It is a well known fact that elections are here and quite a number of intrigues in form of banters, mockery, criticism, mudslinging, verbal attacks are expected among the candidates and members of opposing political parties all in the name of winning votes. It must be noted that Intrigues of this type must however be observed with decorum devoid of character assassination, outright abuse, fallacies and blackmail.
A scenario of such came to fore recently at the occasion of Akesan Day Celebration in Iperu, a town in Ogun State where the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Prince Dapo Abiodun, MFR and a PDP gladiator, Hon. Ladi Adebutu met.
Coincidentally, both of them hail from the town and therefore, the venue was expected to be tense and heated. With the trio of Hon. Ladi Adebutu of the PDP, His Royal Highness, Oba Idowu Basibo; the Alaperu of Iperu and Prince Dapo Abiodun of the ruling APC on the podium, Adebutu, son of business mogul, Sir. Kesington Adebutu grabbed the microphone, observed protocols and started reeling out his father’s achievements in philanthropy and community development. Not done yet, he narrated how he has been living in Iperu town for an upward of twenty-eight years and his investments which were known to have been statutorily financed by his billionaire father. He now descended on the APC flag bearer with the salvo that all he (Abiodun) could point at as his investment in Iperu town is just one petrol station!
This of course, drew loud ovation from his (Adebutu’s) supporters and a sort of resentment from the non-partisan crowd but, all the same, all were waiting for a reprisal missile from Prince Abiodun – and they were disappointed.
The APC gubernatorial hopeful after greeting the dignitaries present in their order simply refused to fire back at Hon. Adebutu but rather submitted that everybody should use the occasion to talk on salient issues and how best to develop the town of their birth, Iperu.
The response; mild, short, civil and logical made nonsense of the former remark in all its entirety. Maturity, Experience, Civility, Decorum and Humility came to play and pundits were quite to discern who really exhibited quality leadership trait.
In the past many factors have militated against the electorate in the choice of their leaders as no standard yardstick was employed to evaluate the personal attributes of the candidates nor the people insisted on minimum standard for the leaders. As a result of this, a reluctant candidate can become the President, a governor can be voted for because he is a moneybag, a conman senator and a spoilt federal lawmaker can find themselves in the hallowed chamber if they contested on the platform of a popular party and a council head may emerge because it is the turn of his ‘zone’ to produce the chairman. It is pathetic.
This apparent lack of attention to the substance of the person to vote for has opened the political kingdom to novices, fortune hunters and above all, misfits who can buy and bribe their ways into the highest of offices.
Truly, everybody has this fundamental right to aspire for any post he or she so desires but it should be made known and quite clear that nobody has the right to reduce the very serious job of governance and leadership to an object of abject mockery! Governance is a very serious business, not for beginners, apprentices and 419ers’. It is, without being immodest, a job for the fittest.
In the chequered history of our environment. We have seen how best and how worst we have been governed by those who have business in being in government and those who do not have an inkling of what governance is. We do not need to mention names; personality is one essential ingredient that is central to leadership.
Let it be known that the gravity of responsibility of office brings with it humility. Humility here refers to the modesty and grace to recognise the limitation of oneself and power itself. This is an essential ingredient of leadership.
Therefore in the quest for leadership of Ogun State come next dispensation, we must find every possible way to restore sanity to the office of Mr. Governor. We must impose integrity as a minimum condition for leadership. Our responsibility as electorate make it more grave by the fact that Ogun State, with abundant human and natural resources is far more sophisticated to be entrusted in the hands of novices who seek office just for the appellation – His Excellency.
The old order must change and old assumptions dethroned. Our search for leadership, this time around, should be based on merit and not money, experience and not ego, humility and not harassment, preparedness and not prejudice.
Between the two gladiators analysed above is one; a self-made man and the other still tied to his father’s apron. Both are blessed in their own ways of course and both are from the same environment but that is where it stops. The searchlight needed to be centred on some other salient traits that make a leader.
– Blessing Emetem.