Alex Otti: Between doing things right and doing the right thing
The nuance delineation of leadership denotes its intriguing complexion. It has no designated formula; but components such as integrity, inspiration, vision, astuteness, coercion, power, command and control. But be that as it may, the essence of leadership is accomplishment.
However, owing to several abstract factors, many have failed in leadership. It probably explains why Herbert Swope opines thus:
“I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure: Try to please everybody.”
In furthering our discourse in Abia State political development with this viewpoint above, it will be dumb for any person or group, irrespective of their sentiments, to presume Governor Alex Otti to be a people pleaser or a doormat in managing the state affairs.
But in doing that, the word of Peter F. Drucker, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right thing”, is food for thought.
To get the optimum result, it is a consensus that Governor Otti must reengineer the civil service. But in doing so, he must avoid fracturing the structure.
The suspension of the Head of Service and entire Permanent Secretaries but two, without reason, especially when the recently commissioned probe panel is yet to establish a prima facie against any deserves interrogation and condemnation.
These are not political positions. A Perm Sec rose from the cadre of civil service to attain the level – a retiring period of 30 years in active service to the state. Suspension is callousness.
If Governor Otti was so bent on replacing them with his loyalists, he should have played by the honourable rule of retiring them with full benefits, allowances and gratuities.
It is the same as the PDP method we jointly condemned on social media. Why are we supporting it and applauding Otti?
Replacing HoS with a Director who is a junior officer to Perm Secs in the manner Otti did is militarization.
It does not matter how anyone perceives it. But the price of doing the same old thing is far higher than the price of change, according to Bill Clinton.
It is not the change we voted for or the new Abia we anticipated.
Stay in the know on Abia politics. Grab a copy of Don Norman Obinna’s ‘Raped & Enslaved: Era of Kleptocracy’.
