Leadership, in the words of FG Buck Rogers, is “The ability of a single individual, through his or her action, to motivate others to higher levels of achievement”.
Now that the electoral processes are in progress, and polity heating up, the role of the electorates will be very important towards electing and supporting an Ideal Governor for Plateau State. Political parties have their rules and regulations for the nomination and eventual emergence of a governor (I wish they adhere to the rules and regulations). In normal circumstances, candidates who present themselves for election should be men and women of sound mind, whose track records should be strong pointers to their performances when in position of responsibility. Unfortunately, the array of aspirants in the State shows clearly that the problem lies with the electorates or most of the aspirants are being propelled by deceit. John Eddison points out that, ‘One dangerous result of this attitude can be that the wrong sort of people get to the top –the seekers of power for its own sake, while others taking the line of least resistance, find themselves outmanoeuvred and exploited’. The Biblical Moses has always been a focus of attention for men and women who aspire to great office. Field– Marshal Montgomery describes him as the greatest leader of all time; and Sir Winston Churchill describes him as the greatest of the prophets who spoke in person to the God of Israel; he was a national hero who led the chosen people out of the land of bondage through the perils of the wilderness and brought them to the very threshold of the promised land, he was the Supreme lawgiver who received from God (Not from sycophants) that remarkable code upon which the religious, moral and social life of the nation was so securely founded.
Moses is perhaps the outstanding example of the maxim that ‘God matches His moments with His men’–with the cloud of challenges confronting us as a State, we must earnestly pray and desire from God a leader that will be like Moses, or JD Gomwalk, who did not surround himself with sycophants nor praise singers, but took steps that placed his personality and life at stake, for the sake of the then Benue–Plateau. Certainly, 70–80 percent of the current aspirants lack that capacity. Some of them are already failures in their current positions, and some failed in their past positions, yet they are presenting. We know very well, those that have constantly identified with the State in trying moments through the various communities. We know those who have had the State at heart. Political parties should be mindful of such personalities.

If it was God’s mind to use Moses as the great liberator of His chosen people, then clearly his background and upbringing were of great importance. He must be unmistakably a Hebrew; one of His own people identified with them both in their sufferings and their aspirations. At the same time, he must be able to stand up to Pharaoh and to put the case of his people with an authority and skill which he could only acquire as an Egyptian. He must in other words be an Egyptian Hebrew. We see the same sort of Divine care in the way in which God prepared Saul of Tarsus. He described himself as a Hebrew of the Hebrews and yet he could claim Roman citizenship. We see perhaps, the Supreme example of the same principle at work in Jesus Himself, who was both human and divine, son of Man and son of God. This sort of dual personality is very important to a would–be leader. A friend was telling me recently about a young man who is determined to become a leading Tory politician, and during 1979 election wrote speeches for a very eminent Member of Parliament. But my friend told me that he was completely out of touch with the ordinary man in the street with what ‘made him tick’! How can some one with no ‘grassroots’ experience of this sort make a successful leader?!

What I am driving at is the fact that two indices are very necessary, as the count down to the nomination of candidates gets close. First, the issue of political fanaticism or madness be sent to the grave. Secondly, the issue of people not familiar with the economic, security challenges, political problems and industrial opportunities, etc should be advised to drop. The sad thing is that my dear Plateau people are yet to learn lessons for disengaging from where God has placed them to venture into a game that the detects are dynamic. I know of great personalities that we have lost their positions to politics. Some people make money and feel they will govern the State, when they don’t even know the challenges of their Communities. Leadership comes from God, but He uses people to exercise His purpose. Our role should not stop at supporting those clamouring for elective positions but we all have the basic responsibility of scrutinizing and sincerely advising them to truly weigh their aspiration. Thus, we must do away with tribal sentiments and discuss truthfully our interests and differences with community leaders, religious and elders of integrity in our State.

A person with vision should be our target! Such a person should be very brave and assertive. Let’s begin to sincerely rate them, better to be Pro Plateau against the so–called anti party slogan.

REMEMBER: The JD Gomwalk’s strategies must shine our minds! Plateau State is in dare need for a Governor who will not be afraid to introduce changes, whether radical or mild. He or she should be aware of and be prepared to withstand the consequences! Plateau must move on!

Comrade N N Gujor
(PIDAN Sec Gen)

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Plateau of Our Dream (Part 7) – Cmr. Nanle N. Gujor