I have the pleasure of writing the preface of Dr. Anthony Obi Ogbo newest book, “Governance Buhari’s way”, released worldwide today. I don’t often do this but this author has been someone I share ideological thoughts with.
In his last book, The Influence of Leadership, a research study, Dr. Ogbo, a leadership and management scholar, explored how the political, cultural, social, and economic conditions in Nigeria influence the lives of Nigerian citizens through lived experiences of two citizens from each of the six geopolitical regions of the country. The research centered on people (Nigerian citizens), through the subjects of management and leadership, and through the processes of managing and leading.
Dr. Ogbo made substantial recommendations for leaders, which focused primarily on the themes categorized as moral philosophy, organizational change, transformation, and diversity management. These remedies, Dr. Ogbo contended, could help the present and aspiring leaders to develop effective leadership strategies to manage their citizens, public service system, and resources.
Governance Buhari’s Way is consistent with Dr. Ogbo’s exploration of solutions to the dysfunctional system presently operating in Nigeria. While the content critiques the styles and philosophy of the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, Dr. Ogbo researched and discussed some applicable models relevant to leadership behavior and practice, to deliver a structure for effective management of Nigeria, its people, and its abundant resources.
As Dr. Ogbo noted, this book is not a condemnation of Nigeria’s struggle for survival, but an academic work about the misuse of leadership in a democratic setting, and a foundationally intrinsic misunderstanding of leadership as against management structures. Using relevant concepts, the book appraised President Buhari’s apparent and reactionary temperament in handling the affairs of government, and considers how ill-informed choices or errors in judgement might derail Nigeria’s quest for unity.
As the author noted, this book is not a condemnation of Nigeria’s struggle for survival, but an academic work about the misuse of leadership in a democratic setting, and a foundationally intrinsic misunderstanding of leadership as against management structures.
The book, Governance Buhari’s Way, cited incompatibility in President Buhari’s executive structure, categorizing them into three groups, “fanatics who worship him; cohorts who think they understand him; and underhanded politicians who have lied that they know him.” On how an alliance between President Buhari and his incompatible cohorts would inspire a progressive change, the book invoked the interchangeable roles of the managing, and the leading, in the public service system – setting the records straight on the use of, so called, technocrats in running the public system.
The organization of this book centers on a literature review of significant concepts of transformation management. Besides a discussion on the language of leadership, the book reviewed the application of moral philosophy in the governance system; the process of organizational transformation, and the philosophy of the change process. These concepts were adequately applied in appraising President Buhari’s unconventional style of leadership within a democratic system of government. They also underscore major reasons why his regime appears currently shaky, and might be headed for the worst, without an immediate structured intervention.
The Author’s writing approach in this book is unique – a mixture of academic language and conventional conversational humor. However, the facts, suppositions, and recommendations remain a scholarly composition of the science of “how not to manage people and resources”. As Dr. Ogbo put it, “In a complex economy, installing a leader without relevant skills is like hiring a tailor to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to perform surgery, just because they can handle needle and thread.” In all, this book is an absolutely illuminating and interesting piece of work.
Education management scholar, (Dr) Olayinka C. Dixon-Oludaiye is the publisher, Becky Magazine, County Meath, Rep of Ireland.
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