Life And People
Leadership Comes From God – Eze Ndigbo Of Aigbaka, Ejigbo -By Sandra Ijeoma Okoye
During the inauguration, he was asked how he feels having been crowned. He was not self-effacing as he admitted that the investiture was a mixed feeling for him as he said it was both a happy and sad moment to him. He answered, “I am at the same time happy and sad. Ask me why I am sad. I am sad because I am going to face greater responsibilities (challenges). Greater challenges, bigger tasks that I have not seen, dreamt, or thought about.
If there is any King or Eze that believes that leadership or rather kingship comes from God, he is unarguably HRH Nicholas Njoku, who was recently crowned as the Eze Ndigbo of Aigbaka, Ejigbo LCDA of Lagos State by the President General, Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos, Chief Dr. Sunday Udeh. As gathered, the event held in his Palace and done with pomp and pageantry, excellence and was witnessed by cream de la creme of the society, several Eze Ndigbo in Lagos, leaders and members of Igbo speaking Community, and some government representatives.
Being a leader that believes that God should be seen in everything that anyone does, he sees God to be the one that promotes and demotes. Also, as appositely put in Henry IV part 2 by Shakespeare, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown”, Njoku at a media parley during his official installation as Eze Ndigbo of Aigbaka in Isolo unequivocally reiterated the fact that power belongs to God, and that it is God that put people in positions of leadership.
You might have wondered what makes this writer believes that HRH Nicolas E. Njoku is humble, and sees God in everything that culminated into the opportunity that bestowed kingship on him.
It is apt in this context to say that what gave this writer the impression is that his responses to questions on the sideline of the event where he was officially inaugurated on June 3, 2022, on a Friday at Ejigbo in Lagos were evocative of the fact that God is in everything about kingship, and that it is God that promotes, demotes and gives wisdom for true leadership.
Listening to him at the media parley, it was convincing that he might have meticulously studied the scriptural injunction in Daniel chapter 5 verse 20, and in the same vein internalized the lessons inherent therein, and on principle decided that he would always bring them to bear in the sphere of leadership.
For the sake of clarity, the aforementioned scriptural verse says, “But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.
But when his heart became proud and his spirit hardened by insolence, he was put down from his royal throne”.
Given his obedience to God, and ensuring that the imbibed virtuousness is brought to bear in his daily activities, it is little wonder that Eze Nicolas E. Njoku, who is undeniably an hotelier of repute, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO of NICO SUITES & Hotel) can from every perspective be rated to be a successful businessman.
Seeing him through the eyes of the chieftaincy title bestowed on him, it is crystal clear that the title also befits him as it connotes someone with a strong personality and Chief Nicholas E. Njoku is no doubt a personality to be reckoned with by his people in Lagos.
During the inauguration, he was asked how he feels having been crowned. He was not self-effacing as he admitted that the investiture was a mixed feeling for him as he said it was both a happy and sad moment to him. He answered, “I am at the same time happy and sad. Ask me why I am sad. I am sad because I am going to face greater responsibilities (challenges). Greater challenges, bigger tasks that I have not seen, dreamt, or thought about.
His somewhat unexpected response to the question unarguably elicited further questions from Journalists at the parley thus: “Are you telling us that you are not prepared for the challenges?”
To the foregoing question, he answered, “I have not been prepared. It is because I don’t know tomorrow. But with God, I am prepared. I believe in God that He will assist me. If I should tell you that I am prepared today, I am a liar. I’m not prepared because I don’t know what will happen in the next minute. I am only asking for God’s grace, and mercy to be with me, one with His wisdom, and protection, to guide my lips and my steps.
He was further asked, “Now that the deal has been done, what is your plan, sir?”
He replied, “Now is the time to tell God that I have accepted the responsibility. Praying always on every situation for life. God is saying something. In every situation in life, God has something to say. Whether good or bad. He can use badly to step you down to prepare you for the greater things you are asking for. He can use well to pull you down. Radiate His goodness in you, and see if you can misbehave with it.
“Position is a very big and great challenge. When you are uplifted, you are to be wiser and smarter; to know if you are to move down from it or to move forward. Now, from all I have seen concerning what people have been saying around me, to me, as a human being I believe God is involved. It is my responsibility to say to God, I have accepted and guided me, and give me wisdom. If you work with knowledge, you will stop halfway. If you work with wisdom, you are unlimited. Wisdom comes from God, knowledge can come from man. That is why you can become a university graduate, and work under those who are not educated. Those who are illiterates, but when they are with the wisdom of God, they supersede your knowledge.
