A professor of neuroscience and comparative anatomy at the University of Ibadan (UI), James Olukayode Olapade has said that critical decisions are needed to rescue the majority of Nigeria’s national agencies and sectors.
The university don in his inaugural lecture which was entitled, “Headlines, Head-Start Research and Headships at Ibadan: A Veterinarian’s Academic Journey”, advised that the head should not be hesitant or afraid to make bold or daring decisions.
Delivering the 532nd Inaugural Lecture of the University of Ibadan on behalf of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Olopade noted that while everyone complains of the problems, leaders were expected to brainstorm to proffer solutions to the problems.
He said a leader must be conscious that while he was seeking solutions to problems, there was an army that specialised in finding challenges with the solutions.
He stated that,’’ A leader must, therefore, be a visionary who sees far away, has a listening ear, is able to discern deceptions from advice, be a partaker with those he leads, be willing to swallow a lot of insults but most importantly, use his brain to coordinate all these actions as appropriate.’’
The inaugural lecturer said Nigeria could not afford to have headless bodies, double-headed monsters, figure heads, and elephant – headed projects.
He concluded that while leadership remains tough, people who desire to serve must accept or take responsibility since it is the head that wags the tail.
