In the 70’s and 80’s, many pupils finished primary school after their 10th birthday and were not allowed to start secondary school until they were 11 years old or will turn 11 within the first term! Nearly all the pupils at the time walked to school and their mothers stayed at home or traded in the local markets. Uncle and Aunties were relations and not ‘titles’, Tokunbo was the name of a person born abroad and not a used car or used item from overseas! Apples and Berries were not readily available on the streets, but they were certainly fruits not phones. After school play were mainly outdoors and not fiddling with gadgets behind locked doors with the parents anywhere in the world.
Wow! A whole lot have changed since then.
How should we build a community of excellent leaders in the midst of all of these changes considering that change has gained more momentum in recent years? Who is responsible for making it happen and who should be held accountable for the failure of leadership in our time?
To build is to form gradually, not instant! While it is possible to buy an already built house instead of taking the pains to build one, there are no ‘ready-made’ children. Turning children to leaders is a deliberate process that cannot be bought off the shelves in a supermarket. Today’s world seems to attach a price to everything! It is either bought with money, positions, connections, ethnicity or sex. ‘Everything has a price’ is the common slogan. The reality is that you do not place a price on values rather you pay the price for values!
One of the major challenges of a disenfranchised, fragmented society is the need for community. The crave of the individualized society we live in today is self. ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘my family’, ‘my friend’, ‘my faith community’. No space for others who do not belong to us. The approach to lasting success must be community driven, our selfish tendencies has not delivered anything worthwhile. Phrases like ‘United we stand’, ‘stronger together’, ‘together forever’ are now commonly used by politicians especially in places where we established democracies.
It is important to also state that leaders in the context of this article is referring to people that will grow up to provide services for the common good of all. Not grabbers, rulers, extortionist, who are primarily interested in taking what does not belong to them rather than a commitment to serve humanity. Nigeria and Africa is in dire need of great leaders.
A story is told in I Samuel 8: 1 – 5, which suggest that the end of theocracy in Israel was occasioned by the lack of trust in the children of Samuel to deliver when it mattered most! This is most frightened when you recollect that Samuel’s ascension to leadership was based on the disqualification of the children of Eli. (I Samuel 3). Was that not enough lesson for Samuel to have realized that leadership do not just happen? Where were Eli and Samuel’s wife in the whole story? Nothing was mentioned about these two women! Eli and Samuel both thought leadership will just happen by chance without investment of time, discipline and nurture. So, how do we build a community of excellent leaders?
1. BE DELIBERATE – As parents, recognize that God has called you to build the lives of your children. Take definite steps to mold their lives by finding out what God has designed them to become not what you will like them to be. STOP FORCING THEM INTO A MOLD! Mary, the mother of Jesus knew several things about Jesus before and after He was born and kept those things in her heart. That knowledge paid off at Cana when she pressured Jesus to perform the first of his many miracles recorded in Scripture. How many parents make out the time to attend Open Day meetings for their ward? Who will help them on that journey of discovery? For many parents today, the primary consideration for choosing a school for their ward is cost not the values of the school as expressed in the school’s vision and mission. As teachers, get to know the pupils and be accessible. Teachers are meant to be loved and respected not feared! The word translated education in English is ‘educare’ in Latin which means to ‘draw out’. What makes a good teacher is not your ability to beat the pupils or shout at them, but your skill in drawing them out, so that they can be the BEST!
2. BE AN EXAMPLE – Children are quick to learn when there is someone available to model the right values. The question is where are your children getting their core values from? If our children have the courage to tell us what they learnt from us, we may disown them out of anger. Many parents today are largely responsible for the evils in our society. The children has mastered the way we relate as parents with our spouses and will do better or worse depending on the examples we set. Due to continued absence, many of this children have filled the space with TV, Play Station, Internet, Home Videos, abuse by domestic staff and pornography. It is estimated that four out of five boys watch pornography today.
3. BE SACRIFICIAL – What are as parents and teachers willing to give up for our children to become who God has ordained and designed them to be? As a parent, your time not your money is your greatest asset. The story is told of a young lad who saved enough money to buy one hour of his father’s time! Your money and gifts may entice your children now but it is the least of what they need from you as parents. A Yoruba adage states ‘omo ti a o ko, a gbe ile ti a ko ta’! Meaning a child that was not trained, will eventually sell all the properties and investments that we spent the time acquiring!
How should our children respond in the light of the above roles and responsibilities of the parents and teachers? A glimpse into Luke 2:41 - 52 may provide some answers.
1. INITIATE – Take a step to become! Jesus was only twelve years old when he stayed back in Jerusalem to learn from the teachers and scribes of the law. He knew what he wanted to become and He took definite steps toward it. For you as child, how do you use your time? What do you read and watch? Who do you spend your time with? Your answers to these questions will determine whether or not you will become an excellent leader.
2. BE TEACHABLE – There is a lot more to learn that you already know! Learning is a life long process, don’t stop learning. It is always easier to play. You, however MUST make a commitment to learn DAILY. You are the FUTURE of the church, the nation and society.
3. BE OBEDIENT – Jesus followed his parents back home and was obedient to them. The time will come when you will make most of your decisions, then all your decisions! Please wait for that time and make the most of the opportunity you have now to obediently follow your parents. Where you are not sure why, do feel free to ask politely and don’t be rude.
My conclusion: It is our collective responsibility as parents, teachers and pupils to build a new community of excellent leaders for the nations! Leaders who will combine godliness and effectiveness, competence and character! May God help us!
Kehinde Ojo
