One of the most popular complaints today is that the State/Country lacks leadership. Politics, according to Ambrose Bierce in his, ‘Devil’s Dictionary’ is defined as “a strife of interest masquerading as a contest of princes, the conduct of public affairs for private advantage”. It is tragic when we see a thoroughly good person ‘hijacked’ into a position of leadership for which nature never equipped him.
Sometimes, the mistake is seen in time and the man is allowed to find his way back to his own level. Sometimes he is not so lucky and the parting of the ways comes only a nervous breakdown or a major and disastrous mistake. It should be obvious that God has not equipped all men and women to be leaders, nor to lead in the same kind of way.

But what are the natural gifts to look for in a would–be leader? What equips men and women for exalted and often lonely positions? There are too many exceptions to make it safe to look for any infallible rule, but there are certain qualities which never come amiss and which are therefore worth considering in some detail. One great thing about the Biblical Joseph, reflected by Joseph Deshi Gomwalk, is the the fact that he was a man of very sound judgement. We see this in the conspicuously successful way in which he handled the economic crisis, and the universal applause which his policies earned. Pharaoh never had reason to alter his first impression: ‘There is no one so shrewd and intelligent as you…. I hereby give you authority over the whole land of Egypt’ (Gen 41:39–40). It goes on to without saying too that he was by nature industrious and not afraid of hard work. He was the kind of man who could be left to find his way to the heart of a problem and rapidly sort it out, who could rally the royalty of subordinates and communicate his decisions intelligently to others. Joseph had imagination. There are hints of this the dreams he had as a boy. Some people see things as they are, and ask “why?” said Robert Kennedy. ‘I like to see things as they might be and to say “why not?”; It is this sort of imaginative approach that is needed so much today–the attitude of mind that sees visions, that takes risk, that makes experiments. That makes him a first class administrator.

You sometimes hear people speaking disparagingly of administration as though it were of little importance, and compared unfavorably with more ‘spiritual’ gifts; but it is the framework within which all leadership is exercised, and a would–be leader can only ignore this gift at his peril.
When we turn to his character, the things which strikes us most is his integrity. What gives a man this undivided quality?

Nothing more effectively than a single–minded devotion to God. This brings together the different and even perhaps conflicting parts of his personality–reason, conscience, emotion and will, harmonising them into one main purpose so that in the truest sense the man himself becomes integrated. When ever you tap his life, there is the ring of truth about it. Compromise, of course, can be a good thing if it describes the give–and take by which people reach agreement when no important principle is at stake, but in the sense we are using it here. It is bad if it implies the dilution adulteration of firmly–held beliefs to appease an opponent or for personal advantage. Compromise is the great temptation of all who are engaged in self centered forms of leadership.

When I look at the array of aspirants, I get worried. Not the number, but some of the characters! If we are not careful, we will be throwing ourselves into the sea of regrets. There are some that when you take a critical look at their antecedents, they have nothing to offer. Some have been tested, and are total failure! Some have never identified with the State in our moments of distress, only to appear at political party offices to declare their aspiration! Haba, in this our dear Plateau?!

Let me reiterate, with emphasis, to get a person for the Plateau of our Dream, the person the person must have qualities that reflect the JD Gomwalk strategy
1 Sound sense of mission
2 Visionary, not the type that has no blue print
3 Commitment to the course of Right
4 Abundance of courage, to deal with challenges without compromise
5 High knowledge of the economy of the State
6 Receptive to new and positive ideas
7 Enemy of sycophants
8 Good moral standing
9 Not a Religious/Sect bigot–Be careful with Political Christian/Moslem, with sugar coated mouth.
10 Not Tribal bigot
NB: Remember, Equity in governance, the PIDAN Strategy. May God grant us the grace to carefully identify such a leader, the Kashim Shettima and Prof Zulum approach.
COMRADE NN GUJOR
(PIDAN SEC GEN)

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PLATEAU OF OUR DREAM PART 6 – Comrade NN Gujor