Leadership is Responsibility
Hadiza Wada, DBA ...August 14, 2010
The moral and political courage to do the right thing at the right time is what separates effective governments (administrations) from mediocre or failing ones. To effectively achieve that as well as free themselves from corrupt and insensitive leaders, Nigerians may have to take seriously the issue of guarding and strengthening governmental structures erected through democratic principles with all their might and resources. That will allow such structures to be strong enough to do the work, without having to always have the people physically engaging their government. Such structures include those that put a check on executive (presidential) power, i.e. the legislature, courts, police etc.
We mentioned and discussed the problem briefly in last week’s piece about our book, while describing how the book viewed Nigerian political challenges. It is quite simple to mention the politically correct opinion or policy just to win votes or else impress a segment of one’s population. In fact it takes no courage at all to do that.
Courageous and effective leaders in political leadership position are always sensitive to what is just and right in accordance with the law of the land and therefore administer their people responsibility. They avoid subjective and draconian exploitation of any part or segment of their people. And that is actually what is expected of leaders, as clearly expressed by democratic constitutions across the world. Doing otherwise will run against the ideals of democracy.
A clear demonstration of that position occurred just yesterday and we thought it wise to use that occasion to further impress our argument. The Obama Administration including the City Administration for the City of New York under the leadership of Mayor Michael Bloomberg both of whom are not from the Republican Party have demonstrated to the whole world that justice is universal and should not be denied anyone based on any difference between one group or another, or one individual and another.
President Obama demonstrated this while announcing strong support for the approval by city officials for the construction of a $100 Million Mosque within walking distance of ground zero, the former location of the New York Twin Towers. Speaking to a group of Muslims invited to break their fast Friday August 13, 2010 at the White House, President Obama says “I believe that Muslims have the right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country, and that includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan in accordance with local laws and ordinances.” "This is America” he added “and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable."
The vote by the city council committee who worked on the issues for approving the construction of the Mosque was equally impressive, as the vote was almost unanimous. Since then, some groups have demonstrated on the street of New York expressing the opinion that allowing the construction of the mosque amounts to insensitivity to the families of those who lost their lives in the Twin Tower attack that occurred in the year 2001.
Within political circles however, the criticism is emanating mainly from conservative republicans. This of course is not unexpected, seeing that it was the immediate past Republican Administration of George W. Bush Jr. that became synonymous with religious intolerance to many Muslims not only in the United States, but across the world. The former administration’s actions have since dented the nation’s credibility in terms of its commitment to the democratic ideals it propagates and symbolizes. It appears that other parties are now trying to heal the rift, steering the nation towards credible compliance to its constitutional as well as positive democratic image.
The war of words are fresh today, as the President travels to Panama City, Florida, where he again reiterated that he is not backtracking on his words from Friday. He stated months earlier and maintained his distance from the issue in terms of using his office to weigh in on the approval process, which he says is the work of city officials based on their city policy. But he stated what he believes “As a citizen and President” and based on constitutional principles.
Just as history has shown, some administrations will try their best do the right thing while some will not. The problem has always come from individual administrations. Believe it or not, some governments do come in with a plan to do what they want regardless of what their constitution and law of the land supports, even in some European countries.
But Nigeria is in a class by itself, because of its persistent abuse of leadership responsibilities. That seed for recent rapid degeneration and misuse of political power was sown from 1999, and since then no subsequent government has found the willpower to reverse such negative policy and practice. Nigerians as well as their government, especially at federal as well as state level need to sit up and learn from such actions, in order to heal the nation from its current security crisis that borders on religious intolerance. Democratic leadership is service, not tyranny.
(c) The Optimist Voice. All Rights Reserved.
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