Transformational Leadership will boost Nigerian Economy—NLDS

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Alexander NyarkoYeboah – GITFIConline.com

Experts at the second National Leadership Dialogue Series (NLDS) have advocated the need for transformational instead of transactional leadership as a means of facilitating effective and sustainable reforms in Nigeria.

The dialogue series, which was on the theme, “Rethinking Leadership: Competence, Governance, and Impact on Society,” involves a change of attitude with a total reorientation of the mind for both leaders and citizens.

Gitficonline.com learnt of the dialogue series in a press release by Africa Analysts informing of the NLDS, which was organized by the Nigerian Prize for Leadership in partnership with 19 other Organizations.

The conference, which was under the chairmanship of Prof. Anya O. Anya and held via zoom, had in attendance elder statesmen and women, academia, professionals, civil society members, and young people.

Speaking during the conference, the Vice Chairman of Nigerian Prize for Leadership, Dr. Christopher Kolade, informed that a leader should possess a sense of responsibility and the ability to communicate with people effectively.

Dr. Kolade who was also Former High Commissioner of Nigeria to the United Kingdom, added that, “He must have the willingness to learn at every suitable opportunity, have courage to take and stand by tough decisions and make a firm commitment to best practice, good ethics, respectable values and standards in leadership performance.”

The Founder of the Center for Values in Leadership, Professor Pat Utomi, observed that problem solving was central to leadership competence and that leaders solve problems to impact society positively, stressing that the big problems of yesterday have become the routine of today because some leaders took responsibility and provided solutions at the point of need.

Prof.  Utomi hinted that, “A highly effective leader must be equipped with knowledge and high sense of service. That is what will enable him/her with the right attitude to impact in society.In this connection, the nation needs leaders who see leadership as a sacrificial endeavour, with relevant capabilities to mobilize citizens, trust and commitment, community peace, national growth and development.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Emerging Africa Capital Group, Mrs. Toyin Sanni, stressed on the need for citizens to determine the reason why people sought leadership positions. ”Such motives must be driven by a sense of purpose, and the desire to create impact, not a mere hunger for power, greed, selfish and personal ambition,” she said.

Mrs. Sanni who was representing Women in Management and Business (WIMBIZ) added that, “Leaders in Nigeria should be measured by their dispensation-al ability towards the six cardinal Cs of leadership, which are, Competence, Character, Credibility, Capacity, Compassion, and Courage. They should also be measured by their personal integrity, accountability, exemplary conduct.”

The Executive Director of Leap Africa, Mr. Femi Taiwo, on his part, noted that in rethinking, leaders should acquire more knowledge, which will affect their character and sense of responsibility, should have time for Entertainment to help them redesign, recreate and represent the Nigerian narrative, and draw from Experience whenever the situation arose.

“Leaders must be compelled to make themselves available for outreach and communication with their constituents. Such platforms should be transparent and used to empower citizens to effectively hold their leaders accountable,”Mr. Taiwo said.

He observed that the survival of Nigeria depended on good leadership which was committed to giving its best for the advancement of the nation, hinting that Nigeria’s problem was not about absence of good leaders but the dominance of bad leaders who had ambushed and choked the spaces and denying good and competent leaders the opportunity to serve their nation.

The NLDS was startedas a strategic intervention that will play a role in strengthening and inspiring efforts to build a consensus to address the leadership challenges in Nigeria.