Kolade: If 59 boys are killed by Boko Haram and you go to Kano to dance, you’re not a leader
Christopher Kolade, former Nigerian high commissioner to the UK, has lashed out at political advertisements comparing President Goodluck Jonathan to respected world leaders.
Speaking at the 6th Christopher Kolade Symposium organised by the Nigerian Leadership Initiative (NLI) in Lagos on Thursday, the former chairman of Cadbury Plc, said Jonathan was lacking in some leadership qualities, citing a political rally held by the president in Kano a day after Boko Haram attacks in which 59 boys lost their lives.
He said: “Parts of leadership qualities you need to imbibe include ability to take responsibility. Apart from being responsible, you must also be able to sacrifice for others and you must be able to add value.
“In leadership, you cannot make value-added contribution until you are able to identify what is it you don’t like about this country; what is it that you can accept and what is it you cannot accept. The essence is in you. The capacity to identify what is right or wrong is not what you can borrow or buy. It is in you.
“Some nights ago, I was watching television and some people were telling us that we have never had it so good. I am in my 80s and I can tell you that Nigeria has had it much better than now.
“They even said it was not easy for Lee Kuan Yew, it was not easy for Nelson Mandela and it was not easy for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Mr President, keep doing it. Keep doing the good works because we who are with you are much more than those who are against you.
“Tell me something, is that part of Nollywood? Is that part of an entertainment? Let me cite one example. They always say I am father to all and I accept. If somebody makes me leader of a group and there is something in that group, l should be able to stand by the group.
“Let me tell you, if 59 boys are killed in Yobe State and you as a leader, the next day went to Kano state and danced in a political rally, then I say, that is not leadership. It can’t be.
“This is not about not being an Ijaw or non-Ijaw. It is not about being a south-south or not south-south. It is about leadership. It is about the fact that those who were killed were human beings.
“If some suicide bombers bombed a place and you as a leader has political rally the next day, the least you can do is to postpone the programme. Even if they are not your children, all you need to do is to sympathise.
“If it comes to a point that we don’t care about who is leading the country, then we have lost it. We know we are in deficit. What we have today are leaders who are in pursuit of personal gains and not about the future.”
Kolade was appointed chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) by Jonathan in January 2012 but resigned in September 2013.
The voice of elder is voice of wisdom. If this man of credit is speaking at this point on the state of politics and disposition of leadership in Nigeria, which he has not really done in long time, I think someone somewhere should care to listen. I hope the paid defenders of Government’s ‘achievements’ will not react violently to Kolade’s advices as they habitually do?
If a man you yourself adjudged honest enough to head such a sensitive post at such a critical time says you’re corrupt then you’re more than corrupt.
Word of wisdom from Christopher Kolade. We need you to speak out more against the ills of this incompetent and insensitive government
Word of wisdom from Mr. Christopher Kolade. The nation needs you to speak out more against the ills of this corrupt and incompetent government. When we say that things have never been this bad in Nigeria, they say we’re too young; that we don’t know history. It’s good hearing this from a respected senior citizen like you.
Nwanem Nkem…His Story.It is not about age but ability to go into records.
This is truth that is so glaring to all irrespective of political, ethnic or religious affiliation. The problem is when some deranged Jonathan apologists like Doyin Okupe and Abating read this, they will say this respectable man has taken sides with the opposition. Posterity will judge you all IJN.
Thumbs up for Dr Kolade.
But then, this is the first time I have seen or read a public commentary by him of any public affair issue.
It would be nice to have more of such calibre of person discuss these issues without fear or favour.
Thank you sir……a word they say is enough for the wise. If this is coming from the opposition, it will be seen as a fowl cry to GEJ & gang. Are the likes of Clarks, Anenih, etc a true leader? Our leaders had succeeded in diving us through ethnic and religious line so much so that anything wrong is right in Nigeria governance. If we can just stand back we might see things differently to know that we don’t really have a government but selfish leaders who we the citizens pays for their excesses and extravagant lifestyle.
“……..What we have today are leaders who are in pursuit of personal gains and not about the future.”
I read this statement and bowed my head in disbelief that this statement came from our able elder stateman. We all faulted this presidency on the national insecurity. As we speek, our children are still in the clutches of thugs and pedophiles and Nigerians go to bed at night including this president.
What is mr. Kolade’s opinions of all the dictators that wrecked this nation. The past leaders including the megalomanic obj that entrenched systemic corruption. How do we explain the unprecedented national insecurity sponsored by the born to rule who promised to make our nation ungovernable.
We need mr. Kolade’s comments on Nigerian past leaders, otherwise his opinion is skewed.
You could as well ask the eminent personnel to comment on Lord Lugard tenure for completeness. Truth is so bitter but we all know it. God save this nation and its people from demented minds.
Tunde….i really love ur reply
Thank you Tunde, that was the best response to that person.
You could as well ask the eminent personnel to comment on Lord Lugard tenure for completeness. Truth is so bitter but we all know it. God save this nation and its people from ourselves.
At least we are now talking about our failings as a PEOPLE. And we now have a say in who our representatives are. We never even had this freedom for many decades of mediocre and autocratic dictatorships of which obj and Buhari were godfathers. We couldn’t even elect our leaders under the rulerships of these scums. Now they want to continue to dictate to us after all the havocs they wreaked on our nation.
Let the old wise man comment on past Nigerian dictators that he served so well. Otherwise his blanket condemnation is skewed.
@George_USA, you seem to get it mixed up! It isn’t about his opinion on GEJ or his government but the rot and incompetence in the leadership of this country. It is a word of opinion and advise and GEJ apologists aren’t bound to take it but it is glaring to all that we have never had it this bad in Nigeria. In spite of the claims by TANists and other apologists that Nigeria has never had it so good, we know better and could judge by our lives and what’s on ground. Let’s move beyond ethnic and religious bigotry and unite to build a country we will be proud of.
“Never this bad”?… I hear this from few with little knowledge of history. They confuse the freedom to discuss issues as never before in our lives without harassment and intimidation by the “dictators”. The socioeconomic rot we have today is the result of decades of entrenched corruption and gross mismanagement by autocratic and mediocre dictatorships. The same scums that vowed to make the nation ungovernable. We need to rally round our government to make things work in Nigeria instead of tearing ourselves apart. NHere in America, in spite of all the differences, it is America first once the elections are over.
At least we now have the rights to elect our leaders in Nigeria. The rights we never had for many decades of mediocre dictatorships of which obj and Buhari were the godfathers. The same people that wrecked Nigeria. It will take many more years to rebuild what was destroyed.
Now they’ve set loose their thugs and pedophiles on our women and children in the name Sharia.
@George, you’d equally have sued for all to rally round the govt after elections putting the country 1st even in the times of the so called bad leaders. Wisdom is known by her children. Truth & wisdom recognize a good leader worthy of commendation when they see one and his name isn’t Goodluck Jonathan or Goodluck Benjamin. Let people’s experiences speak,you’re safely in the US.
His name may not be GEJ, but his name is certainly not Buhari or the many faces that we see in APC. I blame GEJ for giving you the chance to pretend you are not being tribal and partisan but truth be told, no matter how hard you try to hide it or script your comment, you are who you are. If you think that party recycling is normal as long as it’s not PDP, then you are the problem we have in this country. Nobody in APC is clean and if you ever held a post in politics in the past and said nothing about the state of the country, your words today holds no meaning. You are as corrupt and as culpable as the person you are accusing. You may be fooled by big words, I am not. I was born a long time ago to know to separate right from wrong. Meanwhile, GEJ is still gonna win come next year, don’t get your hopes up bro.
Igboooooooooooooooooooos Kai!!!
This country as at today has no leaders. What we have are rulers. And that is why they are looters. Because nobody would dare them
These are words of advice from Mr Christopher Olukolade,i believe politician playing politics of bitterness will take this words of advice seriously.
I was getting confused per day because of our so called leaders unethical actions , wicked behaviour and ill reactions to issues concerning our nation. The high political class turned our nation Nigeria into animal Kingdom where anything can happen. Thanks to Dr Kolade, Prof Soyinka and the likes that stood their ground to say the truth and what our children should take as values of life.
Thank you,Mr. Kolade for this beautiful observation. We have leadership deficit at all levels of governance. It has even spilled over into families;parents no longer provide quality guidance and leadership at home. There is rot everywhere and everyone feels things would get better on its own. The truth is until the masses rise up against bad leadership,there will never be tangible change in the system.
It is indeed annoying to keep doing what we are passing through..
who is against him?
What we ask .what we demand are
basic infrastructure.end to insurgency .employment.bring to book.political arm robbers.
the future looks bleek.
While I want to commend and thank Dr. Kolade for the words of wisdom in due season,I must also charge us of younger generation who have stake in the future of Nigeria than him to emulate his character and start speaking out. The Doctor can only speakout because he has not got his hands soiled in curruption and embezzlement. Do we have anyone in our generation to replace him with the same value as the man is edging homeward? God bless Nigeria but let us do our bits.
Chief Christopher Kolade has summarized and captured everything well. He is truthful and honest to a fault. These politicians steering the affairs of the nation are very corrupt and self- centred, they are actually in pursuit of their personal benefits and gains. The president must not be blamed at all, he has no agenda for the country. He is being pushed and manipulated by his numerous god- fathers. He is not brave enough to introduce genuine and dynamic programmes. In conclusion, we have not had it this bad. The country is sitting on a time bomb that can explode any time. Insecurity, militantancy, nepotism, corruption, tribalism have been legalized. A regime that has failed woefully is trying all possible approach to cling to power by all meas. Mr. President lacks all the attributes of a good leader.
If a man you appointed to head a sensitive committee at a sensitive period based on his track record says you’re corrupt, then you must be more corrupt than he says.
STUPID Wisdom if i may say- this is just an extention of OBJ senseless rantings so we shall pay no attn to this worthless comment THANKS
Stupid you say? worthless comment? I weep for the future of Nigeria.
I WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IF THE PRESIDENT HAD NOT GONE TO KANO!
Kolade’s comments are nonsensical! He ought to know better about leadership. This is leadership of a country and not a company.If the President were to cowardly stop functioning for every atrocity that is committed, would he be able to do anything? If he had not gone to Kano, would those mofo terrorists not have taunted the President and given themselves more impetus to feel they’ve got the Nigerian President where they want him?
I like Kolade, but I find his comments here very inappropriate and disappointing.
Did Kolade not listen to the President’s speech in Kano where he used the opportunity to lambast and show defiance to those mofos as he told the Nation to remain strong and united? I guess not.
Kolade was too busy licking his wounds and massaging his ego.
I for one, was extremely glad that the mofos did not stop the president to continue functioning.
Second base jare!
Ebika God bless you real good for your comments. The president observed a low key independence celebration inside the Vila in 2012 to prevent any attack during that celebration, but he was equally castigated and even called a coward to have succumb to insurgent treat.
@ebika, pls read my comment on FB, I said the same thing you just said here. What leadership played right into the hands of the enemy by stopping to function. Some said am crazy. Obama never cancel any of his schedules even Bush that started the war during and after 9/11 never cancel any of their engagement. Hero worshipping is our problem in Nigeria. Every leader have been programmed to follow protocol. When Kolade was Ambassador , how many Nigerians in UK came out and said their lives were better? He may have his own ambition to help those Nigerians, but he cannot go against the directives given to him by his Government. He was in Government at some point, he could have helped formulate a framework that our leaders could use today, if he did not do that, it’s a lost opportunity. Age and wisdom does not equate you have all the answers. I don’t belong to any political party in Nigeria, but my contribution is to look at things from a different context. The only time Presidents schedules changes are when the Nation is threatened. Boko Haram has not threatened the Nation, they are just insurgents that the country should have use the force and silenced. The Biafran War was a threat to the Unity of Nigeria, Gowon was well protected yet perform all necessary functions and let the soldiers fight the War. Kolade is not anybody’s Father, he is just a Nigerian voicing his opinion, he may be right, he may be wrong, but he is not perfect.
Nigerian youths dont be deceived by these old people who told my father that he will be the leader of today but still come back to tell me again, today that I will be the leader tomorow. How did we get to this position we find ourselves. Is it Jonathan or Gowon? How many companies and industries do these people own overseas employing youths of those countries.
Youths take your destiny in your hands and be wise.Jonathan is a human therefore not perfect so also is Buhari but the opposition in Nigeria should present us with a better alternative