Literature
- Akpabio Dared Where Others Dreaded ? Offonmbuk Akpabio
Offonmbuk Akpabio, a lawyer and writer based in Abuja, has just published a biographical work titled He Dared: The Story of Okuku Udo Akpabio, The Great Colonial African Ruler. The book is on the life and times of her grand-father-in-law, Okuku Udo Akpabio,...
- Shehu Sani?s Recipe For Peaceful Co-existence
To say the security situation in Nigeria has reached an alarming rate is to understate the obvious. For, unlike the recent past when only some parts of the country were identified with incessant crises, everywhere across the country today is either in...
- Agabi?s Gripping Tale Out F School
Sumaila Umaisha?s review of Chinyere Agabi?s The Survivor, published by FirstBorn Sevices Partner (2011); pages - 200.Dr. Chinyere Agabi?a new book, The Survivor, is a children?s story based on a teenager?s struggle for admission and subsequent strive...
- I Have The Ability To Change Ana - Dzukogi
Malam BM Dzukogi, a poet, short story writer, essayist and former Financial Secretary of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, is contesting for the post of National Secretary of the association in the next convention. In this interview with Sumaila...
- Poverty In The North: Fact Or Fiction?
Recently, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, made a statement to the effect that the northern part of the country is in a state of serious poverty and requires urgent economic measures to stem the tide. Well-meaning...
Literature
New formulae for governance and distinction
Books: The Shepherd Leader and The Quest for Distinction
Author:Isokari Francis Ololo
Reviewer:Sumaila Umaisha
Publisher:CreateSpace, SC, USA (2012); FriesenPress, Canada (2013).
Pages? 253, 125
The major problem of man is the inability to take advantage of his innate tendencies for his own good and those of others. And this shortcoming has resulted in many other challenges, such as mediocrity, bad leadership, corruption, criminality, etc. To address these issues and return humanity to the right path, Isokari Francis Ololo has published two inspirational books titled, The Shepherd Leader (The Unexplored Leadership Style) and The Quest for Distinction (The Odd Discovery). While the former specifically propounds a leadership model that holds the key to good governance, the latter offers workable tips on how one could identify and magnify his personality in a way that would stand him out in the crowd.
The Shepherd Leader contains 247 pages, divided into eight chapters; with each chapter dealing with particular leadership attributes and related issues. In addition to the chapters, there are acknowledgement, dedication, foreword, preface, references and index pages.
The first chapter, ?The Shepherd and the Sheep?, introduces the reader to the broad concept of the author?s leadership concept which is formulated based on the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep. In other words, the author uses the shepherd symbol to illustrate how leadership should be conducted for the success of the leader and the good of all. Just as the shepherd actively directs, protects and provides for the herd, leaders are expected to be directors, protectors and providers of the led.
The author argues that even though the servant leadership concept is not altogether a bad idea, it needs to be stepped up to shepherd leadership which is more practicable and active, where both service-mindedness and humility are encompassed.
According to him, ?In the shepherd leadership, the leader allows God to go before him as well as to bear the burden of leadership.? (P. 6)
Having outlined the basis of the shepherded leadership model in the first chapter, the author explained in the subsequent chapters the tools leaders need to be successful. The tools and principles are discussed under the subtitles; Harvest and Hunger, Encampment and Enemies, Parenting and Profligacy, Healing and Hurting, Divinity and Dumbness, etc.
Quoting copiously from the Bible, the author portrays leadership as an embodiment of service to God and humanity.
The Quest for Distinction (The Odd Discovery)equally deals with human behaviours and the need to rekindle and channel the unique human attributes to the service of humanity. As stated on page 1 of the book, ?To serve is to provide something useful or helpful that people need. The something can be counselling, teaching, coaching, mentoring or maintenance of infrastructure. It involves giving of oneself howsoever. The believer receives a bundle of service and in return gives services to others to complete the circle of interdependence.?
The 125-page book, which is made up of eleven chapters, plus the acknowledgement, dedication, foreword, preface and reference pages, discusses eleven principles that could help individuals discover their hidden talents and distinctiveness. The principles are outlined in such details and vividness that will help the readers to depart from the conforming ?even? ways of doing things and embrace the nonconforming ?odd? ways. The crux of the discourse is that for one to succeed both spiritually and materially he has to take the road not taken and avoid joining the bandwagon.
Just like The Shepherd Leader is modelled on the biblical metaphor of the shepherd and the herds, The Quest for Distinction is based on the concept that the ?odd? shines out in an impossible environment while the ?even? accepts mediocrity as a way of life, thereby following the crowd. In effect, only he who musters the courage to do what others refuse or fail to do can occupy a unique position others can rarely occupy. To stand out and be recognized you have to ?reboot your thinking and live! If your thinking is small, you treat everything as petty. Think big, ask big, and act big, and be distinct.?
The book is not only motivational but spiritual, with quotes from great philosophers, faith principles from the Bible, personal inspiring experiences and management concepts aimed at encouraging the readers to deal with mediocrity and excel in all their endeavours.
From the meticulous way these books are written, with flawless language and lucid explanations and illustrations, one could say he is among the rare crop of people who do what they preach. The books are well researched works, drawing from the resources of legendary inspirational writers like Krishnan and Neuman. And the narration is crafted in a simple style that makes it easy for both the academic and the general readers to comprehend the messages.
Another outstanding quality of the works is that though they are written from Christian perspective, with quotations and samples from the Bible, non-Christians will equally gain from the author?s objective instructions. The message is universal, timeless and all-embracing. For those who are interested in improving their personalities as individual and as leaders, these books are a must-read.
- Akpabio Dared Where Others Dreaded ? Offonmbuk Akpabio
Offonmbuk Akpabio, a lawyer and writer based in Abuja, has just published a biographical work titled He Dared: The Story of Okuku Udo Akpabio, The Great Colonial African Ruler. The book is on the life and times of her grand-father-in-law, Okuku Udo Akpabio,...
- Shehu Sani?s Recipe For Peaceful Co-existence
To say the security situation in Nigeria has reached an alarming rate is to understate the obvious. For, unlike the recent past when only some parts of the country were identified with incessant crises, everywhere across the country today is either in...
- Agabi?s Gripping Tale Out F School
Sumaila Umaisha?s review of Chinyere Agabi?s The Survivor, published by FirstBorn Sevices Partner (2011); pages - 200.Dr. Chinyere Agabi?a new book, The Survivor, is a children?s story based on a teenager?s struggle for admission and subsequent strive...
- I Have The Ability To Change Ana - Dzukogi
Malam BM Dzukogi, a poet, short story writer, essayist and former Financial Secretary of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, is contesting for the post of National Secretary of the association in the next convention. In this interview with Sumaila...
- Poverty In The North: Fact Or Fiction?
Recently, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, made a statement to the effect that the northern part of the country is in a state of serious poverty and requires urgent economic measures to stem the tide. Well-meaning...