Lessons in leadership from Obi’s Anambra By Godson Emebo, Owelle Isu-Aniocha

The purpose and intent [of a true leader] shall be to elevate mankind’s faith, an to fill the world with justice --
Maimonides, Laws of Kings, 4:10
Everyone must be a leader -- The Rebbe

Lessons in leadership from Obi’s Anambra By Godson Emebo, Owelle Isu-Aniocha

Governors Peter Obi and Babatunde Raji Fashola of Anambra and Lagos State respectively were the joint winners of Silverbird “Man of the Year.”

Their Awards were for the uncommon development of their States and for introducing new norms in governance. According to Silverbird group, “Gov. Obi has embarked on integrated development of his state, with a holistic approach developing all sectors simultaneously. He has brought his private sector experience to bear on the development process in Anambra.”

Speaking on Gov. Peter Obi and Raji Fashola, the Chairman of Silverbird Group, Ben Murray-Bruce said all those that were honored were exemplary Nigerians. He said that Govs . Peter Obi and Fashola were humility exemplified.

He said he was usually amazed when he met Gov. Obi in airports using the popular side and queuing up just like other Nigerians. He also said that in a country mad in love with sirens, that he was fascinated that both Governors do not use sirens.
The award is for good leadership. Good leaders push their people forward with excitement, inspiration, trust, and vision. If you lead a team that doesn't trust you, productivity will drop. Enthusiasm may disappear. The vision you're trying so hard to make happen may lose its appeal, all because your team doesn't trust you anymore.
Obi is not the kind of leader who tells everyone to stay late, to be able to finish some work but leaves promptly to go golfing.
Obi is leading by example by walking the talk especially in the twilight of his administration and to crown it all Obi is not the kind of ‘’"Do as I say, not as I do" philosophy kind of leaders, because it kills enthusiasm and goodwill among the team. It's like watching the air go out of a balloon; cynicism and disappointment usually take its place.
I detest witnessing people say one thing, and then doing another because I always feel like betrayed and it can be very destructive. Obi to me is not that kind of a leader.
Obi knows that once in leadership position, you have a responsibility to your team and his team is Anambra state citizens. Hence he has shown guidance and strength; and he has shown responsibility from his actions.
Obi is both a manager and a leader of all times in Anambra state because "Managers do things right. Leaders do the right things."
Consider what Mahatma Gandhi accomplished through his actions: He spent most of his adult life living what he preached to others. He was committed to non violent resistance to protest injustice, and people followed in his footsteps. He led them, and India, to independence – because his life proved, by example, that it could be done.
Do you think that Alexander the Great's soldiers would have fought so hard for him if he had sat on top of a hill, safe from the battle? Probably not! He would have been just another average general in our history books, instead of the example of a successful leader that we know today.
And so it is with your team. If you say one thing and do another, they likely won't follow you enthusiastically. Why should they? Everything you tell them after that may meet with suspicion and doubt. They may not trust that you're doing the right thing, or that you know what you're talking about. They may no longer believe in you.
Mahatma Gandhi and Alexander the Great helped change the world because they lived by example – and, as a result, they accomplished great things.
Look at legendary businessman, Jack Welch of General Electric. Welch knew that to push GE to new heights, he had to turn everything upside down. So that's just what he did.
He developed the whole idea of a "boundary less organization." This means that everyone is free to brainstorm and think of ideas – instead of waiting for someone "higher up" in the bureaucracy to think of them first. He wanted his team turned loose, and he promised to listen to ideas from anyone in the company. And he did. Everyone from the lowest line workers to senior managers got his attention – if they had something to say or a new idea that might make the company better. It wasn't just talk, and it didn't take his team long to figure that out.
Welch stayed true to his passions and what he knew was right. As a result, GE became an incredibly successful company under his management. His team was always willing to follow his lead, because the people within it knew that he always kept his word.
What does this mean for you? If you give yourself to your team and show them the way, then, most likely, they'll follow you anywhere.
Obi is a leader who has influenced not only his native Anambra state, South-Eastern Nigeria but Nigeria and the world at large even though he was not listed in the ten most powerful leaders in the world where Christine Largarde first woman to head International Monetary Fund and the President of USA, Barrack Obama; former President Hillary Clinton among others were listed.
Obi has showed courage in leadership with his political philosophy which must be embraced by all political, Religious and social leaders. Obi rather than embark on vacation to rest after 8 years of working hard had rather resorted to engaging in more serious demands of office. Now that his administration is ending strong , political watchers were surprised that an administration that was adjudged the best in Anambra state since inception of state in August, 1991 is still working to churn out projects and  programmes  in the manner he’s doing irrespective of the fact, he is couple of days away from leaving office.
Obi’s political opponents should learn from him that the end of any assignment one is given should be better than the beginning. This ending strong Philosophy is what Governor Obi is bequeathing the society.
As a change agent and builder, Obi has set many records in leadership and justice and is now setting a new pace , which is, working in office till the last day in office. When he mooted it , nobody believed him but with what is going on in the state now, everybody has seen that Obi is a principled Leader with vision untamed.
Pundits are of the view that Obi should establish a School of Political ‘’Sense ‘’ and not political science because in political science you are studying only an aspect which is academics of politics whereas political Sense is all inclusive as it deals with totality of political practice which includes political costing. By that I mean saving public fund for public good and there is no political science department that would teach you that.
That is why it is expedient to call on all political leaders to emulate the leadership qualities and political philosophy of Governor Peter Obi who through his actions and inactions was able to win over his perceived enemies and political opponents that today he is a house hold name in Anambra state.
Obi did not start strong as he was busy studying what he wants to do in the name of planning,  which attracted unnecessary criticism from a people that were in a hurry to reap the dividends of democracy ,possibly because of fire-brigade approach to governance of preceding leadership of the state that lacks the necessary root for a lasting impact . All his efforts to calm the people proved abortive and he paid dearly for it, with his wrong impeachment and bad epithet hauled on him by the masses at the inception of his administration but today the story is different as everybody sings the praises of Obi for his style of administration which is enduring. As time has justified that, Governor Obi really meant well for the state and Ndi-Anambra.
Obi’s ending as Governor of Anambra state in the last 8 years is stronger than his beginning but there is something disturbing to me that some of his policies are not well appreciated by the people who supposed to know better, like the Old age social security scheme which he was the first to initiate in the whole federation. Many states are beginning to take after the idea recently. Of latest is Ekiti state where the scheme was generously commended by Prince Bola Ajibola as best programme of Fayemi’s administration. That policy was one of the best that has happened to the state which must not be abused. There is no basis for people to use it to settle their relatives and political associates by diverting the money from those it was meant for. The rightful people are those between the ages of 75 years and beyond and not school leavers of family friends as is currently obtainable in some communities.
We should stop defrauding government but learn to assist government actualize its programmes and policies.
In the view of Owelle Isu Aniocha, Dr Godson Emebo, PhD in Animal Science, from New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, USA who is also the Political Liaison Officer (PLO) Awka North local government Area, Governor Obi remained the best that has happened to Anambra state, South-East and Nigeria.

Dr Godson Okwudili Emebo wrote this March 7th , 2014  , he was buried on Thursday 18th June, 2015

Lessons in leadership from Obi’s Anambra By Godson Emebo, Owelle Isu-Aniocha Lessons in leadership from Obi’s Anambra By Godson Emebo, Owelle Isu-Aniocha Reviewed by Vita Ioanes on Monday, July 06, 2015 Rating: 5

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