By Kolawole Ojebisi
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, is a leader in the mould of the late British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill
Obasanjo said this on Monday during the opening ceremony of a four-day International Conference of the African Biblical Leadership Initiative, held in Abuja.
The ABLI conference, themed “Value-Based Leadership Model for Africa”, attracted numerous African and European leaders, along with global Christian figures.
In his speech, Obasanjo drew a parallel between the lives of Gowon and Churchill whom he described as an unsung hero
The former president disclosed that he has always envied the personality and grace of God on Gowon’s life adding that only few global leaders have the grace of being celebrated while alive and not posthumously.
Comparing Gowon to Churchill, Obasanjo stressed that despite Churchill’s patriotism and military achievements, he was initially overlooked but eventually received recognition with a “Man of the Century” award in the twilight of his life.
He stated:, “Only a few leaders are appreciated in their lifetime. General (Gowon), I envy you because you are appreciated while still alive. That, too, is the grace of God in your life. You are like Winston Churchill. He fought in the night, on the sea, and for the British Empire. In the end, he was unrecognised, called a warmonger, and even voted out of Parliament.
“Yet, before he died, he was named ‘Man of the Century’ and appreciated.”
Obasanjo added: “Many leaders may not be appreciated, including our Lord Jesus Christ and almost all his disciples. Many of them died in ways unbefitting of a leader. So, if a leader expects praise, adoration, or admiration from people, he will be sorely disappointed. But God takes care of leaders. Experts say there are 58 wars in the world today, with 92 countries involved, either directly or indirectly. That is half of the countries in the world. Yet, they say there is no Third World War. So what do we do?”
Obasanjo also expressed concern about what he called the decline in global leadership standards, lamenting that many current leaders rely solely on intuition. He further criticised state actors for venturing into crucial leadership matters about which they have little or no understanding.
Former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, echoed Obasanjo’s views, calling for effective leadership in Africa.
Gana remarked, “In a world characterised by unprecedented challenges and complexities, Africa stands at a critical juncture. The need for visionary, ethical, and value-based leadership has never been more urgent. The future of Africa hinges on our ability to cultivate leaders who are not only competent but also compassionate and committed to the well-being of ordinary citizens across our countries.”
