By: Farouk Ozigi Onimisi
(The White Orator)
It was Max DePree who said the first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.
Peter Drucker postulated that leadership is lifting a person’s vision to high sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.
Upon the achievements of Governor Yahaya Bello as the Executive Governor of Kogi State, he has proven the responsibilities of a governor which says as state managers, Governors are responsible for implementing state laws and overseeing the operation of the state executive branch.
GYB also justified the concept of appointees which said they must understand their responsibilities and have the skills needed to succeed. GYB, through his New Direction Blueprint, defined for these trusted allies, their priorities and expectations with critical attention on accountability and transparency.
As a Visionary Leader and Greatest Governor of all Time, GYB provided an outlook for the future as well as influenced both the values and expectations of citizens of the state. Put succinctly, GYB defined future challenges and provided a pathway for citizens to face them even when they require short-run sacrifices.
GYB as the Greatest Governor of all Time and Visionary Leader was able to provide a long-run positive impacts on the citizens of Kogi State in terms of their economic well-being, faith in government and democracy and long-run values and expectations.
In a simple term, GYB focused on new legislative initiatives which formed part of a broader vision that included the goal of a more efficient state government and a longer run vision for the future. It is generally the vision that changes values and expectations, eclipsing the impact of legislation over time.