Leadership is a Right Dream
It is biblical to say of anyone here with us this hour who is willing to learn and enhance our society with a sterling performance that he/she could easily become a leader. Enhancing upon the tantrums and tenets in our society itself places an individual aside as a good leader.
Ideals of Leadership
Leadership is a matter of assuming and accepting responsibility at every second and all those aspiring to be leaders should truly prove responsible enough to identify where there were lapses and shortfalls galore in one situation or another with the genuine mindset of improving on such instances. “Passing the buck” or properly captioned “blame game”, the hope of achieving justification if one kept blaming a different person or a particular group of persons existed from Adam’s time. Thus it is not worth the effort because the governor and the governed lived together. Kings and their subjects lived on the same piece of land which they termed their territory. Leaders and their subordinates more often than not had been present in the same country when matters arose, when matters unfolded and when transactions were pursued.
Several levels of leadership roles can certainly be distinguished in the Executive, in the Legislative and in the Judiciary and each of the personages occupying an office therewith intends serving his/her country very well. It is the best interest of all such distinguished personalities that our nation progresses and becomes much more better than it used to be at every point in time. It is worthwhile, however, leaving a sound legacy for this generation and for the next. The changing and unstable patterns seen in our advertisements, campaign messages and campaign slogans for leadership offices in especially the Executive and the Legislature of this dear nation must be made much more clear, more vivid and easy to understand, portraying the truth convincingly by making them appear realistic.
“Positive Change” and “Change” Trends
For instance several years ago a forceful group of citizens (the National Patriotic Party{NPP}) brought to the fore a suggestion of a “Positive Change” and the idea became so accepted and welcomed by the large majority in our land; our year 2000 December Presidential and Parliamentary elections results proved this perception right.
Next, this year 2008, a “change” for the betterment of this cherished country is being requested for and is being presented to the public for consideration by another section of people in the political realm (The National Democratic Congress {NDC}). December 28, 2008 would grant the chance for all registered voters to show whether this request appeals to their clear conscience or otherwise.
Yes. There was a demand for masses of people to support a “Positive Change” by then(Year 2000 elections) and now is a demand for “Change”(December 7 & December 28 elections). These demands do not come into conflict though over national matters, but a curious citizen would actually find every good reason to put this question upfront: “Who voted for the “Positive Change (Whether it was dubbed Chapter 1 or Chapter 2)” and why therefore should a majority of these same people be verbally compelled and convinced in their conscience thereupon again to cast their votes for a “Change” for a better Ghana all too soon after the era of “Positive Change”?
I thought several people in the midst of such category of voters who did cast their ballots at that time have not been blindfolded presently, and that they were not myopic in their view of the country’s state of affairs during the earlier clarion calls. No, not really so!
Simple Conscience is Our Guide
On the contrary it sounds in all conscience that the entire world changes every second and our country must experience similar change at all times, and perhaps one such citizen might have some of his/her fears allayed if he/she were made to understand from the opponent that this recent “Change” idea/motive/movement is a call to be granted power in the land so as to “water” the “good seeds” that the older “Positive Change” idea/motive/movement planted. An answer of this sort could not be only satisfying but would indeed make our beloved country a much happier place should this idea/motive/movement come from different political quarters.
Fact is one does not need to hundred percent utterly discredit an older political power in order to obtain acceptance in the Ghanaian community and to gain political power. No political power has yet attained perfection or the state of being described perfect on any part of the globe. Since there is the room, for this reason, for improvement in every political realm one’s political clarion call could be targeted towards urging his/her hearers to grant his/her good dreams a chance too by electing him/her into an office of power.
Efua could say that Esi’s dreams of leading the country was bright and get on further to explain, to appeal to the masses, and convince them of the unique aspects and qualities of her personal dreams, lay emphasis as on why the masses should for this season lend her their maximum support. For a simple further example, Esi clearly looks tired now. I’m re-energised, rejuvenated, invigorated. I have had some rest for long as a reserved player playing at Ghana’s national political front. This time is a precious gift; I’m all out to outshine and outdo Esi and ensure our country wins on the global political sphere of play, given the chance.
The Vision of A Leader
Besides, good leadership comes into action with a wide and a broad vision, and more so every good leader is a visionary. He/She is always expected to bring around refreshing visions in crisis period and beyond crisis seasons, and every vision comes along with precepts and a set of principles. Hence the ability to of the visionary to allow himself/herself to be guided by these precepts, to follow and abide by these rules to a further extent determines how successful he/she could be. Anyone who intends adhering to the precepts and principles of his/her vision cannot live in isolation every day if he/she really meant the vision was good one- one broad and wide enough to lead a particular nation; ours for instance. In due course of time countless people do also set goals and targets for themselves, acquire personal vision as a result of a visionary’s good vision.
A Successful Impact of A Vision
Good leadership, well said, starts with the minority of one individual, however, majority in this country would definitely be of this conviction if the visionary’s vision could be read, stands out vividly, and that when it passes these acid tests. In tune with this, is a saying there is saying, A reading nation is a winning nation.
Two Aspects Of Reading: Reading Books And Reading Individuals’ Lifestyle
The basic plea of many Ghanaians is that any government which takes over power come January 7, 2009 should not neglect the dire need of re-emphasizing and re-urging the Curriculum Research and Development Division of the Ministry of Education and Sports to update and enhance the young people’s study educational syllabus by introducing all necessary and completely relevant modern literature therein. The great impact and aftermath of this move would be to enable all the young people to quickly and easily envision the future bright and to dream big.
Oh that there be no lack or shortage of good ideas in the minds of all the young if the hopes and burning desire of impacting our dear nation should materialize into certainty and reality.
Modern Challenges of Adults in Expressing Their Vision
For, the introduction and adoption of “Yeresesamu” by two different major and powerful political groups, buttressed though with a difference in its accompanying body language within the same election season (prior to December 7, 2008) was not an evidence of childishness but unraveled the severity of the hour. Onlookers could for one reason or another, or probably, for quite a different good intention, guess that if care is not taken to make available and quickly accessible to the young people a more rich educational literature and a more relevant and useful study materials, a lack or shortage of wealthy ideas in the minds of these young ones could be a danger looming ahead into the future of the present young Ghanaian.
The recent forgetfulness and costly mistake in the speech of a renowned public speaker when he/she amidst several expressions said the “coffers” of the state were “empty” when their people took over power, instead of the expression the “coffers” of the state were almost(which he/she omitted) empty when they took over power, while he/she made reference to some years back as he/she soared on cloud nine on the wings of politics, could not be said to have been swallowed hook, line and sinker by a hundred percent of his/her hearers.
Potent Tools
Granting a wider chance to young people to the currency of acquiring the very best of healthy knowledge from globally exemplary resources would unquestionably be considered as placing in such intelligent hands potent tools. These would ensure that the future of the young people would be one of these young ones moving in unison as they confront and tackle unfavourable global matters affecting Ghana in the future. Then they would share the fun together too as they enjoy peculiar privileges and chances as and when they come. These young people are reading us and we could help them read us better.
One might ask but how far could we? Here is a recommendation of how we could facilitate easy reading for the young so they could all properly read that which we place in the hands so they can get to the extent of reading us as individuals to the best of their ability.
Introducing Phonetics For The Young Children in Schools
One.
The issue of long absence of comprehensive phonetics in young children’s language syllabus and government reading books is a perplexing situation which should be repaired and fixed without any more hesitation. This done solution would be found to the major reading/pronunciation difficulties encountered by most young children in Ghana, especially that being faced by those young children who hail from the rural communities. Given this privilege such young children all their days would forever be thankful to God and to society.
Instilling Rich African Style Of Presenting Facts And Ideas
Two.
What is currently termed “African Writers Series” if pupils in the Junior High School (JHS) system nation-wide were afforded the great privilege of reading them as supplementary reading resources would broaden these young people horizons on rich African style of presentation of ideas and facts. Many such young ones could easily express their young aspirations and dreams and this would go a long way assist them in what field of study they would be studying before long.
Providing Concise And Complete Study Texts Economical
Three
A lasting solution should be given to solve the current state of affairs faced in most JHS and SHS (Senior High Schools) where pupils or students would have to obtain several quality study resources outside of the scope of government published texts so as to gain a concise and complete knowledge of the various lessons they study as part of their educational curriculum. Authors whose resources they acquire for use run the risk of incurring much costs involved in publishing their resources individually or singularly, and what if the next government would get together various educational experts to come out with study resources which would be circulated throughout all schools in Ghana and published by order of the government. These materials should be concise and complete; so excellently written that there would in certitude be no need for pupils and students to depend so greatly on resources outside this scope of texts so they could easily achieve the best in their educational outcomes and assessments-be it BECE and WASSCE(Private and School).
Initiating The “Miracle Touch” As A Good Aspirant
Any good political aspirant could among several pertinent and pressing matters dream of granting these three important and basic issues above an instant “miracle touch” for a real improvement if he/she craves for power and longs to remain in power for long. The desire to do a particular thing and doing it right should not necessary be as a result of one’s religion; it is an in-born nature resident in every race-in every Ghanaian. (For further information on this statement request for a print out of the article “Pure Religion” by visiting the websites: www.apostolicfaith.org / www.apostolicfaith-ng.org ).
Our forebears trained us to do such “miracles” because during our naming ceremonies they said to us “Let your water be your water and let your drink be your drink”, or in other vivid words “by touching your young lips with water and drink we call forth for a stirring and rekindling of the gift of discernment within you so you have the ability oh young child to distinguish between water and drink” . We expect much more “miracles” these days from all our leaders therefore.
Religion And Religious Tasks in A Godly-Nation
That this country could be said to be a god-fearing and religious country cannot be open to much doubt, and for this country to be said to have largely adopted Christian Religion as a choice of lifestyle is said in no much doubt. Several governments have been in power since the era of Ghana’s independence, and the recent idea and plan of President Kuffour’s NPP government to deduct some VAT taxes from the recognized Christian organizations in this country might not necessarily be wrong signal or might probably not be a wrong suggestion. Many people know that some percentage of tax deductions are done to gifts accepted by Christian bodies in the United States and would not make quick conclusions on the earlier suggestion by President Kuffuor’s NPP government.
Possibility Of Granting A New Urge To The Churches To Play Additional Roles
A new set of advice could be granted to Ghanaian churches by any new government which comes into power at the beginning of next year 2009, so the churches in our nation would broaden and widen the scope of their support to humanity in our societies.
Firstly, by admonishing all churches to endeavour to get all their hearers imbibed with biblical sound doctrine, the churches must be encouraged to publish very educative, high quality and standards Christian literature materials with an unbiased intent of edifying the citizens of Ghana. Thus Christians would responsible enough- they would easily follow their good conscience in doing things right before the light of their Maker, and thereby reduce some morals cankers in our Ghanaian communities here and elsewhere.
Secondly, the churches must be admonished more and more to look outside their walls and Christians must look beyond the church so their good testimonies would include their acceptance of the responsibility to transform prostitutes “locked up” in brothel homes, laboring women, the sick and the injured “locked up” in hospitals as well as prisoners “locked up” in jail and remand homes/correctional institutions. This would revitalize our sense of togetherness and our purpose of reducing the ills in society.
In the case of some less privileged communities in the land of Ghana, if granted an urge from any new government, churches could freely contribute to providing for some very useful social amenities there; for example drilling bore holes in some remote towns and villages of Ghana.
Thirdly, if Christian organizations were given more admonishment by the new government to devote some more attention, besides, to offering grants and scholarships to various categories of students in their youthful ages in Ghana to assist them in their diverse educational pursuits, this country could clearly imagine for itself a very bright targeted future.
A Personal Assertion, Belief And Opinion
I am of the strong conviction that God Almighty has no selfishness in Him and He is not the Type who would for always want only a single few to enjoy power every day very much to the chagrin of all remaining others who would be at relegated to the “tail” part in any particular government. If one dreams of doing things and doing them right society would be honest enough to accept him/her sooner or later, and though he/she may not necessarily have within himself/herself the intention to lead, his/her good deeds would quite make him/her a firebrand leader in a certain definite way.
Conclusion
Today’s society- and society in any human realm has had lapses and- always has lapses in one way or the other. The ability to silently recognize those lapses, notwithstanding with the right conscience of bridging such gaps would make him/her the people’s preferred choice. We could find good reason therefore to grant our good dreams a chance by showing love to our rivals in power combined with those seeking to be in power, by wishing them success even when they deserve a little of it.
If we did, surely time would come and we too could ourselves leading our nation aright before too long. I send best wishes to our next leader, and brighter hopes for the yet to be chosen aspirant.
* NB The writer was present at the 2008 AEAA (Association For Educational Assessment in Africa) Conference organized by WAEC Ghana Office and also at the 2008 International Writers Conference organized by PAWA (PAN African Writers Association) and worships at the Apostolic Faith National Headquarters, Accra, where he was once singularly honoured for his contribution towards the widespread of Christian literature by the Church youth.
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