Stakeholders at the weekend called for reasonable investment in building transformational leadership to enhance national development.
They made the call during a one-day symposium organised by the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) to mark Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman’s sixth anniversary as the institute’s director-general.
The symposium had the theme: “Reflecting on the Six Years of Impact: A Symposium in Honour of Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, DG of NILDS.”
In a keynote address, the founder of GOTNI Leadership Centre, Linus Okorie, stressed the need for transformational leadership if Nigeria must attain the desired development.
Okorie explained that transformational leadership is a leadership concept that places a premium on people and is inspired by a compelling vision, strengthened by upholding sound principles, which change both the leader and the followers.
He said this leads to sustainable outcomes for individuals, businesses, organisations, institutions, and nations, affirming that Nigeria has abundant resources, a vibrant population, and an enviable geo-strategic position in Africa.
Okorie noted that for national transformation, leadership must go beyond positional authority to purpose-driven impact.
He said leadership prioritising the common good is needed in politics, civil service, the private sector, education, healthcare, the judiciary, and the security sector.
“Let every leader here today rise beyond convenience into conviction. Let our institutions evolve from compliance-based to values-driven. Let governance become less about power and more about purpose.
“For in the end, nations do not change because of the abundance of resources or the eloquence of policies; they change because of the intentionality, integrity, and imagination of those who dare to lead differently.
“Professor Abubakar Sulaiman embodies these qualities. His work at NILDS reminds us that institutions can work, that excellence is possible, and that leadership still matters. May his legacy inspire many others across the country,” Okorie added.
For his part, the Country Representative of Westminster Foundation for Democracy, Adebowale Olorunmola, said the country needs to reflect deeply on its decades-long leadership crisis.
Olorunmola said that, though Nigeria has many transformational leaders, the country is still far behind its peers in development. Hence, investment is needed to build leadership capacity at all levels and different strata.
“We need to invest in building our leaders that are there now, but we must also invest in future leaders, the people, the young people that are coming; that is the problem that we need to deal with,” he said.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said the National Assembly was proud of the performance of the NILDS under Prof. Sulaiman’s leadership and urged him to keep the flag flying.
Represented by Sen Victor Umeh, a member of the Governing Council of NILDS, Akpabio applauded the DG’s leadership qualities, describing him as dogged and resilient.
“This institute, he has turned it around so much that anytime you drive into these premises, you know that you are walking into an ambience of a citadel of learning, where people’s minds are developed.
“For us in the legislature, this place is a place where the skills of lawmakers are honed. When you come here, you will understand basic symbols of lawmaking.
“And once you follow the guides and the lectures they give you, you turn out to be a good lawmaker; the purpose of setting up this institute is very well realised under his leadership,” he said.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of Yiaga-Africa, Samson Itodo, urged the NILDS boss to work towards an intellectual solution to the indiscriminate defection of political party members.
Itodo said that though the Supreme Court had ruled that votes belonged to a party, those who still defected from one party to another were not leaving their office.
He also called on the institute to do more to ensure women’s inclusion in politics, leadership, and all other sectors of the country.
Itodo further urged the NILDS DG to push for electoral reforms and the passage of a new Electoral Act before the end of the year.
In his vote of thanks, Sulaiman expressed appreciation to the National Assembly’s past and present leadership for his appointment and his time as DG of NILDS.
The professor of political science said despite attempts to cripple NILDS in the last two years by some individuals with vested interests, the leadership of the National Assembly had sustained the institute.
“The institute has the potential to survive. We have the potential to redirect this country. We have the potential to mentor the younger ones. The only thing we need is the willingness of our people to give us maximum support.
“As we look forward to getting higher budgetary allocations and timely release, NILDS will continue to do more to expand its contribution to the growth and development of our nation’s legislative and democratic system,” he added.
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