Within the waters of history lie codes, maps and abstract dynamics of wisdom for discerning, engineering and charting the course for a desired future for any people. History in itself is a repository of several layers of complexities and perplexities which are a compendium of several realms of civilizations finding expression through mankind and his environment; whether from inspiration to thought-idealization and the communication of same-cum-its wider expression, hence the concept of culture.
The sanctity of our Territorial Integrity as a nation and even continentally is threatened by our inability to discern the subtle yet destructive tentacles of globalization and its permeability mechanisms, as well as our outright disdain for relevant knowledge, hence advancing the heritage-usurping culture of “divide and rule” at the expense of an established dynamic of corporate coexistence.
In retrospect, our current national and socioeconomic challenges as a nation, are a reoccurrence of previous postulations, feeding off the host of our post-colonial mental conditioning: these on the other hand are the result of our consistent acquiescence to the devaluation of our noble race as Africans. Its modus operandi is visibly evidenced in the way formal knowledge is being interpreted within the abstract structures embedded in the framework of our spiritual, socio-political, economic and academic systems. They’re also immediately obvious when we keenly observe the modes of interaction in an average superior-subordinate relationship in our contemporary institutional and organizational structures and systems.
This scourge is so entrenched in the fabric of our consciousness on such an alarming scale, such that most pacesetters of future civilizations meant to set the tone for evolving systems and structures in several fields of human endeavour in an average African society, have been unwittingly smeared by the miasma of its corporate stink. It is most of the time reflected as a paradigm lax on a whole generation with very few exceptions, and is the primary reason behind the lack of values-based cohesion between leaders and the societies they have jurisdictional authority over; this in turn, has usurped the unique distinctiveness of our corporate heritage in all ramifications and in every strata of society.
For instance, the recent proposal by the upper legislative chamber of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to create more states, in a country bedeviled by an unaltruistic leadership climate in contemporary time, one which has a reputation locally and internationally for outright disdain and mismanagement of its human capital as well as natural resources, and also almost zero value for its servicemen and citizens whether they be the high class, middle or lower class, is in my opinion yet another subtle attempt to pacify a few political juggernauts and “power mediums” in order for them to partake of their own mammoth share of the national cake at the expense of the helpless masses.
As the tussle for political stability continues to trickle down from the head of the National Government all the way down the various branches of our formally recognized political systems and socio-administrative jurisdictions, the manner of speech our political leaders employ, clearly reflects the ideological encryption behind the spirit of democracy which was indoctrinated the Nigerian and by extension most African political class. While we clearly see this power clashes all across the western nations especially the united States of America which was once perceived as the “beacon of true democracy”, the manner in which the battle is fought is principally by knowledge, and is done with the intent to preserve the ideologies which form the bedrock of their national identity, and also for the preservation of their shared values which had always been the secret of their national distinction, prosperity and trail-blazing ability in the midst of other continents.
But as the winds of change blow across the political spectrum and across ethnic divides; the gaffes in our political leadership class are becoming more obvious. Ideals founded on the principle of territorial-preservation override our sense of human dignity, human worth and corporate potential established on the premise of accountable service in leadership. In a bid to retain power and relevance by manipulation and most times coercion, many have plundered the treasure base of hell thereby sealing the fate of their loved ones to be forever imprisoned in a garrison of sorrows and endless travails. I dare say therefore, that all of these is proof that our concept of democracy and leadership in general was designed to be self-destructive.
It’s also a concept worth pondering upon, as to why our perception of subordinates in our political structures convey an undertone of image devaluation where most political leaders do not treat people who labour for, and vote them into power in such a way as to give them a healthy sense of esteem towards themselves and others so that this could in turn transform their predisposition about leadership; so that as they too transition from one position of leadership to another they could automatically transmit knowledge and wisdom from their renewed perspectives about leadership in their camaraderie, thereby inspiring and shaping the minds of future generation of leaders towards more ideal leadership dimensions. Rather most leaders in politics and in the corporate world prefer delegating positions of authority, based on loyalty to our most times selfishness engendered ambitions even when they may not qualify for same, by all measurable standards: And so the concept of people representation which was the original intent behind the conceptualization of democracy, is now beclouded by machinations based on biases that are not consistent with value based realities, clandestine affiliations with mostly human-control intentions, and also the creation of concepts geared towards population and financial control; such that but for a select few individuals in positions of government with the right mindset, we’d have nothing left of true leaders in every sense of the word, in our political office holders.
A Season of Recalibration and Re-strategizing.
We are currently in a season where leaders globally are strategizing within the context of our “cyborg nature”. With so much enhanced capacities vested in the information/AI era, in the hands of the immature, the ignorant, the mischievous and those who outrightly have the tendency for tyranny when given positions of authority; leaders must discern the need for re-strategizing, while advancing towards the same ultimate purpose of enhancing the dignity of life and creation through creative and constructive services.
In a world where superior intelligences prey on the inferior through clandestine operations which while intentionally embedded in our corporate systems and structures, are carefully nurtured and sustained to span through the entire ecosystem of human spheres of endeavour, and have spanned several centuries in order to keep a particular race or segment of society dependent on the other at the expense of their corporate worth; it is such that it would take the rarest of leaders to discern the pathways necessary for navigation out of the sinister influences and machinations embedded in the future tendencies of globalization.
Clouded perceptions and predispositions shrouded in religious and outdated/mundane orientations must now give way to constructive, wisdom-oriented thought patterns, from the realm of Light inspired for the purpose of harnessing regulatory insights for a future that’s simultaneously laced with gloom and light. Depths and maturity in the interpretation of truth in order to advance genuine authority on the earth, structured after principles which have the capacity to shape and sustain future systems and structures which will form the wheels on which the coming civilization will ride, must now become the quest of leaders.
However, courage is also demanded, even as we strive to elucidate on the fact that it is time for Nigeria and the Nations of Africa to become the springboard for true inspirational and global leadership, who can change the narrative in the midst of the current of ideological and cultural clashes, become the light in the midst of the darkness, and the beacon of truth in this age of a seemingly prevailing scourge of falsehood in all ramifications of society.
Emmanuel Sam.