A reasonable man adapts himself to the world, the
unreasonable man tries to adapt the world to himself, but the most reasonable
man creates his own world. In my opinion, the rotation of the sphere within
which we live is constant; but the content, context, and conduct have
drastically changed. The renowned management thinker and strategy innovator, Prof.
Gary Hamel, argued and affirmed a fact with which I totally concur- “Change
itself has changed!”
Conventional wisdom says that the right
government will provide the efficiencies, information, good education,
innovation and agility that will sustain and succeed the nation; but before our
very eyes, this notion has acutely failed. Developed countries are trying to cut-cost
as much as possible, while inflation is relentlessly skyrocketing; terrorism, natural
disasters, religious and communal clashes triggered by patriotism has also
become common experience.
However, in
contrast to the accusing fingers pointing at leaders (positional occupants) as
being responsible for most of the predicaments that has befallen nations and
industries, I’ll rather argue that insufficient leadership ability is the major problem grappling with our world. Either
evolution or revolution, none ever starts with a group, it oft starts with an
individual. Leaders emerge, but leadership is emergent. The path to national
transformation, as we can see in the 21st century, is personal amelioration.
The
socio-economic advancement of nations has denounced the conventional political
route, and has become more effective on individuals, but synergized leadership
abilities. Both corporate and community development have transcended the
capacity and capability of politicians and lawmakers decision, and have become
the shared leadership responsibility of every inhabitant of each community or
industry.
Prioritizing
and Focusing on personal development rather than the wide, complex, and
enigmatic national transformation for the emergence of new product, ideas,
innovation, technology, industry and national advancement has become more expedient
and exigent. The economic boom that countries like America and Europe is
thriving on, amidst every other thing, can be easily tied to the success of companies
and individuals like Bill Gate (Microsoft), Steve jobs (Apple), Jack Welch
(General Electric), Richard Branson (Virgin Airlines), like Intel Corporation,
IKEA Furniture, Sears, Coca Cola, IBM and so on.
Our nation
is crying out for leaders that model integrity, excellence, compassion and
responsibility. This is our right as a people, however, this does not assuredly
present us with the trouble-free, economic boom, and secure homeland we solely
desire. Government can make policies, produce social infrastructures, and so
on, but it is the people that eventually make change happen. The old truth and
the new-age reality is that commitment to personal development is a pre-requisite
to national development.
It is so pathetic that many of us have lost
personal identity in our quest for the retrieval of national identity. My
question is, can doing ever take the place of being? We have become driven
individuals rather than called individuals. Doing is simply the reflection of
our inner core. Who I am should dictate what I do, not the other way round. In
other words, we are human beings not human doings. My concern now is not
whether Nigeria is 52; my concern is what if a nation like Nigeria cannot
change you, would you change the nation? Tell me, what is your contribution to
the growth of our nation? As a nation, we are producing more
wealth-distributors or consumers, than wealth-creators. This unarguably fact is
a proof that Nigeria will never experience NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION without
PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION.
While our
leaders debate over allocation of resources and whether or not to print more
money, I think it will be wise of us, if we truly crave the kind of change we
profess, to begin to allocate the resources at our own disposal appropriately.
Resources like choice to do the
right thing and do things right, decision
to vote the right person into office; time
allocation to doing things that will
position us as a solution provider rather than problem creators; relationships that challenge our
potentials, and propel us to maximize out latent potentials.
When extrinsic factors inundates our intrinsic
values; Circumstances become our compelling counselors, and our potential to
become a world changer is changed by the world. Effectiveness is about “I am,
therefore I do.” not “I do, therefore I am.” I have said all of that to say
that personal development is the way, emphatically, the only way to national
development. The wealth of every nation is a function of the quality and not
the quantity of people living therein. It is not how much of people we have in
the government, but how much of people with self-governance.
I strongly believe that personal transformation
is the key to national revolution. The problem of our Nation is not about
National influence but Personal influence. I hope we can focus more on the seed
and not the fruit; when we pray for the seeds, the fruits can get better. Naija
o ni baje o!!!
