Governor Abubakar and all-inclusive leadership in Bauchi
At various forums and through variegated platforms, one had canvassed for a new regime of rectitude in public service and commitment to the wellbeing of the greater number as permissible minimum expected of leadership. Incumbent on leadership is the ability to find the best men and women at all times to entrust with private or […]
At various forums and through variegated platforms, one had canvassed for a new regime of rectitude in public service and commitment to the wellbeing of the greater number as permissible minimum expected of leadership. Incumbent on leadership is the ability to find the best men and women at all times to entrust with private or public trust. The tragedy of power however, is that it attracts men and women of variegated tendencies and proclivity. Power to the vain is opium, to the sane a vehicle to do God’s will and make lives better as is on course in Bauchi state.
Jesters and praise singers sing discordant and nebulous tunes to power; supporters urge and nudge that certain steps be taken indiscriminate of how it resonates; social and political commentators say it doesn’t matter so long as things change for the better; and the one in power always confused because a cacophony of voices trading bias and prejudice dominates the politico-social amphitheatre; to those found in this cesspool I leave the ageless reprimand of Niccolo Machiavelli to wit “The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him”, from court jesters and praise singers depart.
The psychology of responsible and responsive power is far less complex than the journey to power itself. Responsible and responsive power sits on a time tested tripod which is justice, equity and fairness. Revenge and revanchist propensity is how not to lead as Bauchi governor is exhibiting. Exclusion as opposed to inclusion by any guise or logic is how not to lead and that is why the M.A Abubakar led administration is all inclusive.
The sacrifice of excellence at the altar of mediocrity is how not to govern as subscribed by Governor Muhammed Abubakar. To sacrifice the major for the minor will tilt the balance against the scale of justice, to a true leader the led indiscriminate of creed or clan must count as one which is the leadership style in Bauchi today.
I have argued that when the bias of region and religion count for little to leadership; that when leadership sees in ‘us’ greater benefit than it sees in ‘I’; and when electoral pain and inconvenience is diminished by the call to statehood, our journey to prosperity and progress shall have begun.
However, in our socio-political debate, mischief makers have exploited our gullibility and have chosen to misinform and distort facts for selfish interest. Across the electronic and print media as well as on the social media, one hears and reads several murdered truths and concocted lies laced with hatred against Bauchi state governor. This sadly has been the position of the bandwagon of parochial and juvenile liars wasting in the national assembly more active in making bogus insertions in the national budget for greed against the interest of other Nigerians. This fallacy must fail because there is nowhere in this universe that responsible leadership succumbs to such hokum. Justice is the call on leadership to justly dispense of the rights and liabilities of public trust. Equity is the inevitable demands of balance and spread across the social, regional and ethical divide that obtains. And fairness is the age-tested moral minimum incumbent on leadership.
When the electorates voted M.A Abubakar, they did not vote for mediocrity but placed their responsibility on his shoulders. They entrusted his leadership with the challenge to at all times grow and nurture men and women of excellence and integrity across the state. As a trust, he believes that the reality of history makes the present organizational minimum even more strident; leadership at all levels must search out the best from the divides. Excellence cannot possibly excuse exclusion, and to those who think otherwise, there is nowhere in the world that the Chief Executive of a public trust is dictated to include mischief makers and laggards in his administration for fear of threats of blackmail. Excellence has never been the exclusive preserve of any stalk, colour, creed, clan or tendency.
The choice of leadership to include other hands across the geo-political divides as wished by blackmailers should not be an issue for trading in the market square. Like in the case of successive leadership, the state witnessed almost an organic relegation of youths in choices of governmental trust. Rather than grow the youths through serious responsibilities, the past thought them best as thugs and menial aides, sooner than later those who are lampooning the idea of Bauchi state governor shall begin to agree with his policy of selection, another hypocrisy waiting to rupture.
Without equivocation, the policy of Governor Abubakar in selecting those to aide his administration to deliver remains the best. Again without fear of querulous critics his policy does not excuse mediocrity but engenders balance, peace, brotherhood and inclusivity. There is no section of the state that suffers the dearth of component and credible hands, therefore, jesters, blackmailers and praise singers must spare the administration the kindergarten dialectics that blames the governor for non-inclusion.
In this era of change where the preponderant number of those who berthed the ballot based revolution of March/April are youths, the commensurate quid pro quo is for the governor to continue to support the young of unrivalled passion, proficiency and patriotism to drive the state to the place where the promises of democracy will become true and the change promised made real.
Power bestows enormous responsibilities and leadership connotes parenthood; revenge, payback in same coin, segregation, nepotism and selective nuances must be treated as Shibboleth by he who must be documented amongst the greats. To prove doubting Thomas wrong, Governor M.A Abubakar believes that responsible and responsive leader is one who fixes square pegs in square holes and round pegs in round holes knowing that justice, equity, fairness, power sharing with responsible associates and inclusion are the organic minimum peace, progress and prosperity. He believes that mutual trust and confidence is the turf on which the best must play to make Bauchi state great again not unnecessary and malicious allegations against the governor and security agencies from mischievous politicians on a wild mission of destroying the peace enjoyed. As the House of Representatives committee prepares to disgrace, discourage and frighten the Nigeria Police Bauchi state command for doing its constitutional assignment during the ‘home’ visit of Isa Yuguda in November 2015 that was laced with several insecurity plans, the governed patiently wait for the outcome of the report to equally try the perpetrators of the intended security challenges.
Konkiyel is an Abuja based public affairs commentator.