23/09/2020
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE U SERVING?
A great leader is not determined by the numbers of people who serve him, but by the number of people he serves. Service is the hallmark of true leadership. This concept of service in leadership is a sharp deviation from the traditional leadership style in Africa: a practice where the ruler's interest and wellbeing is the number one priority of the community. This ideology is intricately woven into the fabric of the traditional Africa society and to a very large extent most politicians and religious leaders in Africa today still hold onto the ideology of " the leader first", which means until the leader is satisfy with food, the followers are not permitted to eat. This system breeds strife and envy instead of love and productivity. A society where the people or followers are placed as top priority, will attract all-round development. The people in such a society are bound to be productive.
Service means putting the people first in all things. Most persons in Nigeria today desirious of leadership positions either by election or appointment are doing so to be served. With leaders of such configurations at the healms of affairs we may continue to remain so for a long time. The question that begs for answer is: how many people are you serving? If the numbers of people that serves you are more than the people you serve, then you are a tyrant. Moving forward, the heart of service must be the driving force behind our leadership aspirations. The desire to be served by others breeds entitlement mentality, it creates the desire to have it all before anyone else and when you are not having it, the followers suffer untold hardship. They are subjected to draconian tax regime, where the citizens are expected to give what they have not earned. This is the bane of leadership in Nigeria, leaders pursue their comfort and interests as a priority above that of the led. Prioritizing the followers is the foundation of leadership, it is crucial to attaining political stability, infrastructural development and socioeconomic wellbeing of a people.