Ruminating religion- less and tribal -less politics in Kogi.
As Parties and their candidates settled down to pick their running mates in the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi, lots of indices , some genuine, some not too fancy are laying bare in the political arena.
To some, the pedigrees of the potential candidates are paramount, while others harp on mundane consideration of tribes and religions as their watch words.
To the first, the 5Cs of Peter Drucker’s quality of leadership is embedded in their heads to high heavens . His 5cs of leadership include: Competence, credibility, compassion, Courage and confidence should be the yardstick for selecting would- be assistants to the parties standard bearers.
And they have their rights, for these are the significant medicaments to solving decadence in our body politics and quest for nation’ building.
It may sound abstract for the protagonists who have never seen good leadership in the transformation of their political community.
However, most emerging communities of the world have adopted these all important balms in the healing and resuscitation of their economies.
These economies that have accepted Drucker’s postulation have grown beyond these mundane and have appreciated the right thinkers and visioners into their mainstream of governance, who have launched them out of the woods.
To the latter, what has been , should be, irrespective of the outcome. They hold tenaciously to the old dogmatism of tribe and religion as criterion for the selection.
They could not understand that these divides are only capable of holding a nation-state to its jugular to perpetually remain in doldrum in the comity of nations.
First and foremost, Homosapiens were created without tribes and religions – Tribes and Religion were the creation of societies. We were first humans before creeds, colour and linguistics. Humans are created with different potentials in order to solving societal needs. Linguistics and religious affiliations are essentially the beautification marks by the creator in his wisdom to make us look like Him. He speaks all the languages on earth and he has all the colours on earth and He hears all manners of modes in communication with him. He created us in his image and he has the better understanding of doing so, no more no less.
Kogi is in dire need of leadership with these 5cs to launch us into a modern state, as tribes and methods of conjuring with the Almighty being is immaterial. What is material, is where , and in whom these resources is embedded that could be tapped.
We have sojourned in circles for over three decades with these mindset without solution to our underdevelopment. It is a popular saying, that if one does not know where he is going, he should realise where he came from.
Me believe that in our chequered history, these yardstick for considering political appointment should be consigned to the dustbin and to work for the dismantling of these barriers in order to move our state forward. Kogi is not in short supply of men and women with these potentialities. If we can find them in one family and one creed that can change our ugly narrative as a state , so shall it be , as the pangs of the underdevelopment of our state is no respecter of tribe or religion, every one is infested and affected.
Succinctly, in our search for deputies, let the pedigree of the hopefuls be the watchword. For once, let us select them on their merits above other considerations.
We have those who have been tested in their assignments and have demonstrated uncommon leadership qualities, they should be the ones , we should help to mount the stage for the collective benefits of our state, irrespective of the circumstances of their births.
I stand to be corrected, who have benefited from the progressive development of the state on the basis of his tongue or confessions. It is right time we source our best without sentiments to bring out the best that nature has placed within us, and to jettison those considerations that take us to nowhere. No nation wins medal in a competition with its misfits, it always the best that wins gold medals.
On this note , I enjoined political leadership to source for the best and not on the basis of frivolous considerations. Kogi will be better with a competent deputy who will assist his principal in running the statecraft that roll in sustainable development rather than a deputy selected on the basis of tribe and religion that add little or no value to the course of our development.
States like , Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai , China and indeed , a new entrant, Rwanda have divorced the old held sentiment and have embraced new thoughts in leadership recruitment for the applause of the entire humanity.
I hazard to say, of what use is it to a man whose kinsman and brotherhood is in government and cannot provide life necessities.
We have had some persons whose appointments into positions of authority, has transformed and becomes a reference point in that office. It is those personalities we should scout for and not those who became liabilities in their assignments.
It will be a Public relations piece for me to mention names , but we all know those who have performed creditably in their positions who have turned rotten eggs into competitive edible. We should look for them and anoint them with the position irrespective of their tongues and religions affiliations.
And this is the magic the western countries and Asian tigers have adopted.
# Ocholi Musa contributed this piece from Lagos
