IF I ENO PRAISE WERE PRESIDENT JONATHAN AT THIS TIME: I know I didn't create the problems we are facing. I know I didn't create the culture of waste that has characterized our country. But this is my chance to change it starting with myself. I will make a Nation-Wide Broadcast in which I will announce
a At least, 50% slash in the allowances of all Appointees of the Government (not civil servants);
B appeal to the Legislature/Judiciary, States/Local Govts. to do same (or use the necessary government organs to effect it from January 1, 2012);
c forward a bill to the National Assembly for the dissolution of irrelevant government agencies and those duplicating functions as well as a comprehensive Staff Audit of all government insitutions;
d begin a phased removal of subsidy with pump prices going to N100 now, N120 in June and N140 in October 2012;
e From the initial savings, take steps to improve infrastructure especially of roads, rail and power;
f institute a probe panel to investigate and possibly dissolve the PPPRA under whose nose billions of Naira were frittered away in the guise of fuel subsidy refunds;
g request EFCC to immediately swoop on those firms who had no business importing fuel in the first instance and government functionaries who inflated the import figures;
h make it compulsory for all Oil majors to begin the construction of their own refineries in Nigeria according to their daily production outputs - take 20% minimum for refining;
i privatize or commercialize the current government owned refineries;
j give a terminal date (not more than 3 years) for stoppage of fuel importation by the Oil majors and those who currently have the capacity to do so.
These I believe will calm frayed nerves, build confidence and begin the real journey to transformation and growth in our economy.
Well, I am not Goodluck Jonathan. So someone should please pass this message. Thank you and God Bless Nigeria(pls let's circulate n get dis msg to Mr President)
Friday, January 6, 2012
Fela Durotoye speaks loud on fuel subsidy removal!!!
Good Morning,
You've gotta read this, from my mentor, father and friend; Fela Dur
Since I got back into Nigeria yesterday, I have heard some preposterous arguments that the removal of the fuel subsidy will be justified by wise investments that will benefit all.
My response has been...How will a wasteful government suddenly realize the genius of prudence and making the right investment decisions simply bcs there is more money available from oil subsidy removal?
Will there be less graft & bribes involved in process of issuing the road contracts or power contracts?
Have we sought to honestly find every way we can plug wastage in our leaking economy before we ask a feeble populace to carry the burden of corruption and gross ineptitude of a gluttonous few?
Have the Presidency, the State & Local Governments and the Legislature discovered how to travel without a convoy of 20 cars to the airport?
Can the occupiers of these lofty positions act in honour as Barack Obama did in 2010 when he got every member of his cabinet to take a pay cut, starting with himself?
Within his first few days as British Prime Minister, David Cameron led the austerity cuts (upon his assumption) by cutting down his convoy to 2 cars and one outrider. The Members of Parliament in Britain are now only allowed 3rd class train tickets on official travel (as opposed to their traditional first class train ticket allowances). The Mayor of London now rides a bicycle to work.
Leadership by example!!!
How come our 'leaders' in government earn so much and still spend so much furnishing the same houses and offices they furnished with our money last year?
Do you furnish your office every year? Why should the President, Governor or Senate President?
Wasteful leadership cannot make prudent investments!!!!! Q.E.D
The change we need is not just policy. Its in the quality of mind and persons at policy making positions.
You've gotta read this, from my mentor, father and friend; Fela Dur
Since I got back into Nigeria yesterday, I have heard some preposterous arguments that the removal of the fuel subsidy will be justified by wise investments that will benefit all.
My response has been...How will a wasteful government suddenly realize the genius of prudence and making the right investment decisions simply bcs there is more money available from oil subsidy removal?
Will there be less graft & bribes involved in process of issuing the road contracts or power contracts?
Have we sought to honestly find every way we can plug wastage in our leaking economy before we ask a feeble populace to carry the burden of corruption and gross ineptitude of a gluttonous few?
Have the Presidency, the State & Local Governments and the Legislature discovered how to travel without a convoy of 20 cars to the airport?
Can the occupiers of these lofty positions act in honour as Barack Obama did in 2010 when he got every member of his cabinet to take a pay cut, starting with himself?
Within his first few days as British Prime Minister, David Cameron led the austerity cuts (upon his assumption) by cutting down his convoy to 2 cars and one outrider. The Members of Parliament in Britain are now only allowed 3rd class train tickets on official travel (as opposed to their traditional first class train ticket allowances). The Mayor of London now rides a bicycle to work.
Leadership by example!!!
How come our 'leaders' in government earn so much and still spend so much furnishing the same houses and offices they furnished with our money last year?
Do you furnish your office every year? Why should the President, Governor or Senate President?
Wasteful leadership cannot make prudent investments!!!!! Q.E.D
The change we need is not just policy. Its in the quality of mind and persons at policy making positions.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
SHIINE inspire!!!
"Do you want to stand out in the world? Then be yourself. Be what you really are. This is the first step towards becoming better than you are now" (John Mason).
God in His wisdom created each man to be unique, to be great and like Orsen Marden discovered, "No man could be ideally successful until he has found his place or uniqueness...".
If you try to be like him, who will be like you? If you are him, who will be you? "Be yourself. Who else is better qualifies?" (Frank Giblin). The more you develop your potential, the more you accept your unique nature, the less you will become like someone else.
Gate,Durotoye, Zuckerberg, Einstein,Chimamada, Disney, Toyosi, Kuti, Edison, Agbani...the list goes on! They accepted who they are, what they are and instead of following others track, they have made their own trails.
Don't compromise yourself, "the more you are like yourself, the less you are like someone else" (Disney).
Together with our individual greatness, we can accomplish more. Let's keep SHIINE'ing'...many lives depends on that!!!
Book review: Law 5 of 21 Irrefutable laws of Leadership.
LAW 5...Day 5
Law of Addition
INTRODUCTION:
"If you desire to add value by serving others, you will become a better leader. And your people will achieve more, develop more loyalty and have a better time getting things done than you ever thought possible".
REVIEW:
I did say confidently in accordance with the author that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. The author made this obvious when he advised that, "when you add value to people, you lift them up, help them advance, make them a part of something bigger than themselves and assist them becoming who they were made to be".
Leadership is influence but it starts with service as he pointed out, the top position isn't the best place for leaders but the place the leader can serve the best and add the most value to other people.
The author denounces the general mindset of seeing leadership as a position to be sought after. This is what he has to say about it; "Many people view leadership the same way they view success, hoping to go as far as they can, to climb the ladder, to achieve the highest position possible for their talent but contrary to conventional thinking, I believe the bottom line in leadership isn't how far we advance ourselves but how far we advance others. That is achieved by serving others and adding values to their lives".
He stated and explained four guidelines to buttress his belief of the practice of adding value. They are as follows;
We add value when we truly value others.
When we make ourselves more valuable.
When we know and relate to what others value.
When we do what God values.
In essence, this law shows us the strength derived just from intentionally adding positive values to people. Like Albert Einstein was quoted, "only a life lived in the service of others is worth living".
LESSONS:
1. Conduct a check on yourself and be truthful to yourself.
2. Know your temperament and begin to be concious of serving others. Fake it until it becomes part of you.
3. Read 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell...Law 3.
Let's keep SHIINE'ing'
Law of Addition
INTRODUCTION:
"If you desire to add value by serving others, you will become a better leader. And your people will achieve more, develop more loyalty and have a better time getting things done than you ever thought possible".
REVIEW:
I did say confidently in accordance with the author that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. The author made this obvious when he advised that, "when you add value to people, you lift them up, help them advance, make them a part of something bigger than themselves and assist them becoming who they were made to be".
Leadership is influence but it starts with service as he pointed out, the top position isn't the best place for leaders but the place the leader can serve the best and add the most value to other people.
The author denounces the general mindset of seeing leadership as a position to be sought after. This is what he has to say about it; "Many people view leadership the same way they view success, hoping to go as far as they can, to climb the ladder, to achieve the highest position possible for their talent but contrary to conventional thinking, I believe the bottom line in leadership isn't how far we advance ourselves but how far we advance others. That is achieved by serving others and adding values to their lives".
He stated and explained four guidelines to buttress his belief of the practice of adding value. They are as follows;
We add value when we truly value others.
When we make ourselves more valuable.
When we know and relate to what others value.
When we do what God values.
In essence, this law shows us the strength derived just from intentionally adding positive values to people. Like Albert Einstein was quoted, "only a life lived in the service of others is worth living".
LESSONS:
1. Conduct a check on yourself and be truthful to yourself.
2. Know your temperament and begin to be concious of serving others. Fake it until it becomes part of you.
3. Read 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell...Law 3.
Let's keep SHIINE'ing'
Book review: Law 4 of 21 Irrefutable laws of leadership
LAW 4...Day 4
Law of Navigation
INTRODUCTION
"Anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart the course".
REVIEW
The author explains how important a leader needs to see the journey he wants to take his followers to. To clarify this, he quoted Jack Welch that, "a good leader remains focused...controlling his direction is better than being controlled by it".
A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, who sees before others do. He navigates the people he is leading to the goals/vision he had shown or given to them. According to the author, a leader navigates through;
Learning from past experience.
Examining the conditions before making commitments.
Listening to people's opinion.
Making sure their conclusion represents both faith and fact.
Thoroughly explained, the author insists on reflective thinking as it is an essential factor to becoming a good navigator as he revealed that failure gives greater lessons than our success.
In conclusion, the author advise, "when you prepare well, you convey confidence and trust to people...". This law in essence tells us the importance of having a clear vision and plans to reach it with our followers.
LESSONS:
1. Set a time to reflect everyday, every week or month depending on your capability.
2. Read 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell...Law 4!!!
Let's keep SHIINE'ing'...
Law of Navigation
INTRODUCTION
"Anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart the course".
REVIEW
The author explains how important a leader needs to see the journey he wants to take his followers to. To clarify this, he quoted Jack Welch that, "a good leader remains focused...controlling his direction is better than being controlled by it".
A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, who sees before others do. He navigates the people he is leading to the goals/vision he had shown or given to them. According to the author, a leader navigates through;
Learning from past experience.
Examining the conditions before making commitments.
Listening to people's opinion.
Making sure their conclusion represents both faith and fact.
Thoroughly explained, the author insists on reflective thinking as it is an essential factor to becoming a good navigator as he revealed that failure gives greater lessons than our success.
In conclusion, the author advise, "when you prepare well, you convey confidence and trust to people...". This law in essence tells us the importance of having a clear vision and plans to reach it with our followers.
LESSONS:
1. Set a time to reflect everyday, every week or month depending on your capability.
2. Read 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell...Law 4!!!
Let's keep SHIINE'ing'...
Book review: 21 irrefutable laws of leadership...law 3.
LAW 3...Day 3
Law of Process
INTRODUCTION
"Becoming a leader is a lot like investing successfully in the stock market. If your hope is to make fortune in a day, you are not going to be successful..."
REVIEW:
Like I have often heard, "between us and our greatness lies a long bridge called training"; it's also true and supported by the author that between us and the great leaders we dream to become lies a longer bridge called process.
Have you recently used a computer? Maybe because we are so interested in the outputs that we forget how it was formed. Think about how the output would have been if it wasn't processed - useless- it would have been irrelevant. That is the work of process.
Clearly, the author answered a vital question that always come to me and a lot of people - "are leaders learners"?- when he declared that, "Successful leaders are learners. And the learning process is ongoing, a result of self discipline and perseverance...". He reassured us that leadership is developed daily not in a day but of course, it's not an easy task else everyone would have developed themselves.
Like he quoted an old saying, "Champions don't become champions in the ring, they are merely recognised there", he reminded us that everyone has the potential to become a great leader but it can't be done overnight, it requires perseverance. In his words, "Leadership develops daily, not in a day"!!!
LESSON:
1. Have a personal plan growth - I advise you do not procrastinate - read books, listen to tapes and CDs and attend seminars and conference.
2. Help in the personal growth of your followers, it helps develop and strengthens your leadership abilities.
3. Read 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell ...Law 3!!!
Let's keep SHIING'ing'
Law of Process
INTRODUCTION
"Becoming a leader is a lot like investing successfully in the stock market. If your hope is to make fortune in a day, you are not going to be successful..."
REVIEW:
Like I have often heard, "between us and our greatness lies a long bridge called training"; it's also true and supported by the author that between us and the great leaders we dream to become lies a longer bridge called process.
Have you recently used a computer? Maybe because we are so interested in the outputs that we forget how it was formed. Think about how the output would have been if it wasn't processed - useless- it would have been irrelevant. That is the work of process.
Clearly, the author answered a vital question that always come to me and a lot of people - "are leaders learners"?- when he declared that, "Successful leaders are learners. And the learning process is ongoing, a result of self discipline and perseverance...". He reassured us that leadership is developed daily not in a day but of course, it's not an easy task else everyone would have developed themselves.
Like he quoted an old saying, "Champions don't become champions in the ring, they are merely recognised there", he reminded us that everyone has the potential to become a great leader but it can't be done overnight, it requires perseverance. In his words, "Leadership develops daily, not in a day"!!!
LESSON:
1. Have a personal plan growth - I advise you do not procrastinate - read books, listen to tapes and CDs and attend seminars and conference.
2. Help in the personal growth of your followers, it helps develop and strengthens your leadership abilities.
3. Read 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell ...Law 3!!!
Let's keep SHIING'ing'
Book review: law 2 of 21 Irrefutable laws of leadership.
LAW 2...Day 2
Law of Influence
INTRODUCTION:
"The true measure of leadership is influence - nothing more, nothing less...and if you don't have influence, you will never be able to lead others"
REVIEW:
I can say it loud with great confidence that most definitions of leadership isn't what the author wants us to hold onto. Directly, he made it clear that leadership is influence and influence is what makes or destroys one's leadership ability.
He explained what true leadership is not - like he said, "true leadership cannot be awarded..." In his knowledge of leadership, he gave an insight over the five general myth about leadership which are as follows;
Misunderstanding management as leadership.
Misunderstanding entrepreneurs as leaders.
Taking intelligence/knowledge as leadership.
Misunderstanding the foreman as leaders.
Misunderstanding position as leadership.
Having said this, he removed the veil of ignorance and equipped us with better knowledge as he stated and explained several factors of how we could exert influence as leaders which are:
Who you are (character and attitude).
Who you know (your relationship with your followers).
What you know (knowledge).
What you feel (your intuition).
Where you have been (your experience).
What you have done (your past proven track records).
What you can do (what skills you 've got).
The bottom line about this law according to him is that, true leadership only comes from influence and it cannot be mandated but earned. Like he rightly quoted a leadership proverb, "he who thinks he leads but have no follower is only taking a walk". It's all about influence to become a leader not ruler (dictator).
LESSONS:
1. Understand that leadership is influence - try knowing your level of influence through your relationship with people. The first step to solving a problem is knowing the problem.
2. Try associating with leaders and people you know their level of influence is high...it boosts your esteem.
3. Read 21 irrefutable laws of leadership. Law 2!!!
Happy new month 'greatness'...let's keep SHIINE'ing'...
Law of Influence
INTRODUCTION:
"The true measure of leadership is influence - nothing more, nothing less...and if you don't have influence, you will never be able to lead others"
REVIEW:
I can say it loud with great confidence that most definitions of leadership isn't what the author wants us to hold onto. Directly, he made it clear that leadership is influence and influence is what makes or destroys one's leadership ability.
He explained what true leadership is not - like he said, "true leadership cannot be awarded..." In his knowledge of leadership, he gave an insight over the five general myth about leadership which are as follows;
Misunderstanding management as leadership.
Misunderstanding entrepreneurs as leaders.
Taking intelligence/knowledge as leadership.
Misunderstanding the foreman as leaders.
Misunderstanding position as leadership.
Having said this, he removed the veil of ignorance and equipped us with better knowledge as he stated and explained several factors of how we could exert influence as leaders which are:
Who you are (character and attitude).
Who you know (your relationship with your followers).
What you know (knowledge).
What you feel (your intuition).
Where you have been (your experience).
What you have done (your past proven track records).
What you can do (what skills you 've got).
The bottom line about this law according to him is that, true leadership only comes from influence and it cannot be mandated but earned. Like he rightly quoted a leadership proverb, "he who thinks he leads but have no follower is only taking a walk". It's all about influence to become a leader not ruler (dictator).
LESSONS:
1. Understand that leadership is influence - try knowing your level of influence through your relationship with people. The first step to solving a problem is knowing the problem.
2. Try associating with leaders and people you know their level of influence is high...it boosts your esteem.
3. Read 21 irrefutable laws of leadership. Law 2!!!
Happy new month 'greatness'...let's keep SHIINE'ing'...
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