New Orleans, United States is an unusual city surrounded by water. To the north lies Lake Pontchartran, south the Mississippi River to the east and west low-lying swamplands. Canals crisscross the city.
You cant drive into New Orleans without crossing a major bridge. It lies below sea level,on the average of six feet.
On Wednesday August 24, 2005, Hurricane Katrina threatened the city as predicted by experts. Leaders of neigbouring Louisiana ordered mandatory evacuation.
But one man was not bothered. The city's major, Ray Nagins. He was concerned about the legal, financial and business implications. He waited. Three days after he finally announced voluntary evacuation of New Orleans. This was only after the director of National Hurricane Centre, Max Mayfield, called him on phone on Saturday nite.
"Max scared the crap out of me" Nagins said. The hurricane made a landfall the next day and left deaths and destructions in its wake.
Nagins did not understand the Law of Timing as a leader.
Back home, a few years ago, the Federal Government, withdrew subsidy on petroleum products on December 31, 2012. Many Nigerians had travelled to their villages to celebrate having made their budgets.
The withdrawal triggered increases in transport fares. Many were financial hostages of their pockets and had to borrow money to return to their stations.
The defect as in Nagins' story was failure to understand that WHEN is as important an element as how.Great leaders understand that a good decision can be marred by the timing, they are circumspect therefore about when.
Nigeria needs leaders who know WHEN to move and WHEN not to stop, starting from our homes to the public space, let us raise them for the benefit of the generations to come.
Friday, 1 August 2014
Power of Foresight
With 7.2m US dollars the United States Secretary Of State William Seward, purchased what is now the State of Alaska. That was on March 30, 1867. He had been appointed by the venerated President Abraham Lincoln.
The land was unexplored and thought to be too expensive. The Russians sold it to checkmate British interests in the Pacific.
Seward was criticized roundly at the time. Some said he was crazy and termed the deal " Seward's Folly". Seward had difficulties convincing the US Senate of the value of the acquisition. The Senate ratified the treaty that approved the purchase by just one vote.
Ultimately, buying Alaska proved a valuable move. It increased the size of the US by nearly 20 percent, in 1889 gold was discovered in Yukon, a town in Alaska and petroleum later, which is now its most lucrative mineral resource.
Not a few think that Russia made a humongous error to sell a rich item for peanuts. That is the thinking centuries down the line. However, the flipside is William Seward's, then a fool now a wise leader.
He had vision. He saw what his countrymen could not. He believed in it and went bald headed for it. This is the stuff great leaders are made of.
Nigeria needs today, leaders of this make. She needed it since 1914. Seward was a visionary, a hero and critically, a Great Leader. Would we dare to raise such leaders now? Starting from our homes to the public space, for the benefit of generations to come, let us raise Sewards.
The land was unexplored and thought to be too expensive. The Russians sold it to checkmate British interests in the Pacific.
Seward was criticized roundly at the time. Some said he was crazy and termed the deal " Seward's Folly". Seward had difficulties convincing the US Senate of the value of the acquisition. The Senate ratified the treaty that approved the purchase by just one vote.
Ultimately, buying Alaska proved a valuable move. It increased the size of the US by nearly 20 percent, in 1889 gold was discovered in Yukon, a town in Alaska and petroleum later, which is now its most lucrative mineral resource.
Not a few think that Russia made a humongous error to sell a rich item for peanuts. That is the thinking centuries down the line. However, the flipside is William Seward's, then a fool now a wise leader.
He had vision. He saw what his countrymen could not. He believed in it and went bald headed for it. This is the stuff great leaders are made of.
Nigeria needs today, leaders of this make. She needed it since 1914. Seward was a visionary, a hero and critically, a Great Leader. Would we dare to raise such leaders now? Starting from our homes to the public space, for the benefit of generations to come, let us raise Sewards.
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