Changing The Perception Of Followership In An Emerging Democracy ; A Brief Analysis Of The Nigerian Polity.
- By Metropolix ~
- December 7, 2022 --
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– ABOLURIN OLUWASEUN OLUMIDE
Finding the next leader, of our nation is beyond voting. Whilst it’s important to cast our votes, it is at the same time not also less important to inquire from the Lord Most High and allow God, to part our Jordan, for us at every critical time and not only now, in our nation’s political history. The children of Israel failed, in leadership because they never asked, for the mind of God as regarding their historic change from Priesthood to Monarchy. King Saul was the man, who left them with many questions in their heart .
However, as a matter of socio political urgency, we need to inquire and support God’s choice, in a bid to change the trajectory, of all facets of our nation. Like the Americans will always say, “our President can not fail.” So, their Presidents hardly, fail because it’s about their nation and not the President .
In contrast, the followership, of this part of the world has always engrafted their thoughts, almost towards the President and him alone, which has made these Presidents turned hills to mountains even right before they start clearing the forests as the psychological effects of the people seeing them as supermen, infallible men and superhumans are already very bad indicators, for socio political renaissance.
History can not deny itself as this amidst other reasons were one of the focal reasons, for the fall of the Papacy, in the Roman Catholicism, where the Pope was seen, to be infallible and above all before the reformation, of the church, through a renaissance in Venice, Vatican City, Rome, Italy and other places, in Europe, in the early 14th century.
Shall we ask this critical question at this critical time ? Are we ready, as a people, in all human endeavours, to give our total support, to our subsequent Presidents, so, as for them not to fail in their given gargantuan tasks or assignments of the state.
Are there nations where a determined, followership has changed, the political trajectory, of their nation ? Yes ! One very good example is South Africa, in 1994. The people also supported their God – given leader, former President Nelson Mandela, to change the course, of their nations history and the face of political leadership in Africa and the world, making his statute to be placed alongside Washington and Churchill amongst the best leaders that the world has ever seen.
However, to earn the people’s unflinching support, leaders also have the tough tasks, of rising to the occasion, by becoming one that the people can so, believe enormously in regardless of their flaws.
In conclusion, these few briefs here or there may bring my line of thoughts on the perception of political followership, in our dear nation, to a close, by opining that good leaders will need good followers hip support, very good leaders will need very good followership support and excellent leaders will need excellent followership support.
To crown it all no leader is infallible as they are all humans . All leaders will need honest, willing, loyal, passionate , humble, competent , disciplined , determined, convinced , spirited et ce tera , to deliver successfully, on their assigned mandates.
Is Nigeria an emerging democracy? Looking at the history of a nation like the United States of America, that had its independence, in July 4th, 1777, with 245yrs of unbroken democracy, we may say yes. However, we may also be tempted to say yes, looking at the history, of Malaysia, that had its independence, on August 31st, 1957, with Nigeria older than her with about 3years mainly, because of our broken democracy, with the incursion, of the Military, in January 15th, 1966, after our then newly, started, parliamentary democracy, with the nation’s independence, in October 1st, 1960.
Having x – rayed the emerging nature of our democracy above, we may gladly say as a nation that we are greatful to the unflinching commitments and professional conducts of the ever gallant Nigerian Military ( comprising the Army, Navy and Airfoce ), the Nigeria Police Force ( NPF ), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) and other Security Agencies, as we are now, faced with the reality of assymetric and guerilla wars, as part of today’s usually seen insecurity challenge in the world .
Therefore, our security architecture deserves a thumbs up, whilst we believe in their capacity to do more with much more logistics, operational, and human capital development, through continuous support of successive governments, with the state of the heart of technology.
More so, in an emerging democracy like ours, we may therefore, admit old and embrace new challenges, in a bid to forge a sustainable and successively peaceful national course, with internationally, renowned, aspirations, to gain back our lost global respect in all sectors, through a ‘renewed, determined and much more purposeful inter – sectorial approach to meaningful followership.’ Inter – sectorial approach to meaningful followership will mean that all sectors ; commencing from ‘security, politics, geography, economy, culture, science and religion et ce tera must embrace the new ideal of believing in the system and doing everything legally and morally right to make it work . By so doing we shall gradually, together regain our battered and shattered national image and confidence amongst the committee of nations .
An Article by Deputy Superintendent of Corps ( DSC ) ABOLURIN OLUWASEUN OLUMIDE , mpa, amb., fcss , anipr.
CIVIL DEDENCE PRO, LAGOS.
7/12/2022.
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