value, cost or importance placed on something while LEADERSHIP is the ability, determination or power  invested on man to lead or organize his fellows in any given society or organization to achieve a definitive result. The world in which we dwell in today, is unfortunately bedeviled with series of leaderships that are driven either by selfish, hidden, harmful, disadvantageous intrigues or selfless, progressive, people-oriented and advantageous benefits. These two sides of the coin however have their respective prices whether on short term or long term measures. Some are political, religious, economic, social, humane, enlightened, crude, terroristic or even nepotistic in nature with their corresponding consequences. All over the world, we have nations, countries, societies, organizations and families, that are seriously grappling with all sorts of contending issues. Such have with them, their diverse prices being duly paid by concerned actors.

Having established the fundamental basis linked to this topic, it is relatively important however, to categorically state here that in every leadership, there are pivotal prices to pay. Confining the context of this write-up to the inherent prices required of any leadership, it must be fully understood that the actors or personalities involved, are somewhat being overwhelmed by discomforting features that must be religiously managed to maintain their integrity and discipline. Amidst the cries and the discordant voices, a leader who is worth his onions must of necessity, resolutely keep his cool and focus, the darts thrown at him/her, nonetheless. It is true that some individuals who find themselves in positions of leadership (authority), get themselves disgustingly enmeshed in sinister, parochial, myopic, egocentric and nepotistic miry interests instead of humbly serving the overriding interest of the people. This is apparently where most of these class of actors especially within black Africa, with Nigeria as a case study, get generationally and seemingly irredeemably messed up.

Humane and people-interested leadership assumes the position of servanthood to holistically deliver the required services to the people. Those involved can condescend to the lowest ebb of the led out of love, trust, faithfulness, sincerity and humility, to ensure that the purposes of their servanthood election are pointedly and selflessly delivered. They can go full length to suffer ridicule, shame, blackmail, vilification, denial and even death to drive home their simplest and intended desires or intents to the people. They do not concern themselves with greed, embezzlement of public funds, terrorism, religious or ethnic/tribal bigotry, class distinction, cabalism, lies, dececit, victimization and every other associated intrigues. They totally abhor exclusiveness, tribalism, cries/pains of the people, insecurity, intimidation, marginalization, cheating, campaign of calumny and such other divisive tendencies.

It is expedient therefore for those who are in positions of leadership at whatever cadre, to comprehensively evaluate where they place their interests and all that they have hitherto, being involved with. Their stewardship must hinge on the over all interest of the grossly impoverished, helpless, oppressed and down-throdden masses and not their ego-bloating drive. It is nauseating that brothers and sisters are scheming and falling over one another not because of their election unto selfless services but for pocket-lining as the opportuned, their families and that of their cronies. What kind of legacy will this kind of persons be leaving behind for their upcoming generations? This is the time to ideally have a rethink and genuinely repent because someday, everything will be laid bare for all to see. That season of reckoning must eventually dawn. Leadership is a honorable responsibilty but with what motive really? Let the price you are paying as one in leadership, be for transparent and humane service whose dividends will stand the test of time. 

Written by Peter Oshagwu

(Editor-in-chief)

Family Writers Press International