By (Polemics)
It is politically, logically wise and inevitable that 2023 general polls in Abia State, form critical frame of reference in this analysis.
Though, 2023 polls, is not the central or primary focus of this analysis and review of the contemporary political leadership circumstances prevalent in Abia State, as critical elements.
Notwithstanding, 2023 polls, can help salvage in rewriting positively, the leadership anomalies and quirk absurdities, in terms of leadership paralysis or crisis that has undeniably and ominously plaqued Abia State, based on public assessments or perceptions.
The critical essence or relevance of 2023 polls in these important contexts, stem from the beliefs and optimism of standing on the thresholds of fresh electoral opportunities in 2023 to redress the critical political leadership misfortunes of Abia State, dating back to 30 yore years of existence, following the creation of Abia State on August 27, 1991.
Thus, only certified clairvoyants, can declare with accuracy or exactness the final outcomes of 2023 general elections, in terms of effective leadership contexts or perspectives; beyond the rituals of routine general elections.
Or, in the same token, only a clairvoyant, can even risk to dare any attempts to declare accurately the exact personal identities of the ultimate winners of political parties primaries elections tickets in 2023; for example, amongst teeming prospective governorship aspirants in Abia North Zone; or other geopolitical zones.
Only such winners, thus, shall be qualified to contest the governorship position, based on the stipulations of extant electoral laws and provisos.
Lucky tickets winners, barring any disputations, which is highly unlikely, based on insights of past events, shall be cloaked in the highly coveted toga of flag bearers on the platforms of competing political parties. Especially, APC, APGA, and PDP, as the dominant parties in the vanguard of Abia State political electoral contests, presently.
Similarly, only a twenty-first century political Nostradamus, can effortlessly, replying on prescient gifts or powers, prefigure or pinpoint with precision, the anticipated winners of parties’ primaries elections, in 2023 general polls.
Likewise, pundits, priestly prophets, and far-sighted seers, possibly with the aid of heavenly prophetic discernments or supernatural sensory abilities, only possessed by prophets or seers, may be able to peep into what the future holds in stock; or risk to foresee and resolve these acute political riddles or puzzles.
Given the increase in the number of aborted or failed prophecies associated with majority of contemporary time prophets and seers, only tiny fractions of people shall consider with scintilla of seriousness any prophetic bulls or decrees minted and issued by prophets or seers, as purveyors of the dynamic national political cauldrons and events.
No doubt, litany of prophecies and legions of prayers warriors, in addition to countless analytical or speculative forecasts and predictions, are bound to compete for attentions, in the days, weeks, and months ahead, as the magical year 2023 zooms majestically closer, with promises of glad tidings and hope.
Though the sketch of the total picture, in terms of the political gladiators to cross swords in the governorship tickets contests remains mostly blurred and faint at the moment; some notable personalities have begun to emerge conspicuously out of the shadows, into limelight’s.
Sample profiles of these personalities include, essentially: veteran political gladiators; business tycoons; icons of academia and educationists; financial experts and banking gurus; tested and trusted veteran security experts; distinguished ex-military leaders; serial entrepreneurs; and philanthropists.
Throughout its entire lengths and breadths, for instance, Abia North geopolitical zone , is crowned with rich depositories and reservoirs of valuable human capital resource. Abia North Zone, is home of prominent professional elite and renowned technocrats, whose influences penetrate beyond the boundaries and confines of Abia State, but extend to different parts of the globe, respectively.
Similarly, Abia Central and South Zones, are endowed as treasure base and grooves of jewels, in terms of the eminent presence of arrays of highly accomplished and outstanding human capital resource and personalities in different fields of professional endeavours, competencies and expertise.
Unfortunately, Abia State, despite the abundance of rich human capital resource, has curiously remained in the tight clutches or grips of noticeable paralysis, in the contexts of classic sense of the dearth of enviable leaders and role models; measured by the indices of respective performances of the political personalities who have served in the strategic office and capacities of state chief executives, as governors.
The outstanding but unfortunate reasons responsible for the tight grips of leadership paralysis, are not far-fetched but conspicuous to any discerning minds, based on hind sights.
The unfortunate development, with specific reference to the return to democratic system of governance, re-inaugurated in 1998/99, can be attributed primarily to the curious circumstances; the presence and the emergence as state chief executives or governors of the class or calibres of political leaders, who occupied the highly exalted strategic governorship positions in the past.
Accordingly, referencing the findings of sample surveys of public opinions and perceptions, these calibers of political personalities, who occupied the positions of governorship before, were generally assessed, considered or regarded in many quarters as either not suitable enough; ill-equipped for the office; or politically incompetent, as ineffective leaders.
These political developments and verdicts in the highly critical and sensitive leadership questions, were viewed; or currently considered by many as the real Enemy or Nemesis of Abia State, in plain literal sense or unvarnished expressions; according to some influential schools of thoughts.
Secondly, the serial adoptions of the political practice of brazen institutionalization of the doctrine of inverse or inverted concept of leadership as a curious model, was another unfavorable factor.
Under the inverted concept and model, the universal ideals of effective leadership were completely overturned; turned-upside-down; effective and efficient leadership was bartered, commoditized, commercialized, and overtly compromised.
Thus, leadership in competencies and failures were invariably guaranteed and elevated to high levels pedestals.
Above all, incompetent persons were compensated and elevated to strategic office of governorship on political considerations, such as political loyalty and anointing; as the primary objectives of subjective, instead of highly objective decisions making processes, in the choices and determination of the candidates.
These sad spectacles, formed the rudiments of the political culture in Abia State, specifically in the critical contexts of leadership in governorship positions, with effect from 1999.
Any wonder, with these absurdities, as highly, pervasively institutionalized official instruments of policy frameworks in politics or governance; exercised completely by defacto political dominant political godfathers or godmothers, in control of the affairs of the political parties and State’s apparatuses; Abia State, ever since, has not moved beyond mediocrity levels?
In essence, the controlling powers behind the governorship seat or throne, relentlessly pulled and manipulated the political strings to suit specific range of narrowly defined political interests; whereas, Abia State, was virtually left prostrate in terms of effective leadership.
As a result, Abia State, had invariably suffered the grave misfortunes of having as governors, individuals who simply desired the title, honour, and prestige of the office of governor but in essence lacked more or less generally the requisite capacities and competencies essential, necessary to match effectively the arduous demands of the office.
In this context, it was a far cry to ascend the position of governorship, especially with the influences of political godfathers; but it was entirely different stories to live up to high premium levels of expectations of the citizenry, who desired and deserved qualitative services from the occupants of the exalted office.
It was relatively easy or simple for some of these political personalities to have become governors; but at the same time, ended up mostly as disastrous failures or fiascos in office.
As a result, these political personas, generally accomplished little or nothing of any supreme significance, as governors; but only disappointed and mercilessly broke the hearts of Abians, in the end.
Additionally, Abia State, had suffered another great misfortune of being governed by political personalities, who lacked apparently or completely the right ideas, ideals, and strategic visions required to deliver high networth of constructive-result-oriented leadership. Measured objectively, in terms of impactful or positive manifestations of sustainable and tangible accomplishments, these leaders barely made any positive impacts, relative to the enormous resource base of the State, allegedly squandered by these leaders; or by close political associates and appointees, under the indirect/direct superintendence of the governors, serving in office.
In many cases, capital projects embarked upon under various administrations, merely served as deliberate avenues or conduits to siphon funds, according to the beliefs of popular public opinions or perceptions. In some curious circumstances, fiscal assets and non-fiscal assets simply vanished, without any reasonable tangible explanations, or even traces.
Characteristically, as oftentimes alleged by some knowledgeable sources, such state leaders, only distinguished themselves in office, simply by putting the allures of personal gains and aggrandizement above the corporate interests of Abia State.
The ultimate, unsavoury results: Abia State, apparently or overtly, as alleged in some circles, ended up rapaciously exploited, plundered, wilfully confiscated and hijacked; in the manner vicious Conquerors ravaged conquered territories and conquered peoples.
These acts of unmitigated mismanagement, in the opinions of the members of the public, represented the epitome of vassal rulers and vassaldom, masterminded and perpetuated in guise of democratic governance, held tight sway on Abia State.
Accordingly, in ideal perspectives, in 2023, Abia State, needs a leader who understands perfectly the cardinal essence of the highly exalted office of governorship. Not as imperial position or stool; but accordingly, in accord with customs and traditions of modern democracies, as a constitutional creation/position designed and deviced to mandate the governor to shepherd the state towards green pastures or greener pastures, as the primary duty or responsibility.
A leader with deep sense of responsibility and deep sense of understanding to cherish and honour the singular opportunity and unique privilege of serving Abians as Servant-leader.
A leader, humble enough, to remember and respect the sacred sanctity of the oaths of office; but not someone unmindful of her or his duty, or anxious to impose herself/himself as the imperial ruler or overlord.
A charismatic leader, capable of tapping creatively the inherent latent capacities of Abia State, with the sole intents and purposes to unleash fresh gales and waves of unprecedented development, across the entire lengths and breadths of Abia polity.
A leader with the legendary magic wands; a leader, possessed of patriotic spirits or zeal, and devotion to duty and stewardship, based on credible service.
A leader who can catalyze and re-energize the dispirited workforce of Abia State in the public or government services domains.
A leader, capable of creating a rebranded workforce, infused and reinvigorated with spirits of pursuit of excellence; leveraged on strategic reform programs, re-engineering of existing unattractive or demoralizing pervasive and lethargic conditions of service.
A leader, who understands the benefits of regular payments of salaries, wages, pensions, or other forms of emoluments, not as favours or privileges, but basic entitlements and rights of workers; necessary for the survival and sustenance of socioeconomic and political well-being of Abia society.
A leader with robust, viable economic and investments blueprints and templates, strategically designed to attract and retain local and international investments or opportunities, anchored on premium benchmarks and standards of global best practice.
A leader, who understands the current challenges of Abia State in the economic fronts and other critical frontiers.
A leader, in tune with modern economic tools necessary to plumb the economic environments and provide for short, medium, and long terms needs, especially for the teeming rising youth generation of Abia State.
A leader whose primary objective as governor is not to personalize, privatize public treasury, and other forms of state commonwealth, for personal interests or narrowly defined group or constricted sectional interests.
A governor, who would distribute and spread evenly political appointments and other public office appointments, on the basis of merits and competencies but not on the basis of I.M; or mediocrity.
A leader who understands perfectly the urgency and necessity to fast-track Abia on the trajectories of rapid, holistic development, in order to recover and regain decades of lost grounds or opportunities.
A governor ever-ready to collaborate, cooperate, synergize with other strategic stakeholders, within or outside the confines of Abia State.
A leader confident enough in her or his mental and emotional faculties or other leadership capacibilities; and ever ready to welcome or embrace fresh ideas or perspectives, as necessary impetus for collective aspirations and quests for collective achievements.
In the final analysis:
In 2023, Abians need a “leader of leaders who lead leaders to lead people”. (Niri Patel).
A role model, in complete accord with the leadership concepts, models, perspectives, prescriptions, and thoughts of Niri Patel; and leadership philosophies of other respected and renowned leadership scholars or researchers.
In the Holy Book, the Bible, the Master, Himself, the ultimate teacher, used figuratively the parable of the pearl and swine, as classic and quintessential analogy to skillfully and supremely underscore effectively the inevitable outcomes, if swine is consciously or unconsciously commissioned or put in charge to watch over pear, a precious jewel and highly prized object.
The far reaching implications of this critical and supreme lesson, have been clearly demonstrated and vindicated, practically as realities, in the political spheres of Abia State, spanning 30 years of the State’s creation. End
