“A leader must be a good listener. He must be willing to take counsel. He must show a genuine concern and love for those under his stewardship.” – James E. Faust
Blessed are leaders whose words and action are in one accord. Ladies and gentlemen, it another moment and season to celebrate and felicitate with a leader, Hon Abdulkareem Sanni Kekere, member representing Okehi constituency in Kogi State House of Assembly as heaven crowns him with another year today.
Hon, I want you to know, the ministry of celebration is a sword in the hand of skillful warrior. A two edged sword can cut bone and pears into the bone marrow, it can heal and correct. So come with me today as I speak to re-awaken your conscience and point to you the future. Happy birthday.
Hon, I have written you several article, demanding and asking you to do fast because, the time is ticking but it appears you did not heed to the advise and here come another taking over but in all honesty and truth you have failed your constituency. Happy birthday.
Do not take this article personal but take it as one from a concerned citizen, and a progressive youth who have the interest of his people and community at heart demanding for accountability as you about to check out. Happy birthday.
I said to you that leadership is not all about what one can get or gather to himself but it is much more than that; it’s how you can use your influence, skills, creativity and authority to create enabling environment, touching the lives of people in the community and uplifting the standard of the living.
Hon. Kekere, in the mouth of two or three witness the truth shall be established. Come with me as I point to you the Seven Social Sins a leader must be conscious of. Frederick Lewis Donaldson wrote and I quote:
1. Wealth without work; 2. Pleasure without conscience; 3. Knowledge without character; 4. Commerce without morality; 5. Science without humanity; 6. Worship without sacrifice; 7. Politics without principle.
Hon., your result or projects would have suggested to us your work in the past 4 years in power but as I take a walk round our constituency you have nothing to show. Then I ask, where is your conscience as a leader? happy birthday.
Late erudite Kabiru Etudaye’s family, especially his children, are suffering. They are clothed with hunger and unable to pay their school fees yet you promised to give them scholarship. His mother is there trusting God for daily bread and I have reached out to you several times without number to fulfill your vows and promises, but till today, you neither picked calls nor visited the family. Then I ask again, where is your conscience as a honorable.
I am a man who is ready to be held responsible of my action; hold me responsible if you consider my words to weigthy for you to assimilate…Happy Birthday
A leader whose words are not parallel with his actions should be confronted by the citizen(s) so that he can change and become a brand new person also for others to learn. Happy Birthday.
I pleaded with you to reach out to them even if is just a visit as honorable who remember the service of the dead but you’ve never attended to their needs. Worship without sacrifice.
The principle and responsibility of democratic leadership is to be able to reach out to the people, and their constituency, interact with them to know their problems and proffer short and long term solutions.
Hon Kekere, since your emergence as representative of Ihima constituency in the House of Assembly how many public meetings have you called or held? Politics without principle… happy birthday anyway.
No matter the knowledge a leader acquired in the institutions, if it is without character, fear of God and honor for the dead one who served him with all his skills and integrity, then he is a waste to the people who entrusted him with the mandate…but Happy birthday anyway.
Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre said and I quote; “If all the world hated you and believed you are wicked, while your own conscience approved of you and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends”. Hon., do not view this article through the mirror of hatred, but through the mirror of correction, rebuke, accountability and promise fulfillment as a leader.
This message is to remind you that some of us are not yet done with you especially in giving account of your stewardship. Nevertheless, I celebrate you for the gift of life and I join the able men from our constituency to say Happy Birthday.
Transparency, honesty, kindness, good stewardship, even humor, work in politics or public office at all times. Leaders must be transparent enough to keep to their promises and slow enough to make promise,you cannot keep all because of ambition. Happy Birthday.
I pray, you allow your conscience to have his way as you visit the family of late Erudite Kabiru Etudaye and fulfill your promises honorably for posterity sake. Happy New You.
– Ogo’Ogu Mark Dauda
