An average leader has the burning passion to succeed in his life
ambition and pursuits. He dreams big and prays to actualize his plans,
vision and mission, with the assistance of trusted subordinates or
assistants.
Although some of these leaders (religious, political and business
leaders) succeed in their chosen careers, some others fail to
actualize their aims and objectives, due to some compelling reasons.
Our lord Jesus Christ as an epitome of exemplary leadership
demonstrated his versatility in the concept of leadership when he left
his comfort zone in heaven, came down on earth and practically opened
our eyes and minds on this theory of successful leadership.
In luke chapter 14 from verses 16 to 24, jesus christ proved that for
a leader to win converts, followers, become successful, win elections
and indeed expand his socio-political territory, he must move out of
his comfort zone. He spoke in parables; let us hear him.
“then said he unto him, a certain man made a great supper, and bade
many. And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were
bidden, come: for all things are now ready. And they all with one
consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, i have bought a
piece of land, and i must need to go and see it. I pray thee have me
excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and i go
to prove them. I pray thee have me excused. And another said, i haveI
married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and
shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry
said to his servant; go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the
city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and
the blind. And the servant said, lord, it is done as thou hast
commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant,
go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that
my house may be filled. For i say unto you, that none of those men
which were bidden shall taste of my supper”.
From the above narrative, the man(leader) had the unfortunate
experience of preparing for a big party and inviting important people
who were close to him, only to discover that most of them were not
interested in his plans. This leader was shocked that his invitation
was turned down, with the accompanied excuses. In his anger and iron
determination to prove that he would overcome , he invited just
anybody he found on the streets.
Obviously, this leader had a successful party inspite of the initial
set back; and his house was full of invited guests. The party might
not have turned out the way the leader planned initially, but he had
his way eventually.
The fact that some people, perhaps the elites, do not believe in you
or your aspiration should not be the reason for you to back out or
quit from your political aspiration, vision and mission. Perhaps, you
have invited these important people to come join you for the purpose
of building a political structure, organization or platform. But
rather than honouring such invitation, excuses are given. Perhaps,
these people see you as an upstart, small boy, jjc, inexperienced or
even pure jealousy etc.
Our lord Jesus Christ has a message for you: do not be discouraged. Be
resolute, be determined. You must have the driving persuasive spirit
that aggressively stands out, devoid of intimidation. Like the leader
in the bible narrative, you must show yourself in the
following………
1. Go ahead and still prepare that supper or ambition. Don’t feel intimidated.
2. Invite as many people as possible to your political programmes.
3. Ensure that even the down trodden in the society are invited and
involved in your programmes.
4. Don’t be intimidated by people’s excuses. And know that some of the
excuses from people are part of the design to pull you down.
5. And so on and so forth.
For you to achieve your goals in politics, you must move out of your
comfort and clannish zones. The leader in the bible narrative
ordinarily would not have invited people who live in hedges, or stand
on highways, or even interact with the blind, cripple and the poor in
the society, if his so-called circle of friends, political associates
and indeed invited guests had honoured his invitation earlier. But in
order to achieve his goals, he had to interact with people of other
socio-political background. No be so?
Aside bible narrative, and coming down to my state Imo, it will be
recalled that when Owelle Rochas Okorocha first indicated interest to
contest for Imo governorship in 1999, the elites and important members
of the society led by chief i. D nwoga gave excuses on why Rochas
Okorocha would not be supported to be governor. Craftily, the elites
frightened and intimidated Rochas Okorocha out of the governorship
race then, and because he was not mentally prepared to grapple, to
implement or to apply Luke chapter 14 from verses 16 to 24, he
abandoned his governorship ambition. And the elites had a field day
for 12 unbroken years.
When in 2011 the same Okorocha showed interest in the imo
governorship, the elites ganged up against him again and refused to
show interest and solidarity to his aspiration. This time around,
Okorocha applied the principle of our lord Jesus Christ as is
revealed in Luke chapter 14 from verses 16 to 24. Owelle snubbed the
elites and went into the streets, cities, lanes, highways, hedges,
markets and motor parks. He embraced the less privileged in the
society, the keke drivers, the okada drivers, the blind, the crippled,
the widows, the orphans and indeed the down trodden in the society.
The resultant effect was that Okorocha overwhelmingly won his
election, to the shock and un-imaginable embarrassment of the
so-called elites in the state.
Although other variable factors played roles in favour of
Okorocha, the truth remains that for any leader to make any impact in
our socio-political environment, he must follow the roadmap or
political module as propounded by our lord Jesus Christ, the
unchangeable changer, otu onye anasi unu abiala, ekwucha ogwu, mkpisi
edemede etc as established in Luke chapter 14 from verses 16 to 24.
It should also be noted that the elites were stranded for eight years
in Imo State, and as a result, could not assess state resources, as
was their tradition. They came together to fight the divine ambition
of Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, a small boy of yesterday. These elites fought
Nwosu’s ambition in a party called all progressives congress,
apc, in connivance with its national leadership. Uche Nwosu left APC
for another party called action alliance, aa. However, in the end, the
apc could not defeat Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, nor could it produce a single
house of assembly member. Although an electoral body called INEC
connived with another political party, people democratic party, PDP,
to deny Nwosu victory, final and total victory are on the
way for Nwosu who has steadily followed the principle of our lord
Jesus Christ.
Through this strategic module, leaders are expected not to fail in
their chosen careers.
Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha wrote in from Owerri, Imo State
