* As Pressure mounts on Dr. Julius Elukpo.
ATABOR JULIUS
Just as the Governorship election in kogi state inches closer, the thoughts in the lips of every well meaning persons across kogi state is where could a leader of immense wealth and reservoir of an Eagle personality be found to inspire other homosapiens to grow and institutionalise democratic governance in the state.
Although, kogi was founded 31 years ago, its growth gives cause for concern. Successive administrations have tried within the limits of their capacities, it was deservedly not good enough for a state that pride itself as the lion of the North nay the entire nation, due to her abundant materials and human resources.
Although, Men and women of goodwill had laborosly tried abeit unsuccessful to find a leader with the characteristic of an Eagle that will steer the ship of the state to desired destination.
However, in the quest for leadership recruitment, the state have been bedeviled with leaders without the inkling of art of governance, which has made the state with highest turn over of Lilliputians in the corridor of power which has sadonically tagged the state as crawling giant among the comity of states that were created at the same time.
It is in the light of this anomie that concerted efforts should be made to throw up leaders with heart of an Eagle. Modern days managers are only men and women who should have the characteristics of an Eagle.
Who is an Eagle. An Eagle is an accipitriformes large birds with string hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet.
An Eagle has a life span of between 30-40 years and can recreate its life through a progress that can extend its life to another 40years. Invariably, Eagles are magical birds with special intellect with distinctive features.
What is so special about this birth. Eagles are so gifted with visions. They are fearless, very tenacious. Eagles are high flyers and abhors Dead meats . Eagles train and nurture her young ones.
For leaders that have made tremendous impact in the lives of their nations, they are men that have mastered these characteristics of an Eagle.
Since the history of homosapiens, leaders have come and gone, others, made great impact while others were not.
These leaders that generations kept refering to their words and actions have internalised these traits of an Eagle.
If you ever happen to see an Eagle sitting high above the trees or cliff of a mountain, watch closely and see how attentive the bird is.The body tilted side to observe closely how keen its eyes are looking for its prey. They have keen Vision.
Without leadership vision a nation perished.The eyes of great leaders are specially designed for long distant focus and clarity. It is vision that differentiates leaders. Great leaders are those with visions to guide and lead the team towards national goals.
The size of the vision is a reflection of great impact on the lives of his people.
Eagles are fearless. An Eagle would not surrender to the size and strength of its prey. It will always give a fight to win its prey or regain its territory.
Just like the Eagles, great Leaders are fearless. They confront challenges without regard for self.They confront problems head on. Great leaders are problem solvers. They never complain, like the pigeons do. They love to take challenges as they comes.
Just take time to study the eating patterns of an Eagle. Oh , yes , Eagles never eats dead meat. In other words eagles never associates with corruption, it does not scavenge . it goes for fresh meat from the prey. Eagles eat raw meat, what a great act of result oriented leaders.
In justaposing the Eagle with great impact,. Great leaders, spend time with the people who he inspires, guide to imbibe liberal thinking . A great leader has to think, make informed decisions and take actions . This kind of leaders are the ones that bring changes to the society.
The Eagles are tenacious. Watch an Eagle when storm sets in. When other birds fly away from the storm with fears , an Eagle spreads its mighty wings and uses the current to soar to greater heights. The Eagle takes advantage of the very storm that lesser birds feared and head for cover.
For a leader to be reckoned with ,he must be determined to face the challenges head on and not grumble , complain, apportion blames or to walk away from it.
Eagles are high flyers. Eagles can fly to an altitude of over 10,000 feet, and able to safely land on the ground. It is only eagles that can be found on 10,000 feet above sea level.
Just like the Eagles, great leaders are high flyers with innovative ideas only known to them.
The Eagle posses Vitality. They are full of energy and full of lives which occurred up to age 30 or 40. But after this, the life begins to deteriorate, but interestingly, Eagles never give up living, instead it retreat to the mountain top for about 5 months period to go through metamorphosis. It knocks off its beaks by banging it against stones, pluck out its talons and produces a regrowth of the removed parts allowing the Eagles to live again for up to 40 years
Great Leaders are stock takers. Great leaders are one that always do “Check and balance of personal lives and make efforts to learn new things every day.
Eagles trains their young ones. Although, we erroneously believed that Eagles are aggressive and absolutely ferocious. But any one who have total knowledge of this great bird will agree that they have the ability to nurture their young ones. They are teachers. They softly engage the eaglets on the art of flying. That is to say, great leaders are not bosses.They grow their people. They strive to make individuals in the society to grow their potentials. They teach and guide just like the mother Eagles do. They never stops having challenges, but not give up in empowering and directing the people.
I have taken time to use the Eagles in this analogy to depict, the successive leaders that have ruled the state in the last 31 years, it is incumbent for us to curiously analysis their performances based on the characters of the Eagles in order to have informed decision on whose next to seek our mandate.
I have read and seen myraids of both the serious and the unserious on various platforms jostling to present themselves for us, but, within the thesis of an Eagle characteristics, one man stood out of the parks.
I have , like other lovers of great leaders that have brought gargantuan changes to their society, understudy this great man, and come to the conclusion that if kogi must take its rightful position in the comity of states in Nigeria, tribes, religion, political parties must be obliterated for a man of an Eagle.
Born 76 years ago, Julius Elukpo, from Emi Edi( Adum- Woiwo) Gboloko Bassa Nge District of Bassa Local Government Area of kogi state, would fit into our search.
Although not born with silver spoon, the young Elukpo with determination and perspiration to achieve excellence, graduated from the prestigious university of Lagos with BSC Degree in Business Administration in 1988.. Not fully satisfied , he went back to the ivory tower and obtained an MSC in Business Administration.
As it was the practice at time , blue chips companies were jamming themselves to recruit awaiting graduates, but , the young Elukpo wouldn’t subscribe to that , noting that the Education has imbued in him to start his business and become employer of labour.
Hence, all entreaties from these companies and even Government establishments to woo him fell on deaf ears.
He formed Atlantic Insurance company ,which he nurtured to enviable heights becoming one of the leading indigenous insurance companies in the country.
According to him , in the 70s and 80s companies were besieging third and final year undergraduates with dazzling offers, but i encourage myself to remain resolute with the vision to create wealth for others .
However, after running Atlantic Insurance with success story, the young Elukpo decided to have a stint in the academia. He was employed as Lecturer 11 in the faculty of management sciences, kogi state university Anyigba in 2004.
Based on his divine endowment to fight for Justice, Elukpo took a degree in Law from the University of Abuja. After his call to Bar, he proceed to Ambrose Ali University where he bagged Masters in Law, (LLM). He was undaunted as he proceeded to kogi University Anyigba for his PHD in Law.
He then transferred his service from faculty of Management to the faculty of Law until his retirement.
Dr. Elukpo has held various academic responsibilities among many others, National University Commission; Chairman Accreditation Committee on security and religious matters, faculty of law, kogi state university, Member, Accreditation team, Federal University of Science and Technology Minna, Niger state and others . Member Board of Trustee, Conference of Northern States Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, president, kogi state Chamber of Commerce, Industry, mines and Agriculture, and Principal Counsel , Elukpo, Elukpo@ Co Legal Practitioners.
He is presently, the Chairman, Kogi Elders’ Forum.
Elder Elukpo, means different things to different people. To some , he is a trouble maker, to others ,he is a freedom fighter.
In his words, ” I hate corruption with intense passion. Corruption in any guise will attract my furry. ” I’m not a trouble maker, but people finds my trouble. I fight injustice either it concerns me directly or not until justice is achieved. As people, we shouldn’t fold our hands and see injustice walking naked on our streets. I started the struggle before i became a lawyer. The law has armed me in this crusade.
” I have lived most of my lives in the geographical history of kogi state. I started off in the early days of Kwara state and when Benue state was created in 1976 , i moved to Benue to nurture and grow the state. I moved to Kogi on the creation of the state in 1991. I lived most of lives in these states, so , i have deep knowledge of the threats and opportunities of kogi state. With my background in insurance, i will build kogi and institutionalise good governance .” He assured.
In the nutshell, Dr. Elukpo’ s emergency will be a confirmation that the bird has come home to roost.
Meanwhile what should be paramount for we that are interested in the emergence of kogi out of its governance predicament is to woo this Eagle who is determined to launch and build kogi as the Dubai of Nigeria.
