Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria

By Dr. Onyema G. Nkwocha

Effective Leadership In Nigeria: Practical Ways To Build an Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria is mostly based on the current apathetic and virtual lack of effective and visionary leadership situation in contemporary Nigeria and distills the golden gems: - principles, processes, procedures and practical applications inherent in effective, inspiring, visionary and enthusiastic leadership. It attempts at instituting, building and encouraging good, effective, and visionary leadership in the nation and that is currently, virtually lacking.
From the outset, the author makes it clear that this writing is not designed to model or fit any known leadership paradigm, theory or management style. Rather, based on relevant research on leadership as it impacts the Nigerian situation, the book attempts to explore what it takes for there to be an effective and good leadership to successfully lead and change Nigeria for the better. The book is written and organized in a way that reflects and captures the contemporary experiences, frustrations, psychological emotions, aspirations and hopes of every Nigerian and perhaps of promising politicians and future leaders who are honestly touched by the virtual vacuum of real and effective leadership in the country, their concerns, questions, dreams, and the expectations that have virtually gone unmet in the past more than half a century. Properly elucidating what leadership means, and differentiating it from rulership this book couldn't have come at a better time to assist Nigeria's leadership-struggles!

A masterpiece, Dr. Nkwocha has taken the current apathetic leadership lull and almost leadership void in the nation and set the leadership principles and processes on the cutting edge. The book is a definitive guide to anyone aspiring to the leadership of Nigeria and is therefore in search of meaningful leadership, its principles, processes and pragmatic applications. The book is a must read!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 4, 2012
• ISBN: 9781468506808

Dr. Onyema G. Nkwocha

Dr. Onyema G. Nkwocha is among a select few extra-ordinary Nigerians inspired by the zeal for excellence and the commitment for better quality of life for all Nigerians - - the general good of all! His dedication, commitment and contribution to preserving Igbo history and directing the Nigerian future -all unquestionable accomplishments have earned him the enviable accolade of being described by his peers as "a patriot, scholar and social commentator extraordinaire, a respected contemporary literary gladiator of our time!" Nkwocha is the author of Democracy in Nigeria: The Birth of A New Nation-State in the 2000 Era, A Strategic Planning approach and the most recently published book, "The Republic of Biafra: Once Upon a Time in Nigeria - My Story of The Biafra- Nigerian Civil War - A Struggle for Survival(1967-1970)." Nkwocha has authored several articles along the continuum of Nigeria's and Africa's eventual unity, democracy and development. Majority of his writings are published in the United States and Nigeria. Nkwocha is a leading member and voice in the Diaspora Nigerians Network, (DNN, USA) a leading non-profit organization an umbrella Diaspora Nigerians Association advocating for the common good of all both in Diaspora and Nigeria. Nkwocha has authored several published articles on the Nigerian Diaspora including several "Open-Letters" to President Jonathan appealing to him and the Government of Nigeria to Implement Diaspora Public Policies as the urgency of now! As a patriot Nkwocha has once again demonstrated that he has become an influential voice in Nigeria’s political history. He strongly believes that what Nigeria needs and deserves now more than ever-before, is an effective visionary and inspiring leader to transform the various dangling chords of disunity, tribalism, religious interlorance, lack of development and unstable democracy into a symphony of the dream Nigeria we have long anticipated in the nation.

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Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

FOREWORD

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

1 EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP CONCEPTS DEFINED

2 LEADERSHIP STYLES

3 TRAITS, CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES AND BEHAVIOR OF A LEADER: THE SERVANT-LEADER

4 INSPIRATIONAL ATTRIBUTES GREAT AND VISIONARY LEADERS USE TO MOTIVATE AND INFLUENCE THEIR FOLLOWERS

5 ESSENTIAL CORE LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES OF EFFECTIVE LEADERS

6 OTHER TRAITS OF SERVANT-LEADERS

7 EXTENDED OR COMPREHENSIVE QUALITIES OF EFFECTIVE SERVANT-LEADERS

8 NIGERIA: A NATION, A PEOPLE WITHOUT TRUE AND EFFECTIVE LEADERS—CURRENT NATURE OF LEADERSHIP PART 1

9 NIGERIA: A NATION, A PEOPLE WITHOUT TRUE AND EFFECTIVE LEADERS—CURRENT NATURE OF LEADERSHIP, PART 2

10 GETTING FUTURE NIGERIAN LEADERS READY FOR LEADERSHIP ROLES AND SUCCEEDING AT IT

11 CONSTITUTIONAL DUTIES, STRATEGIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LEADER, PART 1

12 CONSTITUTIONAL DUTIES, STRATEGIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A LEADER PART 2

13 INTENTIONALLY FORGING A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, AND FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WORKS

14 HOW VISIONARY LEADERS USE THE SYSTEM TO CLIMB TO POWER AND LAUNCH REVOLUTIONARY TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGES

15 THE PEOPLE, THE NATION, THE LEADER AND THE GOVERNMENT, PART 1

16 THE PEOPLE, THE NATION, THE LEADER AND THE GOVERNMENT, PART 2

17 GOVERNMENT AND THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF THE LEADER OR EXECUTIVE CHIEF OF STATE, PART 1

18 GOVERNMENT AND THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF THE LEADER OR EXECUTIVE CHIEF OF STATE, PART 2

19 THE LEADER AND THE NEED TO BE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THE PEOPLE

20 LEADERSHIP, PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY, AND STEWARDSHIP

21 THE CHALLENGE OF LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA

22 THE SEARCH FOR A VISIONARY, EFFECTIVE, INSPIRING, TRANSFORMATIONAL AND ENTHUSIASTIC LEADER

23 LEADERSHIP ALCHEMY: LEADERSHIP VISIONS FOR THE NEW UNITED DEMOCRATIC NIGERIA AND HOW AN EFFECTIVE NIGERIAN LEADER CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

24 SOLVING NIGERIA’S LEADERSHIP PROBLEM: A COLLABORATIVE, COLLECTIVE, COMMUNITY, NATIONAL EFFORT

25 EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP IS EVERYTHING

26 TURNING NIGERIA FROM HER CURRENT STATE OF VALLEY OF ACHOR INTO A NATION AND DOOR OF HOPE

27 THEORECTICAL WAYS OF BECOMING AN EFFECTIVE LEADER

28 PRACTICAL WAYS TO APPLY ENTHUSIASTIC, INSPIRING AND EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP STYLE TO TODAY’S NIGERIAN SITUATION

29 REALISTIC AND PRAGMATIC WAYS OF BECOMING AN EFFECTIVE LEADER IN TODAY’S NIGERIA—TRUE LEADERSHIP-IN-ACTION

30 CAN PRAYERS HELP BUILD AND SAVE A NATION?

31 LESSONS FROM THE ROLE OF INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN NATION BUILDING

32 OF THE NIGERIAN APRIL 2011 ELECTION WHAT WAS LEARNED AND WHAT ARE AT STAKE?

APPENDIX

AUTHOR’S PERSONAL NOTE TO THE READER

Dear Reader,

I hope this author’s note meets you well. The road to effective leadership in Nigeria is closer than ever before; however, there is still quite a ways to go. We are just beginning to lay the foundations but not on that road yet; with the help and understanding of the leader(s), the electorate, law makers and continuous democratic practices, we shall get there. And that journey to visionary and transformational leadership was started on April 16, 2011 the day the Nigerian people elected President Jonathan to lead and serve this nation.

This book, Effective Leadership in Nigeria examines the nature of past, current, and future leadership in Nigeria with a view to help educate the general populace to understand who a leader is, what leadership is all about, and explores the many traits and inspirational attributes of visionary and effective servant-leaders. In general, effective and excellent servant-leadership of the transformational type improves, enhances and fortifies our national and statewide institutions, while guarantying the general good of all. The nation’s multi-ethnic and cultural citizen’s visions, cherished ideals of the Nigeria-dream, experiential unique qualities, personal and professional skills and know-hows, when aggregated and coalesced for a common purpose and for the greater-good-of-all, can become the long awaited national Summum bonum" light, or the supreme good from where all other goods in the nation originates and make a great difference in the ultimate development of our country.

Effective Leadership in Nigeria systematically and methodically offers a better alternative to the current apathetic leadership dispensation in the nation and strives to educate the citizens that it is wrong to stereotype any Nigerian citizen as Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Urohbo, Efik, Shaw-Shaw, Bini, Kanuri, etc. The bigotry of name-branding fellow citizens must stop and be put behind us. We must all come together as citizens of great Nigeria, as we have a common destiny and responsibility. Our nation’s leaders’ top priority and responsibility is to enable the creation of a positive and multicultural diversified and inclusive national environment where all citizen’s creative skills, talents and knowledge are courted, encouraged, sought after and applied effectively and cooperatively for the greater good of all allowing us to become the very best we can ever be in our respective national call of duties, jobs and responsibilities. That responsibility also demands that we, the citizens accord each and fellow Nigerians with due respect, dignity and the love for fellow citizens regardless of ethnic origin/culture, social class, religious and political persuasions or affiliations.

As I stated in my previous book, The Republic of Biafra, Once Upon a Time in Nigeria, I still believe that with proper education, effective leadership and enlightened citizenry, it would (only) be a matter of time before Nigeria’s history is re-written for the better…[and I still] believe that Nigeria’s glorious days are ahead of us Therefore, in the interest of national development, I strongly urge Nigeria’s President Jonathan’s Administration and future leaders to set time apart to review and evaluate this important treatise on effective leadership on a constant basis to see what can be gleaned from it for relevant actions. In addition I appeal to our leaders, to take advantage of this informative and positively enriched leadership, learning and growth resource by applying the salient models and suggested vital solutions to the various leadership issues negatively impacting and imploding Nigeria as well as its rich practical examples to daily national and statewide operations. In addition, the book is a great resource for leaders to educate themselves, their followers, their constituents and lieutenants in the art of effective leadership and followership. In course of time, I strongly believe that the hidden rich golden gems crafted and embedded in this book will yield desired dividends for the nation over time as it adds leverage to and enhances Nigeria’s efforts in her onward march toward national development!

Thank you.

Onyema G. Nkwocha

USA

December, 2011

PRAISE FOR DR. ONYEMA NKWOCHA AND

EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA: PRACTICAL WAYS TO BUILD EFFECTIVE, INSPIRING, TRANSFORMATIONAL AND VISIONARY LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA.

Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria, is an exceptional new book, brimming with insights, ideas, tools, and tactics for becoming a successful leader. Dr. Onyema Nkwocha talks about crucibles of leadership or experiences, which provide intense stress and learning of leadership that form leadership values. This is what Nigeria needs desperately! Citing Moses as a source for practical lessons in effective leadership, he explores the concept of servant leadership and offers simple strategies for bringing vision, passion and values to Nigeria. Even for non-religious types, it is an important message.

The concept of servant leadership as the primary focus of this book is nothing short of inspirational. Well worth the investment of money to purchase and the investment of time to read, this book is composed of a series of thirty-two chapters, each of which lays out a particular leadership point or belief. There is a lot here that is valuable and worthwhile and exceptionally well written. Sections move easily from a discourse of principles to insights into leadership. Scattered throughout the book are some overall plans, patterns, or philosophies, to making Nigerian leadership better. The book’s structure follows its basic recommendations. The author recommends fundamental practices, which are all straightforward and insightful and stressing small and big wins.

Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria, is a book that is worth reading, if you are responsible for leadership in a nation of any size. The author has used different kinds of research to develop his recommendations. He looked at several leaders who have been successful, talked to followers about what they wanted in leaders, and shared leadership attributes as commented in several literatures—and these have helped Dr. Nkwocha propose recommendations that are both practical and, for the most part, behavioral.

Finally, Dr. Nkwocha brilliantly concludes that in order to be a successful leader, one must be able to connect to followers through emotions. I agree and do believe that in order to become an effective leader; one must be able to bond with their followers by developing an emotional sense of their well-being. In turn, this will create trust needed to produce followers who really believe in their leader to point them in the right direction. And we all know that without trust, it is impossible to become a successful leader in today’s volatile political environment.

The book is a great resource for people who are already operating in a leadership capacity of citizens of a nation and those who aspire to improve their leadership effectiveness. Congratulations on a job well done!

–––––

Dr. Marcellina N. Oparaoji

Drexel University College of Medicine,

Philadelphia, PA. USA.

ACCOLADE ON EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA-Believe me, this book, EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria is what our leaders need to move the country forward. I have read the introduction and some of the chapters of this book and I am very impressed at the author’s display of patriotism and his yearn for effective leadership. This book is coming out at a time when Nigeria and the rest of Africa increasingly, yearn for good and effective leadership. The author had meticulously laid out the problems confronting Nigeria and he proffers numerous solutions to addressing them. Hopefully, this book serves as the pivotal moment in Nigeria’s sobriety to create a better society for her citizens.

Many of the author’s mentors quoted in the book, highly revered Professor Chinua Achebe, Ambassador Joseph Garba, and President Kwame Nkrumah are all African heroes whose dreams for a better Africa are yet to fulfill. The author’s passions for a prosperous Nigeria, a nation where tribal differences, religion, and beliefs are not hindrance, are all very evident in this book. I strongly recommend this book to all who yearn for a better Nigeria and Africa at large.

–––––

Kienuwa Obaseki, PhD,

Interim Co-Chairman, Diaspora Nigerians Network (DNN)

USA

THE CHALLENGE OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA—I have given my own perspectives on this book which I find very interesting and educative in terms of research. I’m very much impressed on the time Dr. Nkwocha devoted in putting it together. That was very commendable on his part to be able to find time with work’s schedule and to go into details on the nature of leadership in Nigeria and what is expected of a leader. Leadership is all about being able to influence other people and make effective impact. The most pressing issue in leadership in Nigeria is integrity and Dr. Nkwocha emphasized in strongest terms that the qualities of effective leadership are very much lacking in our past and present leaders. Nkwocha goes on to emphasize that what is needed in our leadership in order to achieve set goals is effective leadership principles and practices for the country. From Nkwocha’s perspective, these include the fact that the leader has to be a visionary, one who has a clear, encompassing and far-reaching vision in regard to the cause involved. That this vision includes ideals, ideas, and goals which remain constant no matter how long it takes to realize them and no matter how difficult the encounters might be. Moreover the leader should not allow any of the means or actions along the way to become an obstacle to his/her vision. The visionary leader should be skillful in designing and creating an organizational culture which will make possible the attainment of the leader’s vision and ideas. Nkwocha’s book was born out of continued vacuum and lack of inspiration, enthusiastic, visionary and effective leadership in Nigeria since her attainment of independence in October 1960… Dr. Nkwocha provides copious practical solutions to the problems of leadership in Nigeria. Without any reservations, I recommend this book to current and future aspiring national leaders as well as to University students who are specializing in Government and Political Science as their areas of study. Bravo, Dr. Nkwocha! And a good job, well done!!!!

–––––

Fr. Sebastián A. Ugochukwu Ph.D.

I am glad that you were able to make out time to write this book, Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria . . . Congratulations!

I cannot but appreciate and recognize Dr. Onyema G. Nkwocha on this treatise on leadership, albeit focusing on our beloved country, Nigeria. Like his other noteworthy publications, be it a text or an article, he has devoted valuable time to research, synthesize and embellish his findings in order to come up with an intellectual piece. It is well written. CONGRATULATIONS Dr. Nkwocha!!!

Dr. Nkwocha’s text on leadership in a Nigerian context not only identified some of the challenges of leadership in Nigeria, it also provided the way forward. This is why I consider this a good text and an additional and noteworthy notch in Dr. Nkwocha’s feathers. There is no denying the fact that any right thinking African would agree with Dr. Nkwocha that African countries, in general, and Nigeria in particular are devoid of the right leadership structure to move their countries in a progressive rather than the pervasive retrogressive manner. As I had mentioned to Dr. Nkwocha, this is an area that I have thought as very important to write about but I am happy for him to have beaten me to the punch.

In assessing Dr. Nkwocha’s text, I have juxtaposed the notion of a leader, as I have observed it in the African context (Nigeria in particular) with that of a true servant leader as enunciated in the HOLY BIBLE and/or KORAN, which our leaders tend to preach that they are and/or are following. Some of us (Africans) mistake political leadership for nations’ leadership. As such, we equate a person that has won an election into an office, like that of a governor and the like as our leader. Yes, they may be leaders, albeit political leaders, but not the kind of leaders that African countries need and that this text is after (and advocating.) Dr. Nkwocha is talking about leaders that seek to emancipate their peoples and shine the light for them/others to follow.

The kinds of leaders contemplated in Dr. Nkwocha’s text lead and not rule their peoples. They also prepare their successor as they are leading—Individuals like The Peoples General—Eze Igbo Gburugburu, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, Zik of Africa—Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Awolowo, Sarduana of Sokoto, Sir Francis Ibiam, Michael Okpara, Da Sam Mbakwe, to mention but a few—to ensure continuity. They are those that hold a shining light and sacrifice for their followers to see that light and motivate them to follow that light. Dr. Nkwocha is not talking about those that think that they are rulers, forgetting that rulers are monarchs chosen by their nations to lead them to the Promised Land. The aforementioned names were/are leaders that provided, and in some cases still providing, the way forward and continue to shine the light, and making it brighter, for the redemption of their peoples—motivating, encouraging, removing obstacles in their way, and sometimes coercing them to get to the end of the tunnel with them. It is this kind of leadership that Dr. Nkwocha is talking about. Can one be a political leader and also a nation’s leader, YES, of course!

Then, who is a leader and what is the right leadership for an African country, region, state, LGA, albeit a Nigerian NATION Leader?

First, we have to get to the next step on the ladder—being a nation—but let me say that one cannot lead in a vacuum. A good leader, and the right leader Nigeria needs (not wants), must also know how to be a good follower. What Dr. Nkwocha is talking about is that leader who recognizes the importance of those led for his/her leadership to flourish, and ensuring that his/her followers’ aspirations are actualized. This leader provides the avenue for these aspirations to be self-actualized (accomplished)—s/he has provided the right leadership.

Given the above commentary, Dr. Nkwocha’s text has provided an intellectual treatise that, if read, embellished, and used as a guide by those that are thrust into leadership positions, would provide the right and enabling environment for the aspirations of the followers to be self actualized. It is for this reason that I believe that Dr. Nkwocha has positively and immensely contributed to the dialog on leadership void in Nigeria. Therefore, I doff my hat to Dr. Nkwocha for providing this intellectual piece worthy of being on the shelves of any Nigerian library, and most importantly, of reading by every African.

THANK YOU Dr. Nkwocha!!!

–––––

Dr. Fitzpatrick U. Anyanwu

Executive Director of Planning and Analysis

Sowela Technical Community College (SOWELA)

Lake Charles, Louisiana SC.

About Book and Author—This book, Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria couldn’t have come at a better time—a time when Nigeria, the focus of the book, is groping for and confused about leadership! The book properly elucidated what leadership means, differentiating it from authority. Since the first republic, Nigeria has lost its direction and motivation to excel as a country, due to the ascension to positions of authority by individuals with zero leadership acumen. The book informs the reader that leadership has the capability to influence a group of individuals to achieve a common goal, and further reveals that a leader must be trustworthy, visionary and inspiring. The book succinctly describes the type of leader Nigeria deserves—a servant-leader, who inspires followership, not necessarily obedience, raises consciousness to achieve, beyond ordinary, transforms and not necessarily conforms.

The author, Dr, Onyema Nkwocha, has once more shown his literary insight and instincts, by adroitly treating this topic in a manner that perfectly identifies the bastardization of leadership, as the etiology of Nigeria’s malaise. Dr. Nkwocha has, by this work, further deepened his imprint on our consciousness, as a respected contemporary literary gladiator of our time!

–––––

Prof. Edward C. Oparaoji

USA

This book, Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria is yet another scholastic masterpiece by Dr. Onyema Nkwocha and could not have come at a better time. At a time that Nigeria is clearly at a cross road and anarchy, poverty and epileptic infrastructure have become acceptable because of lack of effective leadership; Dr. Onyema has come to the rescue of the political leadership in Nigeria by providing a vivid road map to effective leadership.

In his own words good leadership spells good governance, creates pathway to peace, unity, progress and overall development. The historical background of the author is unmistakable as he takes us on a refreshing journey of Nigeria’s leadership problems since independence and offers us a glimpse of what an effective leadership should be using the biblical Moses as a reference point of how a leader should serve his people with humility and grace.

This book should be a must read for the Nigerian political class and indeed every Nigerian as we strive to fill the yawning gap in Nigeria’s political leadership. This book will be an invaluable resource to the current administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Dr. Nkwocha, who recently published a spell binding account of the Nigerian civil war—The Republic of Biafra—Once upon a time in Nigeria has once again demonstrated that he has become an influential voice in Nigeria’s political history… Congratulations on yet another scholastic work… This is a very commendable effort and the depth of your knowledge is very impressive.

–––––

Chinedu Iwuji, Esq.

Atlanta, Ga.

DEDICATION

Dedicated to President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan & to All Patriotic Citizens who, in one way or the other have worked, or currently are working toward the improvement of Nigeria for the general good of all.

I dedicate this book to the President and the Nigerian democratic electoral process because his election represented a symbol of the kind of national unity advocated in this book where majority of Nigerians, north, south, east, and west united and resolved to elect a Nigerian to the Office of the President without asking whether he’s Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba. For this singular national act of Unity alone, I salute all Nigerians for democratically electing President Goodluck Jonathan! In his own words, which I happen to agree with, the President said at his inaugural address, thus: "A decade ago, it would have been a mere daydream to think that a citizen from a minority ethnic group could galvanize national support, on an unprecedented scale, to discard ancient prejudices, and win the people’s mandate as President of our beloved country. That result emanated from the toil and sacrifice of innumerable individuals and institutions, many of whom may never get to receive public appreciation for their effort… The success of the 2011 elections and the widespread acclaim which the exercise received was due to the uncommon patriotism and diligence exhibited by many Nigerians, including members of the Armed Forces, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and others." Because of this, I hereby dedicate this book to both the President and the People of Nigeria for their Successful April 2011 democratic national election processes.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First, I extend a very special thank you to those whose works already in print and on the web network were consulted and referenced while putting this book together. Their works provided me with invaluable information with which to enrich this book.

I must also thank Rev. Dr. Sebastian A. Ugochukwu who gracefully agreed to serve dual roles in the making of this book. First, for patiently going through this book and providing the necessary review, corrections and suggestions including spell-check, I am very grateful to you. Having read this book in its entirety and understood not only the contents, the context and the importance of the subject matter, I requested Rev. Ugochukwu to kindly write the Foreword for this book which he gracefully accepted. For these two events, I warmly extend my gratitude to your Rev. Ugochukwu.

I would like to thank Dr. Mrs. Mercy Ndidi Oparaoji for reviewing and providing needed critical input on Chapter 12 as well as helping to select the most appropriate title for this book. Thank you. My thanks also go to Dr. Kienuwa Obaseki, Interim Co-Chairman of Diaspora Nigerian Network, who on a short notice, when approached, gladly agreed to review the book and say a word or two of his perspectives concerning this book. Dr. Obaseki, thank you, it is the legendary public activities and services by people like you that have so far helped Nigeria to stay on the current course, and path rails of democracy that she has so far been delicately treading along. We hope that this present dispensation is sustained for the greater good of all.

A very special thank you to my first and foremost number one and original Mentor, Dr. Fitzpatrick U. Anyanwu, who is literarily, my God-father, without whom, I might add, my coming to America would have been a hopeless dream dashed to pieces on the rocks! Discounting financial assistance, Dr. Anyanwu, perhaps at the time, (in the early 1980's when both of us were in Port Harcourt serving in the National Youth Corps program), saw whatever he saw in me and took it upon himself to break down the barriers to progress and the walls of backwardness still heavily gripping Nigeria and offered a better way out by showing me the way to America! Dr. Anyanwu, once again, this literary work is yet evidence in that continuum that your confidence in me was not disappointing, that your moral and god-fatherly and mentoring support to me were not in vain. In a way, this honor belongs to you too! Without you, it’s hard to say what would have become of me. Thank you for showing me the Light and for your continued belief in me!!

I am grateful to Professor Edward Oparaoji, who, at whatever time I call upon him, never fails to give me that reassuring and therapeutic welcoming voice of recognition, appreciation and encouragement. As hectic as his time constraints are, Professor Oparaoji always finds that time to assist in my ever engaging literary works. Professor Oparaoji, thank you for your continued support and encouragement.

I will not fail to recognize Chinedu Iwuji, Esq., who, I’ve come to recognize a certain rare type of integrity in him. Although never pronounced or stated anywhere, in the process of writing this book, I saw and recognized in Chinedu, the silent code that says my word is my bond which he so exhibited to my fancy! Chinedu, for your support and for keeping your words to the letter, I duff my hat and say, thank you.

I would like to thank my Publisher, AuthorHouse and my book Agents and my Publishing Team for the quality and professional services they have continued to provide. Especially, I would like to pay tribute to the following AuthorHouse Team for the particular attention they paid to quality and details in delivering a top notch book product: Haley Go, my Book Check in Coordinator, Gemma Ramos, my Book Design Consultant, AuthorHouse Printer Team, AuthorHouse Support Team and finally to Ms. Simone Rodriguez, Supervisor. Without your dedication and professionality, this book would not have enjoyed the quality and professionality it currently possesses. The attention paid to details and quality is exemplary. I’m quite impressed by the quality of your book product and top notch services. Bravo! In addition, I would like to extend my heart-felt love to my daughter, Adaeze Kelly Nkwocha for taking the picture photograph of the author’s on the back page and more so, for providing the critical edits needed on the Author’s Note to the Reader. Adaeze, thank you.

And finally, I would like to recognize and thank my family for their love, enthusiasm and support. I owe a considerable debt to my most-important-other-person, my wife and so, my special thanks goes to her for her unreserved love, support, understanding, endurance and patience with me during this long and arduous process. I would like to thank God-Almighty for making this book and this day in my life, a reality!

FOREWORD

By

Dr. Rev. Sebastián Ugochukwu

THE CHALLENGE OF LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA

This book, Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria was born out of continued vacuum and lack of inspiration, enthusiastic, visionary and effective leadership in Nigeria since her attainment of independence in October 1960. Dr. Nkwocha in his opening remark presents what those effective qualities should be in a leader for a nation to succeed. Leadership is all about being able to influence other people and make effective impact. The most pressing issue in leadership in Nigeria is integrity. The notion of integrity is one that is needful but scarce with the Nigerian society today. It’s an issue in every field of Nigerian society. In a nutshell integrity is doing the right thing. It shows character.

Those effective leadership qualities are:

That personal motivation and self-image is key to how a person performs, responds to issues and leads; making choices for success by overcoming past conditions; developing a written specific plan of action for goal achievement and success; realizing his/her own potential for personal leadership; redesigning attitude through displacement; learning to support affirmations with visualization and how to overcome obstacles to the written goals. Dr. Nkwocha emphasized in strongest terms that these qualities are very much lacking in our past and present leaders. Nkwocha notes that Nigeria has not been fortunate to have a pragmatic leader, who is able to stir the ship in the right direction since the inspection of independence. He pointed out the maladies that are responsible for the failure of our national leaders past and present. He points out the issue of lack of spirit of effective vision on what leadership represents, lack of understanding of roles, functions and inherent responsibilities of a leader in relationship to the people vis-à-vis the entire Nigeria society. And most of all lack of dedication on the part of our leaders, in short lack of love for their country.

Dr. Nkwocha at the same time goes on to emphasize what is needed in our leadership in order to achieve set goals. From Nkwocha’s perspective, these include the fact that the leader has to be a visionary, one who has a clear, encompassing and far-reaching vision in regard to the cause involved. That this vision includes ideals, ideas, and goals which remain constant no matter how long it takes to realize them and no matter how difficult the encounters might be. Moreover the leader should not allow any of the means or actions along the way to become an obstacle to his/her vision. The visionary leader should be skillful in designing and creating an organizational culture which will make possible the attainment of the leader’s vision and ideas. Nkwocha stressed that creating this organizational culture should be the stepping stone of the members of the organization for success. Furthermore the visionary leader should be a person who has the charisma of attracting others to follow him/her in seeking attainment of his/her vision. In fact, this charismatic leader must have the capability to instill in others the ideals, ideas, beliefs system and values of his/her vision so that the members became empowered to move beyond their leader’s expectations. That in a country like Nigeria, Nkwocha goes on to say, an effective leader should pay attention to issues like lack of unity, tribalism, democracy and economic growth, massive illiteracy in the nation, good supply of food items, quality health care system and unemployment which has been problematic and challenging to the nation.

Dr. Nkwocha stresses the fact that a visionary leader should be one that has the quality and ability to see certain things which other people are unable to see. That he must have a certain set of skill that makes him/her effective and able to lead others. His/her style of leadership must have impeccable traits that go with that leadership style. He talked of honesty as being a essential in a leader; being able to own up when things go wrong. That one of the important traits of a good leader is being able to visualize the future. That competency is a sine qua none a leader should have as a trade mark. Those under his portfolio should see him as a competent leader. That he/she must have the intelligence and inspirational qualities in order to lead.

Dr. Nkwocha has the view that a good leader should place more emphases on the constitutional duties and responsibilities of those whom he/she has chosen to be in his cabinets on how they resolve conflicts, and motivation to act on an important matter independent of the leader to get results. Nkwocha also stated that the leader should coordinate with his/her cabinet and work as a team. That the leader with his/her cabinet forges a government of the people by the people and for the people that works. As long as the government works for the people there will always be good results. But if the leader and his/her cabinet are working for their own good and not for the people the leadership is in jeopardy because the needs of the people are not met. But as long as the visionary leader produces good leadership that will give him/her the power to lunch and revolutionalize the system and make major changes within the society. The people will reciprocate to the leadership new ideas and a new nation is born. This new nation will last as long as the leadership is in constant communication with the people on day to day events of the nation. That results in a good public accountability and stewardship from the leadership.

Dr. Nkwocha stressed on what is required to handle the challenges the Nigerian leadership faces in order to render good public stewardship and accountability. The American speaker and author Jim Rohn famous for motivational speeches states that The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly. These virtues Jim Rohn pointed out are what Dr. Nkwocha emphasized on in this book Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria. How to put them into practice is the question. One of the challenges Dr. Nkwocha points out is creating a team work. Nkwocha cautions that this entails choosing the right people for the right job and those right people to work as a team. He goes on to say that a winning team is not about one person but it’s all that is involved in that team. This team involves different ethnic groups in Nigeria and how to work together as a successful team with one destiny. Nigeria he stated has not been able to arrive as a team in confronting the issues of our nation which resulted in the Nigerian Biafra war in 1967-1970. Secondly Nigeria has not had and currently does not have an inspirational leader who can lead this team to do their best. Dr. Nkwocha made it clear that the inspirational leader has to lead his team to have a goal in handling these maladies that is weighing down on the nation as a hold. The goal of the team should be to eradicate crime, fraud, bribery, corruption, armed robbery, lack of patriotism, lawlessness and lack of vision. Thirdly area of national and public relations communication is also essential part of governing. There has to be effective communication between the leader and his team. That means the leader and the followers have to trust each other. Currently, this feature in leadership is very much lacking among our leaders because the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing. There has to be the need for a national conference for the people to decide for themselves the fate of their nation. This means giving them the opportunity to decide for themselves whether they want to live as one nation and how to go about doing the governing. Fourthly empowerment is an essential recipe in leading a nation. The leader has to empower his/her team of followers in order to do their job well. That means giving them the ability to trust each other and the necessary tools to do their work. The team needs to feel that they are needed as part of a family rather than the bottom line.

Dr. Nkwocha lamented that no Nigerian leader has ever been blessed with inspirational, motivational and transformational abilities and skills since her inception. Nothing propels the spirit of a nation and her people to a greater height than the empowerment, enthusiasm, inspirational words of their leader during times of crises. Nigeria does not have such a leader today nor in the past.

He stated that there are several different kinds of leadership challenges that are always confronting Nigerian leaders. He enumerates the seven guiding principles that a leader should possess or pursue in order to fulfill his/her assignment. They are:

a)   Be an achiever.

b)   Be pragmatic

c)   Practice strategic humility

d)   Be customer focused

e)   Be committed

f)   Learn to be an optimist

Due to the fact that these guiding principles have not been seen in any of our leaders, it becomes very difficult to guide the nation in the right direction, Nkwocha pointed. Furthermore, one of the reasons it has virtually become an impossible task is due to the geopolitical constitution and nature of the nation. Dr. Nkwocha stated that the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914 by the British governor Fredrick Lugard was a hasty action that has not held water since the formation. As a result it has become a difficult task to have a leader that rises above these fundamental geopolitical issues due to the nation’s vast diversity. Nkwocha brought to limelight the fact that the most important priority for the leadership in Nigeria is how to form a united front of purpose. This united front of purpose can only be adhered to if there comes into being, a structural adjustment of the geopolitical framework of the current constitution and makeup of the nation. Of course, the balancing equalizer would be the extent of love the leader and followers have at heart of the nation at large. In the final analysis, unless these fundamental issues are addressed and resolved the problem will continue to exist. It will be a hard sale to talk of transformation, Nkwocha emphasized.

Dr. Nkwocha posits a question on how does a Nigerian leader make a difference in order to make this transformation work. He went on to say that the—would—be-leader could only make this transformation to happen if he/she has the ability of a visionary to make a positive change where none existed before i.e. having the ability to change the negative issues that leads to positive accomplishments. The would-be-leader must be able to listen to the unpleasant voices calling for change and sleep over it and make the necessary changes that would be effective. He must be able to select intelligent group of team workers who are problem solvers who have the vision to make things happen.

Dr. Nkwocha insisted that for a leader to resolve these issues it has to be a collective act, community act and a collaborative effort of the whole nation. That once it becomes everybody’s concern it becomes less of a burden to the leadership. The love for the nation, the Agape type, must come first.

Dr. Nkwocha has spent time in helping us understand what good leadership entails; and why good governing has eluded Nigeria over these many years. Nkwocha, in this book, helps the reader to understand how problematic it is to be a leader in Nigeria. The book, Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria, expanded on the problems of diversity in the areas of culture, politics, religion and tribalism, and their common effects on the psyche of the nation. It is a book that dove into what leadership means, how those who are opportune to lead must conduct themselves and how the mantle of leadership is supposed to be handled. Those outstanding qualities from a good leader identified in this book, leads a nation to great heights.

In his reference to Paul’s leadership letter to the Corinthians Chapter 13:1-13 Agape "If I have all the eloquence of men or of angels, but speak without love I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing… Nkwocha touché don three virtues that last in leadership. In short, these three things that last are faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love" which is the Sum mum bonum (the supreme or greatest good from which all others are derived) that is required of a leader. Dr. Nkwocha has done an outstanding work in his research in presentation of the characteristics of what a good leader represents. It’s an interesting book to read. I encourage those who are aspiring to get into leadership to use it as handbook to model their thinking in their aspiration. In Philosophy/psychology we say there are no effect without a course and no course with effect. Anyone who adhered to this book will always get a result as a good leader. Nkwocha has done a marvelous job by methodically articulating the leadership guiding principles and what it takes to be an effective leader in his book, Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria. Without any reservations, I recommend this book to current and future aspiring national leaders as well as to University students who are specializing in Government and Political Science as their areas of study.

Fr. Sebastián A. Ugochukwu Ph.D.

Chief Chaplain, Bedford Medical Center

200 Springs RD Bedford, MA 01730, USA

October, 2011

PREFACE

The country needs and, unless I mistake its temper, the country demands bold, persistent experimentation. It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.

—U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a commencement Address given at the Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, Georgia May 23, 1932

"Fellow citizens, in every decision, I shall always place the common good before all else. The bane of corruption shall be met by the overwhelming force of our collective determination, to rid our nation of this scourge. The fight against corruption is a war in which we must all enlist, so that the limited resources of this nation will be used for the growth of our commonwealth.

I am confident that we have every reason to look to the future with hope. We owe ourselves and posterity the duty of making this country respectable in the comity of nations. Nigeria, as a responsible member of the international community, will remain committed to the maintenance of global peace and security."

—Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, Inaugural Speech, Aso Rock, Abuja May 29, 2011

The current work, Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria comes to being because the nation needs an effective, visionary, and inspiring leadership to galvanize the people into action. If am not far from the truth, the country demands bold, transformational and enthusiastic leadership nerves and the will from her leaders to resolutely, unswervingly, address the vexing and perplexing issues and conditions confronting the nation and her people today. From the outset, the author makes it clear that this book is not designed to model after or fit any known leadership paradigm, theory or management style. Rather, it attempts to explore what it takes for there to be in the nation, an effective servant-leader and good leadership practices to successfully lead and change Nigeria for the better. The book is written and organized in a way that it reflects the experiences, frustrations, aspirations and hopes of every Nigerian and perhaps of promising politicians and future leaders who are honestly touched by the virtual vacuum of real and effective leadership in the country. The author tried to reflect also on the peoples’ concerns, questions, dreams, exasperations and their expectations that they have always carried as a burden in the past more than half a century and that have gone unnoticed and unresolved by the various past governments vis-à-vis the military and civilian administrations.

The effects of too long a period of military autocracy, dictatorship, heavy handedness, and corruption coupled with bad leadership, lack of vision and the attendant mismanagement of the nation’s wealth and infrastructures have been profound on the people of Nigeria, majority of whom, are poor. In the wake of these experiences are left behind in the country widespread unemployment, virtual destruction of the country and its governing structures, appalling quality of educational standards, system and products, total poor quality of healthcare resources of the worst type, shortages of fuel in the midst of plenty, lack of food and quality medical supplies and on and on. Our best known cultural heritages and systems have all but been destroyed and wiped out. Widespread sub cultural values of 419, broad day light kidnapping for ransom, resuscitation of ancient human killings and sacrifice of fellow Nigerian citizens, tribal commotions and acute religious intolerance, wholesale duping and swindling of government and public funds and resources, scarcity of electricity in the land of plenty of oil, corruption and crimes of all sorts in both high and low places have now teamed together to be the accepted norm and culture of today’s Nigeria. Activities of people of the underworld such as waylaying and robbing of tourists and local Nigerians at gun points and in most situations killing them, burning them in their luxurious busses or practically shooting them or laying them on the tarred road for other motorists to crush them, are all well documented current negative life styles and practices prevalent in contemporary Nigeria. In the face of these and other myriad of crimes, injustices and illegal ways of life now rampant in the nation, the Nigerian government, sworn police officers of the law, the military, court and legal systems of the land appear and move as if nothing is happing and as if they are helpless in using all the legal machineries of the State to arrest the ugly situation in the country. And the more the government and all legal enforcing agencies keep silence and overtly or covertly become comrades in crimes, the more the people’s lives are exposed to danger, thereby putting several million people or more at risk. The situation in Nigeria has reached a point where desperate men and women of good-will must come together with an effective, well-coordinated program of action to rescue the nation from the hands of a few citizen hijackers and bring it back into the hands of the people. While or having rescued Nigeria from this situation, over the longer term, early call for a new Constitution and its process to give Nigerians the fundamental opportunity to once, determine their own national destiny by crafting and giving to themselves, a Constitution of by and for themselves becomes the proper thing to do. Nigerians have shown support for elections, transitional justice from military to democratic civil governance and policing, and in social-economic recovery, rule of law and other governing institution-building. As things stand in the country today, it is evident that there is momentum on the side of the people as they continue to make civil governance advances and as they continue in their efforts to set up a new democratic government in Nigeria based on the principle of one person-one vote. In recognition of how Nigerians were forced by the Whiteman to come together as a people and forced under one polity without any chance ever to determine their own national fate and destiny and at the same time, how on the eve of the military handing government over to civilians, yet again, like its British predecessors, forced a military designed and drafted 1979 Constitution unto Nigerians, thus this author calls for the establishment of a new aboriginal constitutional and legislative framework for the democratic unification and transformation of Nigeria.

Therefore, the election of Jonathan as the President of the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria could not have come at a better point and moment in time when Nigeria is "now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today and confronted with the fierce urgency of now"¹ to transform and rebuild the country. More than four decades ago, the urgencies of these yesteryears that Nigeria needed then and now, include the continued lack of effective governance, forward looking and transformational leadership. Nigeria needed then as she does today, leaders who should have listened, motivated the people and acted toward building national unity. With unity in place coupled with peace and love among the nationals, all other ingredients necessary to make the country great would have been in place. Instead, tribalism, nepotism, bribery and all sorts of crimes and corruptions were enthroned at both low and high places. These of course led to the unfortunate civil war and ever since the end of that war, these national problems and issues have been exacerbated more than a hundred fold. Today, the worst of the fierce urgencies of now the country is faced with is the continued lack of effective, visionary and inspiring leadership at both the national, local, municipal and township level government throughout Nigeria. Hence, the country now, more than at any other time needs an enthusiastic, effective and visionary leader who is ready, tough and selfless enough to take this bull of a country-Nigeria, by the horn!

Therefore, any Nigerian citizen gearing now or in the future toward assuming the mantle and rostrum of leadership of the country must be ready to re-dedicate him/herself and work harder with considerate behavior and the right mental attitude toward fellow citizens. Great expectations will be on this person in turning around the present sorry state of affairs and policies of Nigeria to an enviably remarkable height within the comity of diverse nationals.

As a people, what we have not seen put to practice in Nigeria’s resolve and pathway toward an economically advanced and democratic nation are the culture, qualities, skills and spirit of effective, enthusiastic, and inspiring and transformational servant-leadership among her past and current leadership elite. These attributes are the missing links among the desired features and qualities any leader of the nation should bring to the office. Also, lacking in that resolve is the creative ability of its leaders to take to the path of bold, persistent, willfully planned experimentation, designed to usher in unity, development, democracy and the utter banishment of tribalism. Also, religious intolerance and the dangerous culture of the north-south divide have deeply hampered progress in the country, since her independence. Yes, in a nutshell, the above skills and qualities are what Nigeria needs most from her leaders in her present dispensation, in order for her to trade on the path of development.

The executive chief of state, otherwise known as the President, by qualification, should bring to the job, effectiveness, efficiency and inspirational pomp and pageantry that can turn a nation into an army and machinery of achievers, and where ordinary citizens are groomed from infancy to adulthood to accomplish extra-ordinary things. Nigeria needs leaders who are willing and ready to inspire the people. The country is long overdue, and ready for leaders, who are prepared to look in the eyes of the people and tell them that what we need to fear is fear itself (fear of the havoc wreaked by tribalism, bribery, corruption, organized crime, 419, kidnapping and human sacrifice, and religious intolerance among other fears). Nigeria needs a strong, bold and fearless leader who is capable of telling the people that the current structural arrangements in the nation, hastily and selfishly put together by the British colonialists, are not working. At the same time, this leader has to bring the good news to the people that there is a brighter tomorrow, and that all what we need to do as a nation and a people is to brace up, roll up our sleeves and take the bull by the horn, by taking on the big task of national re-building.

The dream effective, inspiring, and pragmatic leader-to-be, would be the captain of the national ship, always taking the first step and always realizing that as the leader leads, so follows the people and as the captain stirs, so moves the ship. So far, we have not been fortunate enough to have that kind of effective and inspiring leader appear on the Nigerian leadership scene and theater. Until the day Nigeria will be fortunate enough to grace the appearance and presence of such a charismatic, effective and inspiring leader, we are yet to experience what the true meaning of a real leader is—one leading, directing, and managing the affairs of the people, without looking back.

Therefore, the most important and essential factor inspiring the author’s current work on Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria is very simple and straightforward. Simply put in perspective, this book comes about as a result of the current and continued vacuum and lack of inspiring, enthusiastic, visionary, and effective leadership in Nigeria since her attainment of independence in October 1960. Nigeria’s domestic problems have continued to be exacerbated, due mainly to lack of visionary leaders and effective leadership. The nation, therefore, must continue to enhance her domestic unity, preserve her international integrity and the current, fragile, synthetic "democratic unity." To pave the path to real national development and ultimate democracy, an authentic, visionary and effective servant-leader—a healer-unifier statesman needs to emerge on the Nigerian political scene, to lead a nation to her desired destiny. Nigeria is yet to enjoy this leadership status! This book has come of time, to lend assistance and create the right pathway in enlightening Nigerians and her leaders of the need for good and effective leadership. It attempts to address the nature and quality of that leader, who is to provide that quality leadership to the nation, as well as the leadership features and characteristics needed to be observed in, and exhibited by this leader. In addition, Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria is embarked upon, in an effort to continue the basic but stunted political socialization of the people and elected officials, in comprehending the political engagements of life in Nigeria. The role and functions of the President, otherwise and also variously, is addressed as the Head of state, the chief executive and the commander-in-chief-of the-Armed Forces—the Chief of State.

These leadership functions or roles are viewed and put in perspective in this book, in relation to the people, the government, the nation and the society at large. In both previous Republics, including the several illegal-military governments, no presidential or military leadership has ever actually fulfilled the constitutional functions and roles of the leader of the Nigerian people in the true sense of it, as intended by the Constitution. Hence, this author feels it is imperatively essential, that current and future presidents and servant-leaders of the New Nation-State of Nigeria, including the entire people of the nation, continuously be re-educated and politically socialized on the actual roles, functions, and responsibilities of the commander-in-chief of the entire nation The provisions of this book are more of a refresher course meant to be constantly hanging at the door post of the executive leader of state and government, and always swinging on his or her face as a reminding pendulum to the calls and mandates of the highest office of the land—the sworn office of the Executive President of The Federal Republic of Nigeria!

In reality, the quintessential view point of the book, Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria is that judging from the continuous appalling and disappointing substandard performances of both civilian and military leaderships over these many years, the sad and realistic fact is that military heads of state and their civilian predecessors and successors have continuously lacked the spirit of effective, visionary and enthusiastic leadership. It is time the country moved toward the path of effective leadership. Both past military and civilian leadership personnel did not understand the roles, functions, and inherent responsibilities of a leader, in relation to the people vis-à-vis the entire society. Nigeria’s unity, the peoples’ initiative and development at large, have been grossly stunted and held hostage at the hands of the uninformed military leaders. Consequently, these essential ingredients for overall national development, progress, and prosperity, have lost touch with what the Nigerian people would have been capable of accomplishing, both as individual citizens and as a nation or a people—hence, the need for a new leadership path for the effective, inspiring, visionary and of course, the enthusiastic type!

Current mediocrity in leadership performances indicate too, that the leadership elite lack the know-how, the skills or the spirit of effective servant-leadership, needed to execute such functions. Biblically, we saw an effective, visionary and gallant servant—leader, Moses, communing with the people of Israel, defending them when the Egyptians tried to kill them, providing them with water in the desert, mediating between them and God, writing and bringing down the law. Moses did it all as a leader and left shoes no modern mortal leader can ever or has been able to fill! It is not too late for Nigeria’s leaders to learn from the arch-servant-patriarch leader, Moses, how to serve the people with humility and grace—the very essence of leadership. Good leadership spells good governance, creates pathway to peace, unity, progress and overall development. Without a good and effective leadership at Aso Rock (Abuja,) Nigeria will continue to be the way she is or even worse. A similar inference from the American experience would be that without the emergence of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the American Civil Rights movement scene at the time he did, it is doubtful whether the level of peace, civil rights and overall decorum, presently enjoyed in today’s United States of America, would have been possible.

Given the current state of Nigeria, the devastation, and the near economic destruction the country suffered and experienced at the hands of the military for over 30 years, we cannot continue with the pattern of leadership respective civilian leaders have continued to exhibit. Nigeria needs a bold, diametrically opposing set of emergent, experimental and practical set of creative policies and actions, never before seen practiced by any leaders in the country. The country demands a purposefully planned, orchestrated, bold, pragmatic, persistent, and resolute continuous experimentation, to bring about desired unity and the development of the nation in all its ramifications. In fact, common sense demands that one tries a new method first. If it fails, recognize the failure and appreciate why it failed and then try another one. But above all, do something, try something new! The problem with, and the failure of past leaders is having never had the temerity or audacity to try anything outside the usual box of politics of tribalism and Muslim north versus Christian south saga, to bring about unity and overall development. No past Nigerian leader has ever consciously or otherwise tried anything to force unity or development of any sort-, hence, the nation is bankrupt today on all fronts.

With this in perspective, Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria then boldly takes on its project of examining what leadership really means, the features of effective leadership and the characteristics of effective and successful servant-leaders. Selected traits, behaviors, and other inspirational attributes that great visionary leaders use to influence and motivate their followers, are part of the discussions. Also examined includes the roles, functions and responsibilities of the leader—the President and Chief executive, to the people, the government and of course, to the nation and the Nigerian society at large. Furthermore, selected leadership competency cores of successful visionary and great leaders, are also discussed in the attempt to modernizing Nigeria’s understanding of leadership and leading the people. Ultimately, it is hoped that the leader would be better at executing the laws to the letters of the constitutional provisions and serve the people well, as a true and effective leader should. Serving the people is the quintessential service to the motherland and humanity at large.

Serving the people well is a choice and a matter of how prepared, visionary, effective, creative, pragmatic, and successful, a leader can be. In collaboration with the people, the cabinet and entire masses, the effective leader can make a difference in paying attention to, and handling the most acute, challenging, and demanding national problems and issues. Examples of such issues include lack of unity, tribalism, and democracy, overall economic growth, massive illiteracy in the nation, unemployment, non-viable health facilities, deteriorating educational qualities, overall national development and pursuit of wealth and happiness, which seemingly have defied any known solution applied by the various "leaderships" in the past decades. Effective Leadership in Nigeria: Practical Ways to Build Effective, Inspiring, Transformational and Visionary Leadership and Governance in Nigeria is an attempt at encouraging the Ushering in of effective and productive leadership governance, for the