Go To The Animals, Thou Bad Political Leaders; Consider Their Ways, And Be Wise -By Isaac Asabor

If there is an African proverb that can be brought to bear in this context to explain how some of our political leaders react when they are cheered or booed, it is the one that says, “When a leader is hailed, and therein described and called a Lion, his head will swell.

However, when he is booed and called an animal, he would be angry and feels he has been dishonored. Is the Lion no longer an animal?”

Before going straight to the theme of this piece that is proverbially encrypted, it is germane to say that I was inspired by the word of God to cast its headline. It is not meant to denigrate anyone but to teach, and thereby boost the diminishing leadership quality that has for decades been the bane of Nigeria’s politics.

The word of God that inspired me can be found in Proverbs chapter 6 verse 6. It says, “Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler. Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! Yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest”.

You may have asked, “Why the choice of proverbs in addressing our political leaders?” The answer to your question cannot be farfetched as proverbs that surround animals’ leadership traits have been used, just the way God used it in Proverb chapter 6 verse 6 and some other places as biblically recorded.

At this juncture, permit me to say that there is a great need for better leaders in Nigeria. Certainly if we want Nigeria to be once again be referred to as “The Giant of Africa”, and want our leaders to be good leaders, there is an urgent need for them to develop leadership skills from the animal kingdom.

To my view, leadership involves using the head, the heart and the hands. The leader should make full use of his or her analytical skills and social or interpersonal skills. By “using the hands”, we take it to mean that the leader should lead by the example, that is, actions that the leader not only speaks of but demonstrates in the course of holding public office. The leader also needs to be hands-on.
As in Aesop’s fables where lessons are learnt from stories told, in this context, bad political leaders in Nigeria that represents various political constituencies, should learn the dynamics of leadership from the nature and habits of animals. At this juncture, it is expedient to explain that the purpose and objectives of this piece is to indicate and draw parallels, and highlight the leadership lessons and its applications from nature with special reference to the animal kingdom, and where necessary, such an interpretation is clarified from the perspective of biblical and African proverbs.

For instance, the bible in the book of Proverbs chapter 29 verse 18 talked about vision, which invariably characterizes the eagle. It says, “When there is no vision, the people perish.” Without resort to mischief, you and I know quite well that it is the dearth of visionary leaders that has brought Nigeria and Nigerians to this prevailing sorry pass.

Explanatorily put, the word of God as cited in the foregoing has said it all. The reason for saying that God Has said it well cannot be farfetched as it is obvious that with a superior mind, the leader can come up with a vision or a dream, and that vision should be communicated to the people. And how true, creating a vision for the people, the leader’s dreams can help create a better world for the people.

To this end, one leadership lesson drawn from the eagle is that of vision. It is said that the eagle naturally has the ability to soar or fly high when it is hunting. From the way of the eagle, bad political leaders in Nigeria can learn the need to have a high vantage point, giving vision to the Nigerians. The leader should have a vision and see the big picture. And vision, having it is a necessity, serves as a guide or even as a beacon and a guiding light to the people.

From the eagles, bad politicians in Nigeria can also learn about resilience or tough leadership. Leaders need to be tough and resort to positive thinking, changing the “I can’t” to “I can!” and the “I’ll try to do” to “I’ll do it!”

It is replete in the sphere of Ornithology that when eagles are 30 years old, they go through a process of renewal. Finding a hidden place high in the mountains, the old eagle with curved beak begins to claw at its face, and tear out the old feathers that by now become less airborne. As a result, it bleeds badly. If I may ask, how many politicians that appear on the political stage at every political dispensation has deemed it necessary to renew his leadership style? None! Rather most of them remain characteristically corrupt without bring any renewed leadership strategy that can add value to the nation’s economy. Rather, they come back to political stage more corrupt. We have seen some of them transit from being a governor, senator, and then godfather as if they don’t know of any other leadership platform they can mount to serve the nation.

But this is vital for the eagle in order to renew its strength. If the eagle did not do this, it would not be able to live to its normal 40 years as claimed by Omithologist. It is thus vital for the eagle to undergo the change process to gain its strength and this builds the eagle’s resilience. By the same token, mankind simply needs to accept the change process, learn and grow. It’s part of life and living.

Again, it is very obvious that virtually all our political leaders are not taking risk, particularly in aspect of defeating bandits and the Boko Haram group. A leader needs to be a risk taker too. After all, an African proverb asks, “If you do not enter the tiger’s den”, how can you get his cub?”

Having powerfully built shoulders and legs, the tiger, the largest of the four big cats of the panther family, was seen by our forefathers as courageous as well as upholding justice. The enviable characteristics still defines the tiger in our contemporary society, most especially as the tiger has not stopped protecting the weak. Being seen as the King of the beasts in some cultures, paintings of tiger or fashionably adorning its dried skin is deeply believed to ward off evil spirits. Little wonder there is an African proverb that says, “When will the goat becomes as strong as the lion?

In the same nexus, another animal that is worthy of recommendation in this context for non-performing political leaders across the country is the tortoise. The tortoise is considered as a symbol of resiliency. The tortoise has a hard shell protecting its inner body, and this makes the tortoise resilient. Given a hostile environment, the tortoise will strategically be protecting itself inside the shell, and patiently await the next opportunity to venture out and explore the surroundings.
Likewise, a leader should be steadfast and patient as a true leader leader is often a determined and resilient person, weathering crises or effecting turnarounds of in his area of callings.

Tortoise symbolizes the virtue of patience in leadership. “Patience is good and in fact great, it can be taken in this context that patience is soft and gentle, and it can be powerful. Rome is not built in a single day; a strong brand needs to be built. Similarly, a good corporate culture also needs to be built and nurtured with a set of core values. Lasting companies with timeless core values can be said to last longer! These lasting core values are indeed reinforced by the founders’ and leaders’ good examples and role-modeling ways.

Without much ado, it suffices to urge bad political leaders to emulate the leadership traits that are often associated with some animals. Emulating the traits of animals does not mean that they should be animals themselves in the real sense of the word. For instance emulating the leadership trait of the lion can make a leader become courageous, powerful, and decisive. No doubt, the foregoing are main traits that can make a leader stand out and make him a great leader. Additionally, lions are social animals that live in groups of 10 to 15. These groups consist of lionesses, whose role is to hunt, cubs, and lions who are there to protect the pride. Against the foregoing, let’s leave bad politicians with the question, “When will you guys begin to learn from wise animals, and not from foolish animals such as goats of diverse species?”