I hear this phrase ‘all we need are god fearing leaders’ all the time– AFAIK, it is a useless and meaningless phrase but it is a popular phrase among Nigerians. I think anyone who thinks Nigeria will become a better nation if ‘god fearing men’ were at the helm of affairs already proves how ignorant they are about what it takes to govern, surely there are qualities desirable in leaders and I know for a certainty that the ‘fear of god’ is not one of such prerequisite for leadership however the under listed are just some of the qualities that are necessary for exemplary leadership.
- Integrity
- Honesty
- Intelligence
- Charisma
- Clout
- Innovation/Creativity
Often you hear the religious shout how righteousness exalteth a nation– yes, only that biblical verse is greatly misunderstood by the religious, IMO. Righteousness within the context of nations infers that both leadership and citizenry embrace and live by high moral standards: integrity, honesty, etc as it is qualities such as these that move men and nation to greatness! The idea that religious rituals: praying, attendance in a religious house and adhering to dogmas from the 1st and 7th century are thought of as righteousness is ridiculous, to my mind righteousness simply is, living by a high standard. It follows therefore, it is possible to be righteous without being religious or professing god.
As Nigeria marks yet another independence today, 1st October 2018 what are you as a citizen hoping for in a leader, is it god fearing men, or men of integrity, who are visioners,who will drive economic growth and whose sole intent is service to others?
Think about it the prosperous nations with high standards of living, the ones we like to migrate to in the West achieved prosperity, economic growth, political stability and a workable system neither through fervent prayers nor the fear of god but by making qualities such as listed above an integral part of governance and their society.
Nigeria doesn’t need men who fear god to govern it. It needs men with a desire to serve– that is righteousness……
Even now in the 21st century if Nigeria must excel and turn its fortune around it is imperative we as a people
- Refrain from mindless religiosity
- Make demands on our clueless kleptocratic politicians
- Change our attitude of being consumer to producer nation.Luckily the world has changed and production has since shifted from physical to intangible products
We must of necessity, if we desire to participate from a vantage position on the international trade scene seek means to ride the tide of innovative technology which set the stage for industrial revolution and is set even now in the 21st century to carry mankind forward on its next round of evolutionary leap. Get on board leave behind mindless religiosity, hop on the ride of self reliance, expand your world-views and embrace mindfulness
Read here the global innovative index for 2018 there are no sub-Sahara African nation on the list that is telling and proves we consume innovative technology and produce zilch– give that a thought. Begin today to invest in your mind– your most valuable asset because the mind is the final frontier!
Thank you for reading
yeye.
yeye
yeye is an agnostic pantheist who borrows a leaf from all known perennial wisdom traditions, a chela that drinks from the cups of wisdom presented by custodians of ancient traditions. She lives life on her terms.
