Soludo, Umo Eno, el-Rufai: The style defines the leader

Governor Umo Eno sent a simple birthday message to Obong Umana Okon Umana the other day to celebrate his 66th birthday. But the main essence of the letter was not written in words; it is located somewhere in the recent history and experience of the people – Akwa Ibom people. Just a decade ago, Umana was humiliated, hunted and hounded for political reasons by the then-governor. But today, he is being celebrated as ‘’an illustrious son’’ who has served the state “passionately”. Leadership style can make the difference.

Umana had served in the public service of Akwa Ibom for about 25 years, rising through the ranks to become permanent secretary, commissioner for finance and peaking as SSG (secretary to the state government). He was later appointed minister of Niger Delta affairs in the Buhari administration. In 2013, he was once locked out of office, hounded, hunted and harassed for seeking to contest the 2015 governorship race. In 2014, the DG of his campaign organisation, Chief Sunny Udom, escaped assassination by whiskers when armed men stormed his office. He was lucky to have left minutes before they arrived, perhaps on tip-off.

Soon after, Umana’s security details were withdrawn, triggering fears that he was the next target. His offence was moving from the PDP to the APC to seek the governorship ticket – a decision that went against the then-governor’s succession plan. Political assassinations, kidnappings and intimidations were the main ingredients of the state’s politics in those days. There was palpable tension and fear around Umana, who was then spending most of his time in Lagos and Abuja, to escape the threats, tension and fear in Uyo. His supporters were downcast, browbeaten and broken, but he managed to put up a brave face whenever he came into Uyo, just to give them hope. It was the most frightening season in the history of the state, and may we not experience such again in Akwa Ibom state.

When I saw Eno’s letter to Umana, I reflected on the past and pondered the change that is unfolding in our state. Once notorious for political violence, the state is now one of the most peaceful in the country. Eno came into office with a deliberate and well-calibrated agenda to redraw the contours of politics and take it in another direction. He quickly reached out to other leaders like Atuekong Don Etiebet, Obong Nsima Ekere, Senator Ita Enang and a few others who were once considered enemies of the state. Political foes are now friends; ethnic tensions and cleavages have dissipated; political disagreements and rhetoric are far less combustible and, very importantly, politically motivated violence has disappeared.

A leader’s performance in office is greatly influenced by his character, personality and style. Character consists of integrity, ethics and accountability; personality has a lot to do with emotional intelligence, communication style and adaptability, while style implies leadership approach, decision–making and his vision and strategy. The interplay between character, personality and style greatly impacts the leader’s relationships with citizens and other stakeholders. Eno came into office with a self-awareness to do away with allegiance to one bloc or a tendency to pit one group against another.

He determined right from the onset to do away with the tradition of manipulating the people to gain political advantage or to pursue an ethnic agenda. Even as he moved from PDP to APC, he refused to intimidate, frustrate or subjugate his former party. He has adopted the phrase ‘’Akwa Ibom United’’ as his political slogan and has succeeded in instilling the spirit of oneness in a people once described as ‘’an atomistic society perpetually at war with itself’’.

In Anambra state, Charles Soludo has taken to the tradition of publicly attacking, ridiculing and demonising Peter Obi, one of his predecessors, perhaps for political reasons. But the more Soludo strikes Obi, the more the governor, once revered as a towering economist of world-class stature, appears as a petty, mean-spirited and insecure local leader. Soludo can’t seem to live with Obi’s presence and influence in national politics.

In Kaduna, the toxic relationship between Uba Sani and his predecessor, Nasir el-Rufai, is creating division and tensions in the state, which is well known for its political volatility. El-Rufai pursued a politics of exclusion and ethnic dichotomy, while Sani is trying to bring the multiethnic society together. His style is inclusive, collaborative and peace-building, while his predecessor was more engrossed in promoting sectional dominance.

In the United States, differences in character, personality and styles of their presidents and local leaders have, over the years, deepened political differences which in turn have bred a tradition of political violence.

President Donald Trump’s style is assertive and unconventional. His approach emphasises strength, negotiation prowess and nationalist policies, while Joe Biden, for example, is more cooperative and conciliatory.

Across the globe, leaders in government and business, community and organisations, approach their duties with different styles that reflect their character and personalities. At the end, the style defines the leader.