SANMI ADEKOLA BLOG

Today at the United Nations International Youth Day organized by the National Youths Council of Nigeria ( Ifako Ijaiye Chapter); I have the privilege of speaking to some selected youths in Ifako Ijaiye alongside other important stakeholders including Hon John Wesley, a one time Presidential Aspirant of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the representative of the Chief Medical Doctor of Ifako Ijaiye General Hospital ( Doctor Mrs ...); Deputy President of Ifako Ijaiye Teachers Union, Comrade Solola, among others. As a Public Administrator, I was expected to take the students through the basic things they need to become a successful Public Administrator from ordinary school level to real life. The basic 'O level '  subjects I listed for them include: English, Maths, Economics, Government, Biology and any of Commerce, Georgraphy, Yoruba Language. While the Personality Traits   are: 1. Confidentiality 2. Honesty 3. Multitasking 4. Attention to details 5. Team spirit 6

Nigeria is messed up. That's the utter truth. Everything that could go worse have gone worse. I'm quite sure, the late Chinua Achebe must be cringing in his grave that he was hasty in his assertion that things have fallen apart. Nothing seems to work, and no one appears to care. The leaders are barest of ideas. The followers are direction-less. The institutions are in zigzags from the family to Church, and church to Mosque. The values of probity, integrity, and honest dealings are no longer common place among the many. People just do what they like. In Nigeria today, what matter is securement of wealth, legitimate or illegitimate, and the society will worship you. What determines seniority in the families is no longer age, but money. Relevance in churches and mosques is a function of people's monetary contributions. Traditional tittles are now sold to the highest bidders. Promotion in public sectors is hardly on merit but 'mantocracy' and monetary inducements. S

THE DANGER OF BEING BOSSY Oftentimes, managers and leaders make this mistake of being bossy. They want to be seen as being hard, tough and a no nonsense fellow to people they lead or manage. Their subordinates can hardly question their decisions because to them they can never be wrong. Their words are final and unchangeable even in the face of overwhelming evidence so as not to appear as weaklings. Even when they are wrong, they find it difficult to swallow their prides, accept their faults, and apologize where necessary. Let me tell you a truth, you aren't helping yourself if you find yourself on this track because you may be the greatest looser in the end. I believe, good deeds and performance must be rewarded with awesome rewards, and bad deeds met with sanctions to prevent future reoccurrence and serves as deterrent for others who may want to do so; yet I believe we owe it a duty to deal with our subordinates with human feelings and a touch of love such that they don't