Leadership by Example - The Joyce Banda Example

Have you not heard it that president (Mrs.) Joyce Banda of Malawi came into power and decided to tackle the problems of the country by cutting costs and all manner of wastes in governance. This is exactly the opposite of what happens here in Nigeria. What did she do? She sold her only presidential jet and cut down on personal expenses including her salary and emoluments. Now tell me, why will every other person not sit up and work with a common vision for the progress of the country; why will it ever be difficult to enforce law and order or rule of law? Surely it will be much easier to tackle any form of corruption in that environment as she is already practically doing.

President Joyce Banda of Malawi

But in our own outlandish display of big brotherliness, when recently this exemplary and self effacing president visited Nigeria in one of her numerous visits (though some have been strictly private and/or religious), the government having known her antecedents, still decided to attempt ‘spoiling her a little’: A presidential jet from the Goodluck Jonathan presidential fleet was dispatched to convey the dignified states woman back to her home country – Malawi. 

You may ask – why did she accept such a lavish treatment? But why should she refuse? After all, it was to cost her nothing; moreover, it was not going to cost her countrymen and women a dime. And so it made a lot of sense. This is how to weigh your priorities as an honest leader. My worry: Is anybody here in Nigeria learning anything from all of these; why does big brother keep behaving like kid brother?

By: Morgan Nwanguma