Kogiflame
By Simon Obochi
“Just like the pervasive scourge of climate change that affects all of us,the clamoured for good leadership is another point of unification for Benue people everywhere.Our people must this time around rise and demand good leadership”-Simon Obochi.
Yes, there is a saying that everything rise and falls with leadership and this is exactly true with our state.This assertion is true because at the peak of Benue state mountainous range of predicaments is the always numbled reality of an appalling failure of leadership.
Indeed,for more than 40 years since the creation of the state,our state appears to have perfected the uncanny tendency of replicating inept leaders.It is this perennial leadership failures that have consigned the state to an ignominious position at the bottom of our country’s national development league table.What a shame considering our immense potentials.
Every state gets the leaders it deserves in a democracy and that is what democracy is all about. In matured democracies this assertion may be tenable even if contentious but for fledging or pseu-democracies like ours, it is contestable right now,that in a state like ours,we urgently deserve the government and leadership we need.
Benue state as it is today have had the first hand experiences living under leaders that have proved inadequate or disastrous for it’s people.Our have had to continuously contend with leaders without good judgement, foresight, conscience or ethics.
The people of the state have seen leaders without a sense of shame or personal sacrifice,driven by greed a determination to grab or hold until power at all cost even if it ruins the state.
WHO DO WE NEED AS A GOVERNOR COME 2023?.
Professor Bem Angwe is an aspirational leader that have an ambitious development agenda for the state. He is ready and determined from day one as Governor of the state to see the state grow across all developmental indices with the sense of urgency that it deserves.
This is because he would introduce, enable and execute initiatives that ensures the people are healthy, well, educated, socially cohesive and advance.He is an aspirational leader that when elected governor would seek national and international recognition for the state and respect for it’s people.
He understands that this can only happen when the state achieve outstanding levels of developments.He would achieve this elusive feat through the setting up and the vigorious pursuance of every high performance targets for social infrastructural,health care,education and economic development.
Make no mistake about it.Because of the failures of leaderships we have witnessed continuously in the state,we need a change and urgently too.Our state today needs a leader in the mould of Professor Bem Angwe who is ready and willing from day one to fight the symmetric and assymetric warfare of the people of the state.
We need him because he has shown that he can take on and upturn the present and future prospects of the state for the good of all.This is simply because Professor Bem Angwe is a visionary leader that envisions the future of the state and the resource pathway to that future.
A thinker and imaginative leader able to anticipate and decipher changing circumstances from political to economic,environmental and social developments.A leader that will be resolute in harnessing, developing and deploying the very best materials and human talents within the state towards achieving the visions for the state.
He is a leader that would not depend on the force of his power but drive his transformative agenda’s through the collaborative relationships which he would convert to this vision.He would create the enabling environment needed by the people to thrive.
Professor Been Angwe believes there is a reason elected leaders have prefixed titles of “Honourables”or “Excellencies” before their names. It is based on a presumptive notion that such a leader is truely a honourable man or woman in spirit and in deeds. Professor Angwe will always live up to his prefixed name of his “Excellency” and this would not be at odd with reality as many does.
He would as always live a life in power built on personal integrity, ethical values,good conscience and convictions.He would be a tenacious and tough leader who says what he mean and mean what he says.
He would never seek to game the Constitution to dilute,coral and appropriate the powers of other arms of government created to maintain checks and balances for his own whims and caprices this is because he would be a governor that has moral authority and would voluntarily give up give up power, position, privileges rather than break his code of honour.
Professor Bem Angwe is an exemplary leader who always walk the talk of good leadership and leads by example in his everyday actions.He is a leader who would challenge the people with his personal discipline and decency, self sacrifice and doggedness in the face of adversities as well as his prudence and good sense in times of plenty.
A leader that is often goal driven and result oriented.His type of exemplary leadership orientation is rare as Kings riding with the cavalry and leading his soldiers to battle.An agile leader, nimble, versatile, and connected with the people.
He is a leader that has a keenly tuned antenna actively seeking to explore frontiers of new knowledge, developments and opportunities for the state. A leader quick to recognise and promote productive approaches from innovations to social changes.
A leader that would be supportive of progressive and inclusive cultural practices while denouncing and abrogating destructive, descriminating and divisive local cultures and traditions militating against the state’s developments. Professor Been Angwe is urbane, engaging, contextually perceptive and open minded.
He is never trapped by the parochial bounds of sectional sentiments and can always be seen beyond the primordial cleavages of his personal backgrounds.A leader who genuinely cares for his people and will always defends their interests against foes within and beyond.
He would routinely break out of the contrived bubble of executive priveledges to get a real sense of what the ordinary people in the state needs on a daily basis.He would never depends on the purified information provided by personal aids or the palace courtiers of his executive office.Not a leader that would confuse, misconstrue, or equate his personal interests to the public interests.He sees himself not as a “Lord” but as a public trustee with a duty of care to the people of the state which he swore to serve.
As a selfless leader Professor Been Angwe as Governor would demonstratively put the needs of Benue state and it’s people first in all his dealings.This is because he has the character that stops him from suffering from the intoxicating spirit of egomania or vainglory we see presently been displayed by those in power in the state.
Never would he be seduced by the paraphernalia or material trappings of power because he is a man that recognises the fact that personal acquisitions of material wealth serves no purpose beyond the primitive seeds of greed and the ultimate judgement about he leader when he leaves office is not one about material wealth he has acquired or displayed naked power but the kind of legacy he has to be remembered he left as his mementoes.
Professor Been Angwe would like to be remembered as that leader or governor held in high esteem by all for his landmarked transformative contributions to the development of Benue state. He would always be an accountable leader open to self evaluations and that of the people of the state.
He would regularly engage with the people and seek real time feedback and welcome criticism.He would ensure the lessons embedded in criticisms of him are never lost or miscontrue.He as a governor would not instinctively react to criticisms or regard critics as enemies to be destroyed.
He shall not be self-absorbed or surround himself with yes men or sycophants.He would always demands accountable from his aids and cabinet members when elected as well as they supports him. Benue people, we need to shine our eyes.We are lucky that the man to take us forward beckons seeking the office of the governor of Benue state.
He emerged from the tangle of the state turbulent, ethnic, sectarian and rapacious divide.He would make the necessary changes necessary to give us as citizens of the state a respect and joy to be called a Benue citizen.A new type of politic dispensation beckons and what is needed is our vote to take him there.
Finally,Professor Been Angwe is an inspirationally leader that have the character and personal qualities that inspire respect, confidence, loyalty, hope, and pride among his people.
He radiates a sense of intelligence for which he earns the people’s Goodwill and support even through trying times. His charisma is genuine and enduring than manufactured image entrenched in our leaders today by proffessional image- makers.
Simon Obochi
Sec NNPP
Oturkpo LGA
