HOW NIGERIA IS EXPERIENCING A GENERATIONAL LEADERSHIP SHOCK

I started a podcast and I thought I should tell you about it. The focus is on God, Business and Politics and we have three episodes already. Listen to this episode below and you can also read the script and text after.

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From the EndSARS protest to the embattled minister having ties with terrorism to medical tourism of President Buhari to the absence of the First Lady from the country to the killings to the corruption issues and to many other issues that dominate social media engagement, it is clear that the older generation and the younger ones have varying priorities. It is abundantly clear and proven that the millennial and Gen Z generation have a different standard for living different from what the older generation of Nigerians have always believed in and practised over the years.

My name is Emeka Azubuike and welcome to today’s podcast.

Leadership is known to have underlying principles that are acceptable across board, nations, tribes, races, and religions. There are expectations about leadership that are common to any human being. However, there are situations where what applies in one country or sphere of life might not apply to the other. I believe this disparity in leadership values is playing out in Nigeria today.

The older generation has beliefs and ideas about how certain things should be done but to the younger generation, such beliefs are wrong and should not be seen in our national life.

The old believes that even when someone is regarded as a corrupt person or has done badly in governance, such a person still has the right of being called a Nigeria. So, they don’t mind being seen around such a person. They dine and wine together with no reference to what the person has done or has not done. You can even see them Praise such a person knowing fully well that this person has been found wanting in certain areas.

On the other hand, the younger generation regarding what someone has done or not done believes in the cancel culture. They are quick to write you off once you have been seen as a person of questionable character with some ills to your name. Once you dare tweet or retweet something that many see as wrong even if it is your first time and you did it for the bants, you are thereby cancelled.

There are much more examples to show and prove that the old is different from the young. But what this situation shows is the clash of two generations that are inherently different. The older generation can be seen as being patient and not being quick to judgments while the younger ones are impatient and quick to respond and react and sometimes prematurely so.

When news breaks about something like the current insecurity going on and someone accuses IPOB of the attack; what the younger generation will do is to start tweeting and showing their support for or against the different players. In no time IPOB or Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will start trending. In this same situation, the older generation hardly responds immediately. They can take a day or two and by the time they do, there might be more revelations about what might have happened.

Let me add that while the two players i.e. young and old add act differently, some schools of thought in leadership will believe in responding immediately while some will ask that the facts are gotten right. Also, the way and manner of response matter.

A recent example is the situation of the Minister of Digital Economy Isa Pantami that his utterances in the past have linked him to terrorist groups. The young demanded he is sacked but most of the older ones preferred not to talk about it. Even former government officials who are normally active online did not issue any statements regarding the matter. And when the Presidency eventually spoke they sided with the minister.

So, if you examine these attitudinal responses from these two generations, you will agree that we are different from each other. The young are eager for many things while the old are patient on their part.

Now, is anyone better than the other? I don’t think so entirely but there are situations where one will have to take precedence over another. Is better I don’t cite any example but speaking generally, there are times when you have to be patient, observe and get the facts before you eventually respond. And there are times when you have to respond immediately because it is the right thing to do at that time.

Let me try and round up by quoting Nigeria’s Vice-President who said, “that the old need the strength of the young while the young needs the wisdom of the old as we build our country Nigeria” paraphrased. I agree with this statement. In addition to that statement, the two generations need to consciously imbibe the ways of one another. There should be an exchange of values where the young learns the ways of the old while the old learns the ways of the young. They both cannot be wrong or right all the time but they can learn when to be right by understanding the ways of each other.

As it is, we have a generational leadership shock in our hands. It’s like we don’t understand each other and many are repulsive in seeking to understand one another.

I believe that the young are in a better position to learn and understand the ways of the old. Not the foolish ways but the wisdom in the way they have led their lives and contributed to where our country is today.

If you ask me, being patient in the face of so much noise and pressure is a mark of wisdom.

Thank you for listening!