Nelson Mandela
When
I teach leadership, I often raise the question of the 20th Century. Why
did giants walk the earth as global leaders early in the century and
the epoch ended with a dearth of global leaders, from Winston Church,
Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, etc and it closed with
people like George W. Bush, a classic nonleader? But a scapegoat from
the age and tradition of Gandhi, still was on a long walk to freedom,
stepping out another turn in 1990.
When he died as December dawned on
2013, his spirit had come to define the possibilities for the 21st
Century. Nelson Mandela, Commander of Umkhonto we siswe, the
spear of the Nation who gave 27 of his years in prison, left us lessons
for being exposed like a house set on the hill. What are some that could
save us from ourselves?
Madiba was a walking classroom we could
draw from to claim the promise of Nigeria that is so severely under
threat from how we are led.
The one person considered a global leader
when the dearth of global leaders was much acknowledged, Pope John Paul
II, did very well something Mandela was great at, which our leaders can
use; pulling a fractured people into a rich tapestry of a united force
pushing its diverse energies and talents towards a common good of
progress of all. Leadership wannabe in extant Nigeria is so low on the
nobility of spirit for recognising the strength in difference and in
finding grace to make friends of perceived adversaries. How so well
Mandela walked that path as he marched down that long road to freedom.
That process of whipping together a
diverse group who can generate synergy in sharing a common goal and
applying so huge a pool of talent has several components very visible in
Mandela’s walk which are in desperate need in Nigeria. The first is the
eyes to see past the things that divide, to the common humanity of all,
and the greater benefits to the parties of overcoming the differences.
The second is in the skill to hear the muffled voices of the fractured
parties and the smoothness of disposition to waltz past egos and noises
to negotiate manoeuvres towards shared goals. Listening to several
people who walked that long road with Mandela, including Dennis
Goldberg, the accused No 3 at the Rivonia trial where Mandela was the
accused No 1. Goldberg was in Lagos when Mandela died.
The Caucasian
engineer who saw the justice of the freedom of all and was a soldier in Umkhontho we siswe was
eloquent in the portrayal of hearing those who have been denied a
voice. Stephen R Covey in his final act, the 8th habit, indeed says
giving voice to the voiceless will be the most important habit of the
21st century.
That manoeuvring to blend in a very
divided South Africa of the Apartheid era involved a very Mandela skill,
the ability to place himself ahead of the opponent and try to
understand his emotions, leaving room there from common ground.
It is remarkable how he did phenomenal
things in humility, seeing himself as only a messenger. In truth, what
separated the days of the giants of the first half of the 20th Century,
and the also-rans of the second half, was a trend in culture that eroded
self-sacrifice for the good of the others, as the rise of ego made
man’s focus increasingly me, myself and I. Mandela represented
self-sacrifice. Prisoner 4,664 who did not lose hope in 27 years behind
bars knows sacrifice. How much sacrifice do we see from our leaders who
display a mindset in which the people are seen as conquered and part of
the booty of war?
Leaders must have eyes that see tomorrow
and seek to transport all to that destination. Mandela saw a free South
Africa, a world of the dignity of the human person and lived life, a
life that was a transport vehicle moving those on his path to that
destination. Current public life in Nigeria often seems so lifeless
regarding a future that could be owned by all and inspire the people
towards it.
Just as important is for our future, is
his detachment from the ruin of our politicians; clutching to power,
money and the deploy of impunity.
Mandela proved to peak as an icon outside
of power, deciding against a second term he did not have to strive for.
There was indeed much irony in Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo’s tribute as he
recalled Mandela’s refusal to seek a second term. Mandela wanted to
teach a lesson that neither Mugabe nor Obasanjo could understand. In the
main, it is the capacity to see the big picture and the future that
defined leadership in both Lincoln and Mandela.
Their sense of service
and the trust it engendered, made the visionary disposition yielding of
transforming leadership. What, incidentally, dominates extant leadership
elite in Nigeria are transactions that enable power to be cornered and
consolidated.
Ironically, though transformation is talked about a lot by power in Nigeria, what we have in practice is transaction walk.
Our politicians will do well to read the
Mandela transformation story. Our lives could be richer if they let it
affect them. Underlying it all is love. To lead is to love. If you do
not have in your heart, you will not be able to tell what is best for a
people apart from your self-interest. This is where we are stuck. To
love is to desire to serve and to serve is to live and live so
abundantly that immortality is yours .Today, our leader wannabes go from
Commissioner to Governor, to Senator, to President, desperate to be
around power yet so quickly forgotten within days of the demise of our
mortal frame.
Jimmy Carter served one term and is
remembered more for the years since he left office and Mandela served
one term and is assured of immortality among men even as he joins the
ages. Lessons everywhere in the hope we can learn.
- Utomi, political economist and Professor of Entrepreneurship, is founder of the Centre for Values in Leadership.
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