No nation can grow beyond the reach of its leaders. – Azuka
The most important element in the business of governance is vision. Therefore there cannot be purposeful leadership without a vision – otherwise, it will be like a set of people undertaking a mission without guidance, targets and goals. It would also resemble a soccer match involving two teams playing on a beautiful pitch which has no goal post on either side. In this case, it is aimless because no matter their skills, efforts or determination, none can score a goal, not to talk of achieving victory. There should never be a mission in the absence of a vision. When we talk about vision in Nigeria, most people often think it has something to do with one of the aimless pronouncements we hear from our leaders every other day, such as: Seven-Point Agenda, Transformation Agenda, Change Agenda and Ten-Point Masquerades among others. These catchphrases or “after-victory-documents” have nothing to do with the vision of those who propose them before or after elections. They are often procured from an assemblage of writers whose only interest in the fine lines that they produce is the money they make from it. Curiously, the leaders themselves do not even believe in their so-called agendas. They dump them as quickly as they settle down in office and start pursuing their selfish purposes. Simply put it, an exercise in clever nomenclature.
For me personally, I think that “vision” is that creative mental force which enables leaders to rise above the pack, to point out, define and provide newer and worthier directions or alternatives for their people on issues that affect them. It is this creative spirit that enables a leader connect to the people through performance – and not through propaganda, undue sentiments or empty posturing.
According to the Advanced Learners Dictionary, Vision is referred to as “an idea or picture in one’s imagination”, and on the other hand it is defined as the the “ability to think about or plan the future with imagination and intelligence”. Therefore, vision is captured and not borrowed as it comes from within. But vision can be embraced. This definition leaves us with two probable conclusions: (a) Vision is the most important component of leadership; (b) it is vision, and not power that makes leaders. A positive vision comprises the following: power of clear thinking, purity of thoughts and emotional intelligence. It is concrete, coherent and inventive.
Vision and Leadership
According to Blaize Paschal, “Man’s greatness lies in his power of thought”. This is particularly true of any great leader whose power of clear thinking is his greatest asset. In Nigeria, we often hear people say “forget about vision, let capture power first, when we get to the bridge we will cross it”. Over the past decades, we have had power grabbers and money bags imposing their stooges on the polity. After spending trillions of naira, creating various committees and travelling around the world promoting their catch–phrases, they ended up leaving Nigeria in worse state than they met it. After spending several years making one appointment after the other, offering one proposal after the other, and in spite of the trillions of naira budget they distributed every single year all in the name of governance, they neither reach any bridge, not to talk of crossing it. There was little or no governance in Nigeria over the decades. In fact, anybody can make appointments, create committees, award contracts and travel around the world but not everybody can govern because good governance requires much more than people being in power. It requires having the capacity to operate at a higher level of knowledge and intelligence – and being able to articulate, propose and execute concrete and coherent body of programmes and policies needed for the advancement of the society and the people therein.
Vision First Before Power
What makes a man a leader is his vision. In this context a visionary person is already a leader even without power. Power is not toys that people can play with, and it should never be entrusted to a mediocre who is likely to misuse it in not only hurting others but also himself. It is true that people learn on the job – yes, intelligent leaders do as they strive to become better at what they do, but for the mediocre, he can never rise beyond his limitations, he is incurably incompetent. For a visionary leader, his quest for political power is simply to enable him pursue and attain the set goals for his people. For this man, power is only an instrument to advance or actualise his vision. To him, power is therefore a means and not an end. But for the power grabber who has little or nothing to offer, his quest for power is centered on the acquisition of the following: authority, money and fame. He does not even know what to do with power or how to deploy it for the benefit of humanity. To him, power is not an instrument or a means of advancing any cause, power is an end! A visionless leader is a corrupt quarrelsome hypocrite and a danger to any nation. In spite of his irredeemable shortcomings, his preoccupation remains how to retain power at all costs, often sacrificing the peace, security of an entire nation or region for his inordinate and senseless ambition. A power grabber in his power-drunk mentality plays ethnic or religious cards whenever it suits him. This remains the most fundamental reason for both division and strife in most parts of Africa – such as: Ivory Coast, Burundi, Mali, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Zambia, Ruwanda among others.
Quality of Vision
A vision can be tested; the potency of any vision can be found in the amount of scrutiny, resistance and repudiations it attracts from people who question its authenticity and validity. A positive vision is always disruptive in a sense that it is often about a new order and so it is always resisted. When a vision is not challenged or resisted, then its potency is in question.
Vision too can be investigated or probed. When somebody approaches us claiming to have what it takes to lead or represent us at any level of governance, we all have the duty of examining the context of his vision; that is if he has one in the first place. We can ask questions, engage in discussions or debates while also taking a look at his antecedents. What kind of idea or picture of the future of our community or nation does he have in mind and how does he intend to make it come true! Does he really have the ability to think or plan the future of our community with great imagination and intelligence? Does he have what it takes to serve us with honour and moral rectitude? Like I said, we can examine every claim through debate, dialogue, discussion and engagement among other means.
Having people who cannot see beyond their noses or barely able to think for themselves, all of a sudden, being made to start thinking for everyone else just because they have grabbed power one way or the other is nothing short of a national tragedy. It is an attack on the collective intelligence and conscience of the people of this nation.
When a man captures a life altering idea, he becomes pregnant with a vision. Vision is our brain child, the other of us – the inner us; and there is nothing we cannot do to project, promote and protect it from harm or danger. Men have even died in pursuit of their visions!
In conclusion, vision may not be everything a leader needs in order to succeed in his tasks. However, since vision breeds purpose, and purpose in turn breeds direction, power will certainly be useless in the absence of a vision.
Chris Chukwubuzor Azuka, azucomms2000@gmail.com, is National Coordinator, Save the Dream Nigeria Project.
