By Adelowo Abeegunde
Nigeria despite its over 200 million population is bedeviled with leadership challenges. The political landscape is full of different leaders, most lacking essential leadership qualities. Many claim to be leaders but can not raise a finger for their followers.
Different authors have defined leadership in different ways. According to Keith Davis, “Leadership is the ability to persuade others to seek defined objectives enthusiastically. It is the human factor that binds a group together and motivates it towards goals.”
Leadership has also been described as the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal.
Leadership was simplified by that popular and great author, John C Maxwell, who says that, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way”.
Leaders provide guidance, direction, authority, control, management, superintendence, supervision, organization, government, orchestration, initiative, and influence among others.
No wonder the former Governor of Osun and current Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said: “Power is responsibility”. If power is responsibility, then, one can safely call a young, energetic, focused and dynamic Ishola Olateju, a leader.
In my own understanding of what leadership entails, I have come to the conclusion that having more of Teju among our young politicians of today, is all that we need for a productive leadership in no distant time in Nigeria.
Olateju, the Personal Assistant to Aregbesola has been a source of joy to everyone that has crossed his path. He is a cheerful giver and philanthropist extraordinaire.
I did not meet him when he was either the Personal Assistant to Governor Aregbesola not as a Personal Assistant to the Minister of Interior, I met him as Teju, after he left the Government house in Osogbo when a friend recommended me to him. He immediately contacted me on phone, and fixed a meeting at a venue the following day, the rest they say is history.
Since I got to know this enigma, I have seen him building people. Instead of just giving them fish, he provides the fish and still teaches them how to fish. He provides answers to the most difficult questions and finds solutions even to the most naughty situations, which is marveling and astounding.
Although, one may not be surprised as he is a close staff of Rauf Aregbesola, a man ahead of his time. I guess, he has learnt a lot from his boss.
One unique thing about Olateju is his ability to listen to different opinion before making his final decision. We have had to argue, postpone the argument to start the following day and at the end, the best decision would taken for the benefit of all. A man with a large and kind heart, unimaginable forgiving spirit, Teju is ready to embrace his worst enemy just for the peace to reign.
Ishola Olateju, is a woman’s favourite anyday, caring with a soft mind which make him the best any woman will pray to have as husband, no wonder you see them flock around him, maybe because of his love for his late mother, Teju, would never allow a tear on a woman. He once told me how passionate he is to the fight against discrimination of women and children in the society, which birthed a foundation to cater for their needs. His love for the female gender and his passion to always support them has created some bad notion about him most especially those that do not know how the growth of people especially the downtrodden involving women and children is dear to him.
A young man with wide coverage across the country, Teju can boast of at least a friend in each local Government across the country as a detribalised Nigerian. Teju is as close to his fellow Yoruba as he is close to either an Hausa or Igbo descedent.
Today, the Ishola Olateju Foundation has trained more than 300 Igbominas in Kwara state in different handwork and provides working tools for them.
Ishola Olateju has extended the work of the Foundation to include taking care of the elders and aged in Igbomina land. Last year during his 40th birthday, Olateju, distributed millions of Naira to older women in Igbomina land. He recently distributed hundreds of Jamb forms to students across the area. Hundreds have also benefitted from the scholarship scheme of the great philanthropist.
Without sounding immodest, Teju has provided jobs for more than 200 Indigenes of Igbominaland in different fields of endeavour and I doubt if there is a home in the area that has not benefited from his far-reaching gestures.
Olateju, a graduate of Kwara State Polytechnic and currently, an undergraduate student at the prestigious University of Ibadan, is a leader to behold. His leadership virtues are worth extolling.
The popular ‘Not too Young to Rule’ is just icing on the cake of this man of the people and I am convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that he will make Nigeria proud in a no distant time.
Olateju is a leader we are all proud of. Nigerians should watch out for this young leader.
As you add a year today, let me join your friends, family and Political associate to wish you the best in all your endeavours. I pray that the happiness you give out will come back to you in multitudes. Happy birthday to the people’s Comrade.
Abeegunde, a close associate of Ishola Olateju writes from Abuja.