07/02/2024
DISSECTING THE MINDSET OF THE TYPICAL AFRICAN LEADER
This article is to somehow give an explanation as to why we have the kind of leaders we see in all our systems today.
Let me begin this article with a story, a true story of course.
A manager of an organization was transferred to a new branch and on his very first day of work, he decided to go round the various office departments to familiarize himself with the area. In his doing so he couldnāt help but noticed a few remarkable things which he saw as concern to him. First he saw that there were two main office buildings in the branch ā the senior staff office, and the junior staff office buildings. He also noticed that the senior staff office looked new and well painted in and out, but it was not so for the junior staff office building. Again he noticed that the furniture in the senior staff office building were new and of high quality compared to the old and shabby looking ones he spotted in the junior office building. Lastly, he saw that the senior office building had fully functioning Air Conditioners installed in all areas of the building, but there was not a single one in the junior office building. Of all his observations, this last one was more concerning to him. He just wondered how the staff could be working in such unconducive environment and still be able to deliver targets. So he thought of what to do.
The manager decided that he would take the situation as his first task in making some changes around, after all, he was sent to improve the place. He made up his mind that he would write to the central body, demanding for some numbers of Acs which of course would be purchased by the company, from the companyās account for the junior office building. Now this was the shocker.
When some of the senior staff heard of his intention, they came to see him in his office to enquire of it. On hearing that it was true, they demanded of him to abandon the idea of asking for Acs for the junior office building. He politely asked them why he should do that, and they said to him; āif you should put Acs in the junior offices, how would we be able to differentiate junior staff from senior staff?ā it was clear to him there and then that the idea of not installing Acs in the junior offices was deliberately done to show a kind of class difference between both offices.
No doubt, from the story above one can begin to understand the kind of mindset the typical African leader assumes when he/she gets into office. And mind you, I am using the term ātypical African leaderā to generalize anyone in one leadership office or the likes, ranging from religious offices to political offices, even those in professional offices are not left out.
So, who is a leader? We all know He/ she is not one that fell down from the sky, or one that rose up from the grave. No. In most cases, theyāre not even those with exceptional knowledge, skills or abilities; theyāre just one selected or elected from amongst us, simple. One amongst us in the sense that weāre all seemingly equals in many ways and could possibly do what is required of the office so long we possess the requisite information, but because everyone canāt fit into one position, one person has to be in that office per time. But for the typical African leader, it is not so. There is a slightly different perception, thought or idea the typical African leader holds once he is selected or elected into office. This is the purpose for which this article is written.
First and foremost, while we all see SERVICE in leadership, the typical African sees an OFFICE in leadership. So, like a throne; a concept he/she generates and uses to exalt him/herself from and above everyone else, making him think he is no longer one among the rest. So the moment heās made a teacher, a doctor, a prefect, a coordinator, a Sunday school teacher, etc. instead of him seeing himself as being privileged to serve, he begins to think that everyone else has become privileged to be led by him (please understand the misunderstanding of Privilege here). This wrong mindset confers upon him a godlike personality for himself, and a servant or sometimes slave personality for his constituents. Whatever term that is used here, the fact is that the person whoās been made leader no longer sees himself equal with the rest. He even feels itās abominable to think so. Once that appointment is made, the teacher sees his students only making good grades at his mercy. The doctor feels the patientsā getting better is at his mercy. The pastor, who was once among the āflockā, now refers to them as his sons and daughters ā he is now a SPIRITUAL FATHER. Even the banker feels your own money could only be given to you when he says it should, and you are to wait till that happens. Service is not in the picture.
If this idea of assuming an office that would make one look like god to the rest was temporary then it could have been okay. But the typical African leader, having tasted this luxurious lifestyle that has been invented in the place of service, begins to feel jealous. Knowing that he wouldnāt be in that office forever, and someone else would come to replace him he becomes more envious. He canāt even nurse the simple thought of someone enjoying same lifestyle he had been privileged to enjoy. So another means is then devised. If he cannot stay in that office forever, he must then stay for as long as he can possibly empower himself to stay; even if it is against the will of the rest. At this moment, the will of the people means little or nothing to him. He performs his due diligence at his own convenience and makes all necessary arrangement to subdue any opposing committee.
Within these times in office, the typical African leader parades himself as god to the rest but deep down within him, he is still characterized with fear and anxiety. Fear of what exactly? The fear of being able to lead a normal life after the office, because it was not based on service in the first place. This fear and anxiety lead him to embark on unimaginable aggrandizements of the common wealth. Wealth that would outlive 4 generations after him. His mind has become so corrupt that he canāt even calculate properly. He amasses wealth he canāt spend, gather properties he canāt use, food he canāt consume in his life time. All at the detriment of the rest. But is he bothered? Not an inch.
The jealousy conceived from assuming the office drives him to make a monarchy out of what was supposed to be a public office. This is where you see typical African leaders making their children, relatives and friends successors after them. They would kill anyone and anything to make that office remain within their childrenās reach.
So where really did this idea come from? It seems to me that in spite of the kind of education weāve attained, what we call democracy is still under laced with the monarchic system of governance that has taken root in the African society for since inception. Traditional rulership system may be seen as obsolete but the concept still lives very much in the hearts of the typical African, for whom every position, even as a husband, is seen as a throne of office where he is lord of all.
I know my supposition here may not be absolutely accurate when critically considered, but believe me, I am not far from the truth.
I will conclude by narrating a short video clip I saw on the internet some time ago. It is a video clip made of two very short clips. The first clip showed Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister of the UK addressing an unseen audience. In his speech he was assuring the listeners of his loyalty to course of which he has been elected into office. Many times in his address he was heard using terms like; āweāre here to serve youā, āweāre answerable to youā, etc. And then it switched to the second clipped that showed one of the African leader addressing his unseen listener. His first line of address was thus;
āANYONE THAT THINKS HE ELECTED ME INTO OFFICE IS COMPLETELY MAD.ā
This is the mindset of the typical African leader.
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