The Vice-Chancellor of Caleb University, Lagos, Professor Ayodeji Olukoju, has stated that leadership is not a divine right, but is attained or earned through fair means, credible track records, sound character and commonly agreed parameters.
Delivering a lecture at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) titled, Leadership, Economic Nationalism and Development: Nigeria and the Challenge from the Global South, he noted that the topic was inspired by the implications of two milestones in recent history namely, the nation’s Centenary last year of the amalgamation of the Protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria, as well as the 90th birthday of Singapore’s founding leader, Lee Kuan Yew (LKY). The Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, said that those milestones were of great significance when reflecting on the contrasting fortunes of both countries in the second half of the 20th century. His words, “the lack of leadership fired by economic nationalism in Nigeria contrasts sharply with the role of the two elements in Singapore, that jumped from Third to First World status in one generation.”
Professor Olukoju described leadership as a process of unveiling a clear vision to give direction to corporate goals; devising strategies for achieving them; mobilising followers; managing the dynamics involved in the process of change; engaging in problem-solving and ensuring continuity or sustainability through succession plan. According to him, “leaders must be daring, constantly challenge the status quo and think outside the box. They are responsible for generating the vision to meet a desire for change; raising awareness, communicating the vision and intention as well as taking personal responsibility through exemplary leadership.”
He noted that size may be a factor in national greatness because countries like Qatar and Singapore; two tiny countries wielding influence out of proportion to their size demonstrate that it may not be enough to just flaunt size and population as markers of greatness. According to him, “Nigeria’s claim to the title of ‘Giant of Africa’ on account of its sheer size and huge population sounds hollow when contrasted with the global economic and political influence of tiny Singapore and Qatar, the land size and population of which cannot match those of either Lagos or Kano States.”
The lecturer admonished Nigerian leaders to imbibe the overriding factor of economic nationalism which stipulates the ‘country first’, noting that this would drive development on the platform of a Democratic Developmental State. He added that the
country needs a “Nigerian Dream driven by patriotic and visionary leadership, focused on catapulting the country into the ranks of its former peers that cast off the chains of underdevelopment.” Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyewole, said the lecture was part of the social responsibilities of FUNAAB to its immediate and external communities in setting agenda, sharing quality opinions and proffering solutions on germane national and global issues. He noted that such lectures in FUNAAB, had always formed the basis for building a virile nation, particularly, in the strive for global relevance by 2020.
According to him, “the lecturer was deliberately selected to give incisive prognosis of issues of common concern to Universities Chief Executives and the nation’s Policy Formulators. Professor Oyewole, however, declared that FUNAAB was more than ever before conscious of the enormous responsibilities bestowed on her, stating that it can modestly claim to have performed creditably in the discharge of her traditional mandate of teaching, research and extension. His words, “an integral part of our Mission Statement stipulates the need to effectively utilize resources and facilities as well as adapting same to changes in the Nigerian environment. It has, however, become imperative to expand the scope of this Vision Statement to accommodate the global reality”.
He said that, “Having excelled on the local terrain, FUNAAB is consciously set on the realisation of a deserved global relevance and ultimately, its dominance. At present, we are undergoing a process of academic re-engineering towards ensuring that our curricula compare favourably with similar programmes anywhere in the world” as he appreciated the Federal Government, educational agencies and friends for their support in providing the enabling environment and facilities in the University.
