Like Followers Like Leaders
LIKE FOLLOWERS LIKE LEADERS I
The theory of games promises to apply to almost any social
interaction where individuals have some understanding of how the outcome for one
is affected not only by his/her actions but also by the actions of others.
We spent more time discussing assumptions and propagandas
that it’s perhaps not usual in the practical field of rationality on the game
of theory because we should believe that assumptions or propagandas are both
controversial and problematic in their own term. Therefore, it is absolutely wrong when
cast as a general proposition concerning the interaction between individuals.
The game of the theory here is Nigeria Politics and the so
call players are the Followers and the Leaders alike!
Let me quickly branch out to a quote by Elster in 1982,
If one accepts that interactions are the essence of social life, then…
game theory provides the micro foundation for the study of social structure and
social change.
I love this
Social Structure
is the term that is given to all of the interconnected relationships of the
various social groups and institutions of which people create, interact, and
become part. These groups include but are not limited to: Families, Schools,
Religious organizations, Political Parties, Social Clubs, etc. None of the above
examples will flourish without a leader and the corresponding followers. That’s what makes it
interesting. How does our choice of Leader, guide and direct us, regardless of
which of the groups we find ourselves in? It has to get to our head that we don’t
have a choice of our Parents, that’s the compromise aspect of life. But we do have
a choice on how we accept, reject, and react to how we were being advised, guided, or directed. For an instant, in some families, how do our parents' guide and
direct their Children? Don’t forget some Parents supported their children in
the act of Internet Fraud, which we call Yahoo,Yahoo here in Nigeria. Likewise,
we have witnessed some Family members or groups of them, do encourage their people
in Government offices to embezzle, steal, and be involved in any corrupt practices
that may financially benefit the family. The root of all evil acts in the system
came from a lack of value within our family and then metamorphous into society. I
can literarily see that we are at the deepest level of doom at this moment in our
country. This is a huge topic that cannot be treated here as intended. Thereby,
I needed to focus on the purpose….
The major components of social structure are Statuses, Roles
and Responsibilities, Social Networks, Groups and Organizations (Political
Parties included), Social Institutions, and Society in general. For the purpose
of this paper, I will be confined to social categories (age Group). There’s no
way we talk about a social structure that we’ll not mention social changes. Whenever
something huge erupts in the social structure the entire effect
is always brought about social change. We can look back in
history what brought about Industrial Revolutions in 1765, 1870, and 1969 and the recent
growth in the fourth revolution in the internet and renewable energy in 2000. These
social changes result from the discovery of some people, the discovery of Elements, and the growth in Computer Science and Engineering. In light of these, we do have
changes in our political social structure too, that is, it is expected to
have social changes in our political
environment. Those changes come from Nigeria Youth’s Force. But our so-called
Leaders, due to the poverty in the Land are manipulating the vibrant, vivacious, and overly spirited Youth into enemies.
Fortunately, I can see most of the Nigeria Youths regardless
of their tribe, Religion, Ethnic, Level of Education, and geopolitical region, identifiably,
wanted the same thing for Nigeria. They want Peace, Justice, Equity, Security, and
all better things for their country but lack a sincere Leader for direction and
guidance, even as small as the community entails within the country,
hindered this giant purpose.
Of course, we do have a few that are bad eggs among the youths
and the truth was that they were not born as Bad but I believe some selfish
Leaders used them based on their claims and wants as bait to achieve their
(Leaders) selfish agenda. That was what brought about Militancy, Boko Haram, and
other Terrorist Groups. This emerged in all geopolitical zone of our country…
Whenever the youths
are mentioned in the political arena, it is well known that, based on the
statistics, they have the numbers and forces to be reckoned with, and formidable too
in terms of brains and innovations. I totally respect their innocence in
followership and their creativity when they are loyal to certain of their
accepted Leaders. But come to think of it, where are the benefits of their
sacrifices; in time, energy, brains, and risks. Please don’t ask me why this
question is about their benefits? There’s something that prompts me and that is:
whatever the youths thought they are gaining from their so call Leaders, the
sacrifices that the Leaders luxuriate from them, geometrically outweigh
their gains.
You may not totally agree with me? Right, that’s acceptable,
I don’t expect us to be in terms of this but I want you to know that whether you
agree with me or not, we are in the same shoe.
At least you can agree with that, we are in the same SHOE!
Come to think of it, any leader that is not thinking or
projects about the future of their followers, the life they (Followers) will live
without the Leader, the decision they could make even if the leader wasn’t
there, the kind of comment they can share behind their leaders (Knowing your
Leaders Well), what would be the life of my children even when I’m no more
(your Leader should think of that too), Does this my effort guaranty the future
of my Children, etc, the questions go on
and on and on and on…?
That kind of leader does not deserve any support, in fact, I
would say they are not leaders but a mere opportunist! Based on this, how many youths have had a leader that ever communicate the answer(s) to the above-stated questions to them (there are many questions o)? If any of you has or
presently have such a leader, then hold on to that leader and consider yourself lucky!
What I discovered was/is that our youths all are out for instant
gratification in material gain. Material gains are temporary, but I can see
that, that’s the only focus of our today’s youth in our country, Nigeria. This
may only depend solely on what their future look like and how they want it?
The main idea is can we just ask ourselves why following this
person. Why do I vote for this person, why am I joining this Political Party? It
all started with what I will call “SELF” to ask those questions?
Contributions made by the youths, (I mean youths that questioned
themselves and those who do not question themselves) to the best of my
knowledge are wasted. Most of our Leaders, due to their Selfishness and Power
sought tendencies didn’t even recognize their efforts, they only compensate
them with stipends. That’s the birth of this title, Like Followers Like
Leaders!
We the followers chose the Leaders, they don’t choose us. You can relate by asking those questions before you join a Political Party. You can come to a certain conclusion before you decided to vote for a leader. You are at Liberty not to vote for a certain candidate for a certain reason. Meanwhile, whatever reason(s) must begin with answering your personal question(s).
If you think I’m wrong, of course, I may be wrong. Kindly
find the answers to the following questions about our Nigeria dilemma. If it
were to be through research, just get those answers and I believe that will be
a step forward towards your judgment of me.
1. Why is it that there are no jobs for the youth? Government
Job is overcrowded, at Redundancy now… In Private Companies, Industries,
Corporate Firms, etc. Why no jobs?
2. Why do we have a high percentage of inflation and people in
Government has nothing to do with it? Don’t go far, start from Sachet Water now for #20 per one, and evaporated (tin) milk is now sold for #400.
Hint: There has been Global inflation recently but ours has been going
high rate and uncontrollable before now.
3. Multichoice Digital TV known as DSTV will just increase
their subscription without notice and reason, why? What are our leaders doing
to check that?
4. Private Schools didn’t have a range of fixing School fees,
each school just fix up what is okay for them and that was it. Why don’t we have Government look
into that and regulate it if necessary?
5. There has been an increase in the use of marijuana in this
recent days, in fact, there had been a high volume of hard drugs influx to Nigerian
soil that was not there in the last 10 years? Who is responsible for the
importation and why ruining the youth's life? What are our so-called Leaders
doing to save our Children? Don’t you see that our environment, likewise our
future is in doom?
6. Olosho (mean Prostitution in Nigeria); I understand sex
workers, I think they are professionally acceptable in our world, but why are teenagers,
girls child doing things (smoking Shisha included) in our Hotels. You know
what!? Some mentioned Hotels are built by our so call Leaders you voted for,
then God forbid, Fifteen years old Daughter of someone, an electorate, that previously
voted for a leader, is engaged in strippers, prostitutes, and Hookups, in that
same hotel whose owner is the Leader you voted for. And no law prohibits that?
Boys are now turning Gigolos and nothing was done, and no law was passed to check all that? Even If there’s a law that protects girls' Child or Boys' Child, is it
enforced? Why are they ignoring the law that protects our children?
7. Business: What are
the Government doing to protect small businesses, our Businesses regardless of how
filthy is it. So far it's a legitimate business that provides food for our family,
what are our leaders doing to protect us? Think, if Dangote wanted anything for
its Business to strive for good, no Government will take it lightly. Do you know why? They
will stand up for him not only because of what the Job business will provide for us the youths. But
it’ll also use to build their Political Points and Reputation. If you think
otherwise, how do they protect Danfo Drivers from Union, from daily hour-to-hour extortion from them, which summed up to an increase in our Transport fare?
How do they protect Okada Riders as Business, Vulcanizer, Elewe Omos, etc?
Doing that will expunge the thought of selfishness in doing it for Big Players
in Business as well. Ask how do they protect my business?
8. Security agencies, includes Customs, Immigration,
Police, Army, and Paramilitaries. Have you ever asked how our security
personnel have been treating us in our Airports, our Borders, Checkpoints, and our Police
Stations whatever you were challenged with, how were you treated? Do they mishandle you or treated you with courtesy, how? I mean how were you treated in your own
land?
9. Water, House, Food, and Clothing; Funny though, I remember
Baba the Legend Fela in my arrangement, those who know about the Late Afrobeat maestro will definitely understand.
What are they doing to provide us any of the three, I’m not saying they should
build for us, all I’m saying is what effort our so call Leaders made to make
sure sachet water and other basic amenities were affordable. I talked about an increment in the price of Sachet water earlier on, yeah. What are they doing to
make sure it’s affordable, house rents, etc?
10. Our environment, what are the contributions they made,
the law to save our environment and to make sure the environment is conducive for a living?
What law do they make or made to save us from environmental degradation?
11. Health Sector…. Please add your own as many as possible…
Please look across all the questions mentioned above, which
one among them can be left out or has out-of-concern to your life, the life of
your children, your parent, your grandparent, your work, your everything… If
you think all of it is your concern and the negative effect of any of it will
grossly affect your future in one way or the other, then it is high time you
know that joining a political Party, following a leader, campaigning for a
candidate and being a Patriotic citizen is not as trivial as having instant
gratification, selling off your self-esteem for some temporary relief or some personalities
boost (some youths attached themselves to people in position for just
personality boost), nah nah nah!
There is more to that, we are talking about our life, a single opportunity to live and it has to live right. We are talking about the
life of our senior citizens, the new generations, the unborn added to it, and the condition of the environment we are
living in. We have to make that environment better to live in. Except if we
decided to pretend or ignore our responsibilities, then, you’ll all agree with
me that we have to wake up from SLUMBER because we have more on our plates
already…
There are facts you have to know, we make our Leaders and
not vice versa. Have you ever seen any Leader voting for the follower? They
need followers to be a Leader. On the off chance, followers are enslaved with
Poverty, Blind Loyalty, Ethnicity, Religion, and whatever means to cage us.
Another Fact is, Leaders whose intentions didn’t inculcate the
future of their followers didn’t worth a Leader. A Leader with questionable
character and a Lack of integrity will plunge the Nation to doom.
A Leader whose intention was to seek power and be in
control, who never mind what service to the people he/she govern doesn’t have
to bother for any leadership role.
Lastly, Leaders who have questionable Loyalty to you as a
follower and by considering what to bring to the table for your rewarding future
and lifting our condition of living doesn’t worth our Loyalty in return.
You can simply add more conditions for your choice of Leader.
Please know that anything outside the range of the above-stated facts
is just not only a scamming scenario but also a slick, deceptive, and crafty one!
How do we have to move forward from these prevailing conditions
of our style of followership, considering economic hardship, the societal bad
influences, and our slave mentality that looks inherent as antiquated as the
beginning of the world? Truth be told there’s no specific pattern or line of
action here, even looking at our diverse culture, differences, and beliefs, makes the whole thing obscure! The obscurities are a weakness of us as youths
which our Leaders banked upon.
I saw a reflection of Nigerian youths through a cartoon,
where a youth was in captivity, behind a bar and he was thrown the option of "Bread" representing instant Gratification (Temporarily relief but remaining in captivity), and a "Key" representing Permanent Freedom from Captivity. The youth chooses
Bread! What a life, a Captivity in Negativity! That’s typical Nigerian youths
today, that’s us!
Let me share with you the pattern where a follower rises up
to be a Leader in our system. The pattern is simple for us to ponder. I call the
pattern ESCAPISM Route! A Leader who is
in control of power and finance will have more followers than a Principled
Leader with power or financial strength. Many followers will be striving to be in a good book of the power-controlled Leader, He/She has everything. To be in the good book of such a Leader,
you have to be loyal, even if you have to backstab another close follower
(that’s the most shortcut to prove loyalty). Because initially the Leadership
was chosen based on what will be personal gain initially. Every one of
the followers is struggling to be relevant and recognized so that for any
opportunity from People in Government to fix up, through appointments,
contracts, or line up for Political offices. This is so for the struggling
followers, to escape the impending hardship in the first place. Escaping the
hardship, at least by the opportunity that may be present from the potential
Leader. The so call opportunity will give them access to the easy flowing of
Government funds through any means, legit way or through corruption. They, the
followers, will worship the potential Leaders to achieve their aim, once this
is achieved, the lucky few followers escape the hardship by appointment (when the need arise), Political Office, and even Contract (could be inflated). Most
times, at that stage, they relax, distracted with profound success and they
forget where they are coming from or their obligation to the office. Their responsibilities will rapidly change how to secure that source of funds and accumulate more. This can be achieved
through remaining loyal to the superior in the higher office, even if the
higher office is going astray, so be it.
There’s one song in the Yoruba Language which I will script below
that explain that situation better:
Bamu Bamu ni moyo, Bamu Bamu ni moyo (I’m overfed, I’m overfed)
Emi o mo wipe ebi npa omo enikookan (I can’t see of any son
of man-hungry)
Bamu Bamu ni moyo (I’m overfed)
The newly integrated leader can play with the game theory
well. They grow to a different level and they eventually become a Leader. The
upper-level leader will become the Leader of a leader, recycling the process and it
continues… till they become another leader for another potential
recommendation.
There are no other criteria for recommendation to an office,
no matter how sensitive and technical it could be, other than fake loyalty, a
loyalty of purpose and benefits. That’s a brief explanation of the cycle of Follower
breeding up to be a Leader in an environment like ours.
Competency,
Integrity, Honesty, etc these values have nothing to do with the choice of Position
and Office. So, next time when you
think why corruption is eating us like a virus or why corruption will fight back,
I think you have a very good answer now…
There are few good Leaders, principled ones and dedicated
ones who will recommend based on principles, competency, and technicality. They
will support their choice selflessly and won’t demand anything in return. If
their chosen follower eventually has that position they will allow him to use
his potential and judgment in carrying out the responsibilities regarding the
office. Of course, they guide, correct (if mistakes are detected), advise
Where are those good leaders today? They are the ones saying
the truth about the situation. They are the silenced ones, the ostracised ones,
the obnoxious Leaders in society.
That’s the society we are building, that’s how our choice in Followership that gravitated to Power Mongered Leaders, and that is the followers alike their corresponding Leaders!
The next Part: Like Followers
Like Leaders, will stylishly touch on how the youths of this country are being continually
used, brainwashed, and manipulated by their Leaders to achieve their aims and then
abandoned without thinking of the consequence…… Watch out!
Babatunde Kolawole (10 10)
#trustyourinstincts
https://www.linkedin.com/in/babatunde-kolawole-8120001a/
https://web.facebook.com/babsozone
https://babatunde1010.blogspot.com
https://artemisconsult.blogspot.com
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