Responsibility, a Panacea To True Leadership

Have we cared to take a cursory look at the ant's family on a journey? Do we wonder why there is orderliness in her walks? Why will they reassemble when something or someone scatters them? The answer is not far-fetched, it is because each and every one knows their roles and responsibility in that journey, no contest, no strife etc.

Leadership to an extent could be linked to this. A man is not a leader because he is in charge of a group of people, he is a leader because he has identified his role and place in the society. He knows his place and stand. If I can't control myself, I can't prioritise and organise my activities, how well can I manage others, thus leadership starts from within then without, self and then others, leadership is "selfish and then selfless"

Many a time one may not be able to organise himself, this does not negate the potentials of leadership in that person, it does point to the fact that at that time, that individual cannot be a leader, he can to a large extent not manage others. Thus it takes the ability of one who has passed through and overcome that stage to manage that individual and hence become his leader.

The three paragraph above points to the fact that even an apparent organised society, there are some who are not organised and will want to disorganise the society to the extent of their unorganized self. If this is the case, it follows that there are others who have understood themselves in that their society and are the ones to put that others in their place. Even at that everyone cannot be the leader of all, thus, amongst those who are organised a leader will emerge to oversee and rule over both the organised and unorganized.

Having settled that, that leader that has been chosen from among the people in the company of his cabinets choose sub leaders and then dish out responsibilities to others to oversee other departments and people in it, these will at the end of the day report back to the supreme head, who will now reach a final conclusion on the matter at the end of the day in the company of others. Because sub leaders have been chosen, responsibilities given, it will be difficult for the organisation to be a free for all organisation, it will no longer be the case of every man to himself but a replica of an ideal society because everyone has known his or her responsibility and roles. This act will reduce so many burdens on the supreme leader because of the delegation of power to other sub leaders.

Now that the senate has passed a bill on the age of those to contest for various positions, it now behoves on the youth who will be among the privileged few to understand my lines, that power wielded on one arm, weakens the arm and thus cannot lift a light feather because it has become a burden to itself. They should learn to decentralise and diversify for easy and effective governance.

I so much believe in the new wine, the old wine jar should not be discarded but instead used to preserve some of the new wine. The blend of these two makes the wine sweet and experiential.

Finally, I believe so much in the ability and capabilities of this youth, I know that we can do great things if and only the rule of the game is adhered to, wonders will be achieved.

About the Author

Nwosu Marcus Ifeanyi  is the Program Coordinator of Standout Media TV in the South West zone of Nigeria, he is a writer and poet par excellence. He is quite passionate about Teens and Youth Development.