THE LEADERSHIP QUESTION IN TIVLAND

No rocket science is needed to detect that the leadership in Tivland is in accident and emergency ward. The simple reason is that, things are not just working for the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria. Clearly, strong hearted, patriotic, courageous and selfless people as the late Major Gideon Orkar are no more in the saddle.

It appears everyone, including those in leadership who ought to work for the people are selfishly working for their good and that of their families, in-laws and concubines. This, we have lamented over the years with little or no meaningful result. Our case is pathetic in that, one man who has been in leadership for 18 uninterrupted years and counting, without tangible result, has being the one calling the shots at all levels of leadership including the most local level. For him, leadership is a family affair. His local government is about the smallest in Benue state, yet there are agitations among the people over such tendencies. This is not right. This is sad.

However, it is heartwarming that the quest for leadership rejuvenation in Tivland received a boost during the recent All Tiv Summit held in Gboko, the headquarters of Tiv ethnic group. In the communique of the two day summit, which is impressive indeed, the Tiv leadership question features prominently. The collective identification that the political leadership of the Tiv people is ineffective and the resolve to strengthen it, is to say the least, commendable. We have suffered the consequences of incompetent leadership for too long.

In the Bible which we often make reference to, King David was not just the king of Israel but was also a man after God's own heart, yet God said he was not the one to build a temple for Him, but Solomon his successor. We may have had leaders, some of whom described as the arrowheads of North Central politics and some as "God fearing", but they clearly seem not the ones to take us to the promised land. Some of them who are contemporaries of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu should behave like him. Since 2007 when he handed over Lagos to Raji Fashola, Tinubu has not held any public office, elected or appointed. But he has been a force to reckon with. The reason is not far fetched. He has been bringing competent people to man positions. Tinubu himself did not do wonders in Lagos as a two term Governor, but he brought a Fashola who did.

Today, they have brought Ambode who is taking it to the next level. It must be noted that, someone is already been groomed to take over from Ambode in 2023 perhaps. At the federal level, Asiwaju's boys are Manning strategic positions including the VP. No doubt, his boys are in charge of the nation's economy. This is strategic thinking. This is how a kingmaker does it. Lack of mentorship should also be addressed as suggested by the summit. This is because, after producing Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice of the Federation, Chief of Army Army Staff and many others in republics and years past, it is difficult to get another shot in those places now.

This is largely due to lack of mentorship by former occupants of these exalted offices who are alive and watching helplessly as events unfold. Therefore, the next time we want to place side by side Asiwaju with someone who takes advantage of the people's docility to remain in office without effect, we should do it with caution.

The difference is that, while states like Lagos continue to sower higher and higher due to purposeful leadership, states like Benue have continued to lower the steam of development set by the likes of late Aper Aku and Moses Adasu, due to bad leadership selected at the whim and caprices of an individual. That Lagos has tremendous resources is not an excuse for failure in a state with lean resources. The thinking should be that, use the little you have to do something like Kaduna, Anambra, Gombe states are doing. Leadership should not be the birth right of any individual. Scorecard should be the yardstick for continuity, and not aimless clamour for endless stay in power.