Defining reality is a huge part of leadership. Every citizen would want to follow a leader who is honest about the current situation they face as a people with a purpose to offer solutions to them.

Leadership is the potential to influence the behaviour of others. It is also the capacity to influence a group of persons towards the realization of a goal by being involved in shaping and moulding the behaviour of the group towards the accomplishment of the set goals.

Max DePree makes it seem simple when he argued: “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.”

A leader should be optimistic but still realistic. If a state is nearing economic comatose, you want a leader who understands the gravity of the situation—but not one who is frozen by that reality. You want someone who can navigate through the storm and lead everyone to the best possible outcome, yet remain conscious that he represents the interest of the people who will end up saying “thank you”, in-between.

THE ABIA QUESTION OF LEADERSHIP

The problem responsible for the total abysmal failure in Abia state is not that Abia does not have the leaders to make some decisions, but she lacks leaders who understand or knows the basic leadership approach needed at a particular instance to pioneer the affairs of the state to meet the expectations of the average electorate.

Much as the argument for a better Abia may have persisted, the good news remains that there are still men with the political will to change the narrative, this is where leaders like the Abia born chemical scientist, Mr Kalu Ijomah Ukeh comes in as one, amongst that rare clause in the state, that is a highly rational and contingent leader with the wherewithal to give answers to the Abia question of leadership in a holistic manner. His leadership quality is the type that, when found in one man, is nearly impossible to be found in another.

However, the very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision because a visionless leader is like letting a blind man lead those whose sights are intact. The foremost objective is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better, that is the philosophy that stands Kalu Ijomah Ukeh out from the rest, his capacity to translate vision into reality.

Another responsibility of a leader is to define reality. A leader who fails to translate his or her vision into reality is like one who embarks on a speculative journey. Ironically, Abia state lacks leaders with foresight.

Mr Kalu Ijomah Ukeh is a visionary leader who sees through the vicissitudes of time to make life-changing interventions that will increase the state’s human, materials and economic resources.
He is also a highly innovative leader. His innovations in the chemical industries have been life-saving interventions to Nigerians and people outside Nigeria. 

John Quincy Adams, an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer who served as the sixth president of the United States, from 1825 to 1829 has this to say:
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

Mr Kalu Ijomah Ukeh is like a shining light that influences darkness to change to light when they come in contact with each other because he influences all persons within him to have a bigger dream, to learn more, do more and becomes even greater than himself. Suffice this to say that the present condition of Abia state needs a transformational leader with the political will to lead, serve and motivate.

Your support for Kalu Ijomah Ukeh is your protest for the disapproval of poor management of Abia state as lack of a good leader; it is your approval to support the progress of the state, prosperity and unperturbed dividends of democracy as he symbolizes true support against imperialism in Abia state. It is a support for a breath of fresh air in Abia state.

Support Kalu Ijomah Ukeh for governor of  Abia State come 2023.

To be continued…

Best of regards.

Comrade Owen Idikachukwu, for Ijeoma Abia foundation.