QUALITIES OF A LEADER: HUMILITY

Sam Adeyemi
When you look through God’s eye, then you really discover who you are. You are not inferior to anybody else on this earth. At the same time, you are not superior to anybody else on this earth. Humility is not running yourself down. It is not stupidity. When God chooses you to be a leader; definitely, He will use you to help their esteem.

If you have a problem feeling good about yourself, you will find it very difficult to boost other people’s esteem because you can’t give what you do not have. If you cannot see greatness in somebody else, it is proof you are small. We do not see things the way they are, we see things the way we are. The proof of humility is service.

If you can see greatness in somebody else, you will be willing to do anything to let that greatness find expression. Because when you recognize potential in people, you will see the wide gap between who they are and who they could be. Your being a leader is to help them become the best they could be. That is what leadership is all about. If you really have this quality of humility, you will serve and it will be reflected by your willingness to reach over beyond yourself to help others.

Once, trees searched for someone to be their king. They asked the olive tree, Will you be our king? But the olive tree replied; My oil brings honor to people and gods. I won’t stop making oil, just to have my branches wave above the other trees. Then they asked the fig tree, Will you be our king? The fig tree replied I won’t stop growing my delicious fruit, just to have my branches wave above the other trees.

Next, they asked the grapevine; Will you be our king?” The grapevine replied, My wine brings cheer to people and gods. I won’t stop making wine, just to have my branches wave above the other trees. Finally, they went to the thorn bush and asked, Will you be our king?; The thorn bush replied, If you really want me to be your king, then come into my shade and I will protect you.

But if you’re deceiving me, I’ll start a fire that will spread out and destroy the cedars of Lebanon. This story was told by a man whose half-brother killed his other brothers just because he wanted to assume the position of leadership. It is recorded in the book of Judges in the Bible. Something of note in the story is that each of the trees that were invited had something that they offer humanity.

They have a peculiar unique area in which they serve humanity. They insisted that they would not leave the privilege of serving to take a position. The position is simply permission to become a leader. The position does not make you a leader. If everything that defines your authority, as a leader is a title you have been given, you are not a leader. You are a follower in the wrong position.

When all the trees that were busy serving had declined the position, they went to the thorn bush (a shrub). What does a shrub have to offer? Not even shelter. The shrub was finally invited to reign but, its acceptance speech was a reflection of its insecurities. Our country must come to the point today where it makes a difference between the
people who want the position and those who want to serve us.

We must come to the point in our country where those who have not achieved anything for themselves should not bother to occupy political office because with political power, you just multiply what you already have. When corrupt people get into the position of leadership, leadership multiplies their corruption. When the person who has created wealth legitimately for himself, becomes a leader, he uses this position to multiply wealth for everybody else.

A humble person sees goodness in himself. He also sees and praises the good in others. He is willing to deploy his good to bring out the best in others. He defers to others who are better. A proud leader is an insecure leader. When you have an insecure leader, he would want to take all the credit to himself.

The more he praises himself, the more he loses. A proud leader is threatened by the success of his subordinate. In this country, we are full of false pride. We brag when we have nothing. One of our greatest problems is ‘bigmanism’. Because we have our definition of success turned upside down. Greatness for us is not in what we give, but it is in what we accumulate.

Wealth is what we have accumulated. When people appoint us to positions of leadership in our country, we believe that they have simply given us the license to dominate them. Africans in leadership position believes that the position makes them superior to everybody else.

What makes the situation worse is that the people themselves believe so. Leadership is all about services. You and I must see now that our fellow countrymen and women are special. Let us do all that we can to make life better for them.

Nigeria will succeed!