In the words of a famous motivational writer, Zig Ziglar: “It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action and discipline that enabled us to follow through.”
At the most basic level, a leader is someone who leads other. But if you are as curious as I am, you may be tempted to ask what makes someone a leader?
A leader is a person who has a vision, a drive and a commitment to achieve that vision, and the skills to make it happen. Leaders see a problem that needs to be fixed or a goal that needs to be achieved. It may be something that no one else sees or simply something that no one else wants to tackle. Whatever it is, it is the focus of the leader’s attention and they attack it with a single-minded determination.
Whether the goal is to develop a product that will solve a certain problem, or start a project that can achieve the leader’s dream, the leader always has a clear target in mind. Thomas Edison did not set out to build a better candle; he wanted to find a whole new way to illuminate the darkness. That is why we have electricity today. That is the kind of vision a leader has.
Leadership is an amalgam of various qualities which are driven by character and force of personality to impactfully affect the lives of those being led. It is the complexity of leadership that causes us to attribute almost celestial reverence to it. It is often thought that leadership is an innate quality which one is born with.
This is further emphasized if the attributes of such leadership lives in those being led. The apt example of such a situation is that of one the grandest members of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, a patriot, an elder statesman of Akwa Abasi Ibom State, a selfless, visionary and reputable Leader of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Okpolupm Ikpong Etteh.
Rt. Hon. Etteh, as he will jokingly charged his friends to address him, was born to the famous and prestigious Etteh family of Upenekang in what is today known as Ibeno Local Government of Akwa Ibom State on September 19, 1970. He has not been a legislator all his life, though.
His rural community, Upenekang, and humble background proved to be meager challenges in this light of his great talent, hard work and sheer precocity which saw him rise to the height of becoming the youngest lawmaker in the Third Assembly. And this reminds me of the words of Vince Lombardi that says: “A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things that are worthwhile, it can be done.” With this in mind, his foray into politics at that outstandingly young age entrusted him with responsibilities that seem beyond his age but were certainly not beyond his capacity.
Before he got to where he is today, he attended the Central School, Upenekang Ibeno, the Secondary Grammar School, Ibeno, the renowned Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State and the Galilee International Institute of Management, Israel.
At various times, as a servant leader, he has held several positions of great substance like Committee Chairman in the Third Assembly, Chief Whip in the Fourth Assembly and the Leader of the House in the Fifth Assembly. In all of these positions, he has served and is still serving with utmost diligence, displaying all the innate principles of servant leadership which include listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people and building community.
Listening - Traditionally, leaders have been valued for their communication and decision making skills. This treat is apt in Rt. Hon. Etteh. He listens intently to others. Listening, to him, also encompasses getting in touch with one’s inner voice, and seeking to understand what one’s body, spirit, and mind are communicating. So, he takes it very serious.
Empathy - Servant-leaders strive to understand and empathize with others. People need to be accepted and recognized for their special and unique spirit. This is a testimony to those close to him. Rt. Hon. Etteh assumes the good intentions of his colleagues, friends and associates, even when forced to reject their behavior or performance.
Healing, - Learning to heal is a powerful force for transformation and integration. Robert Greenleaf puts it this way: “The Servant as Leader”, Greenleaf writes, “There is something subtle communicated to one who is being served and led if, implicit in the compact between the servant-leader and led is the understanding that the search for wholeness is something that they have.” This is one of the great strengths of servant-leadership that radiates around him.
For Awareness, which is one attribute that strengthens a servant-leader, Rt. Hon. Etteh is committed to fostering awareness and this is seen through his political relations and affiliations which have stretched the length and breadth of the state irrespective of ethnicity.
Persuasion - Servant-leaders rely on persuasion, rather than positional authority in making decisions. Servant-leaders seek to convince others, rather than coerce compliance. This particular element, for Rt. Hon. Etteh, offers one of the clearest distinctions between the traditional authoritarian model and that of servant-leadership. The servant-leader is effective at building consensus within groups.
Conceptualization - Servant-leaders seek to nurture their abilities to “dream great dreams.” This has become a routine and a lifestyle for him, that is, the ability to look at a problem from a conceptualizing perspective. And this is one of the reasons why the youths are celebrating the good fortune of having an endowed and selfless man who is playing a very significant role in the socio-political development of the state.
Foresight - Foresight is a characteristic that enables servant-leaders to understand lessons from the past, the realities of the present, and the likely consequence of a decision in the future. Rt. Hon. Etteh understands that this to the point that it is deeply rooted in his intuitive mind.
Stewardship, this according to Otto Bismarck, is the true essence of leadership. He says “a really great man is known by three signs: generosity in design, humanity in the execution, moderation in success.” If Rt. Hon. Etteh were to be asked of this, he definitely say “a true leader is a steadfast servant.”
Commitment to the Growth of People - Servant-leaders believe that people have an intrinsic value beyond their tangible contributions as workers. As such, servant-leaders are deeply committed to a personal, professional, and spiritual growth of each and every individual within his reach.
Building Community - Servant-leaders are aware that the shift from local communities to large institutions as the primary shaper of human lives has changed our perceptions and has caused a feeling of loss. It is a laudable albeit unusual trait that in spite of his national, international experience and exposure, he never lost touch with his roots, which cut across the three senatorial districts of the state. Being a man with a deep sense of community, Rt. Hon. Etteh attends, quite religiously, every congregation of his people.
He is of the school of thought, according to Martin Luther King, that says “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” and so, he has never shied away from fighting on the side of justice, equity and fairness. As a member of the State House of Assembly, he has spoken vehemently at different for against the marginalization of the people of the state. As recognition of his commitment to the cause of the people of the state and as one of the founding members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, he has been entrusted with chieftancy titles of Iberedem Ikono, Obong Uforo Esit Eket, Nta Nta Ekpene Ukim and Offong Ubuadai Mbo, among others.
Rt. Hon. Etteh is a quintessential family man. He loves his immediate family, which includes his wife, children, friends, colleagues and associates, immensely and has protected them fiercely. He espouses a western family dynamics but still kept to the traditional extended family relationship which has remained the defining model of his family life.
David, a public affairs commentator, writes from Uyo.
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