Whenever a productive leader is on the seat of power, tremendous achievements and giant strides that will stand for a very long time are expected to be an inclusive to his name. And when credibility and fairness comes in, the people out of being in the euphoria of already-can-see project calls for more: meaning an automatic ticket to the aspirer.

This came to reality when a pressure group known as, Anambra State Youth Democratic Assembly (AYDA) issued out a press release passing a vote of confidence on the Chairman Capital oil and gas, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, calling on him to contest for the Anambra governorship seat comes 2014.

According to the group’s president, Hon. Eddie Orizu, who commended the oil merchant for providing his people with good representations, empowerment and making them feel the breath of fresh air, within his small business enterprise.

Also, Orizu added that the Nnewi son had been able to manage crises in the area, especially in the affairs of settling many communal problems in the State; which according to him have stopped the destruction of lives and properties amongst the citizens.

For the young Ubah, performing is simply an understatement for him. In his zone, even the blind could see. In terms of empowerment, he is effectively and strategically endowed with humane and charitable heart.

It is a moot issue whether leaders are born or created but one thing is clear that there are certain character traits which help an individual to become a great leader. You might stand the chance to govern, and lots of question will be going up your head: What are the characteristics of a good leader? Where should you start if you want to be a good leader?

What are the most important qualities of a good leader? For Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah, he has a very vast experience for leadership. Even his successful and well managed business could attest to it, because of his rich knowledge on strategic leadership and implementation.

Dynamically, Ubah is one leader or business man who has the capability to see what is good or bad for his people in the long run. He approaches a problem in a holistic manner and never believes himself as being different from others. And I think that is the overall reason why he has got a large base of followers, who are also his citizens of Anambra State.

At times, people wonder how Ubah have been able to gain a large base of followers, but what they easily forget is that a leader must have an honest understanding of who he is, what he knows, and what he can do. Also, note that it is the followers, not the leader or someone else who determines if the leader is successful. If they do not trust or lack confidence in their leader, then they will be uninspired to follow the person. To be successful you have to convince your followers, not yourself or your superiors that you are worthy of being followed.

However, having won the heart of his people, much better we can hear the people clamouring for him to venture into politics, so to enable him wax well in terms of human empowerment. The question might be how Ubah is going to carry the people’s responsibility again if offered the mandate to govern the State, a position which is higher and more advanced to the one he presently occupies? I think that shouldn’t be a big issue, because the little which was entrusted under his care has shown that he is and will be able to function well on any position. Besides, the people’s voice is the voice of God. On this note, what Ubah should particularly focus his eyes on, should be on enlarging and widening his hands of followership with the people in and outside his State.

No matter leadership has turned to something else in Nigeria. It is also quite unfortunate that leadership in this country is loosing values everyday, because we now have politicians as our rulers and representatives. These so-called politicians who have betrayed the people’s trust have taking over positions meant for true leaders. With what is happening in our political system today, one would rightfully agree that these same politicians are only committed on getting the interests of the poor masses for the next election and not to impact their lives positively.

Periodically, one would agree with me that whenever election is around the corner that is exactly when these set of politicians would be running around to set up one empowerment programmes or the other, which ultimately would not only last for a period of time. And such programmes are more likely to be situated during the electioneering period alone. It is also disheartening that whenever they succeed in getting the people’s mandate, they will be nowhere to be found.

Specifically, these are pure politicians who care only on looting the public treasury under their care. Most at times, some of them who are power hungry wouldn’t mind going the extra mile to make their aspirations and ambition a reality. Vividly, I could remember one of them in Imo who once was a good friend and patronize of Akara (pancake) and corn sellers. I think he did that to present himself as a humble leader, as today, he no longer buy or patronize those of them on the streets again. How about the one this same person did when he rode on motor tricycle (keke napep)? Today, all is now history.

Back to the subject, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah who is a simple man any day and any time.  A simple, vibrant and pragmatic gentleman, whose good record speaks volume of him. He is known for many titles, yes, but he is totally different among his peers who are also wealthy with money to buy many traditional titles. I call him an urban politician, as he got his political experience and acumen from constituency politicking.

The belief that leaders have the endless stamina, ideas, and skills it takes to deliver success year after year is a fallacy of the past. Thus, resilience, the ability to bounce back, cope, renew, and revitalize, has become a key watchword for today’s savvy leaders. Learning to be resilient is a full-time job, which never stops. If leaders are to enjoy continued success, today’s leaders must understand two related issues with regards to resilience.

First, passion for excellence can take them only so far; leaders will burn out if their physical, emotional and mental limitations are ignored. In our society today, 90% of leaders were let go due to physical or mental conditions that impaired their leadership effectiveness. Second, organization changes plan without consideration for the impact on the human condition, will not only cause current leadership to falter, but they will also cause the next crop of leaders to be inefficient and ultimately everyone will suffer.

Practically, Ubah understands these key points of leadership as a serving leader he is. He knows that resilience is woven through self assessment, evaluation and coaching. He understands personal mastery, awareness, emotional intelligence and wellbeing as elements of resilience as being part of an underlying support structure for successful leadership development, coaching, and growth.

Again, he knows that personal mastery in leadership would open his eyes into knowing his own strengths and limitations. In addition, it will also make him know who is in his network complement his capabilities, thus enabling him to be a more masterful leader through teamwork and formidable communication with his constituents. Secondly, he knows that the role of awareness is to make him understand the context of the challenges he will face and to know what resources he will need to build and sustain the required solutions; which to me I think comes from experiential learning, consciousness about the degree of change required, and empathy. Self-awareness is realizing what you are experiencing and responding in kind with both body and mind.

Thirdly, he realizes that emotional intelligence as one of the key factors of effective leadership, it will enable him know the personal impact he has on others, and that also makes him to understand how that connection creates and maintains relationship for influencing and leading with authentic character and intent. Already we know that emotional intelligence when used with awareness increases effectiveness and credibility. Lastly, in order to achieve and engage work and life at all levels possible, leaders who aim to be like Ubah must strive to maintain optimal physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual well-being. For Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah, I think the Anambra race would let him know his abilities, and even how well the people of the State love him.

Save Aba Group has accused former Abia state governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu of a plot to deny the Ukwa/ Ngwa zone of the state an opportunity to produce a governor in 2015.

In a statement signed by its Coordinator, Barr.  St. Moses Ogbonna and made available to 247ureports.com, the group said the former governor’s antics clearly point to the fact that he is against the zone producing a governor in 2015.

“We warn Chief Orji Uzor Kalu to stay clear of his plot to deny the Ukwa/ Ngwa zone its turn to produce an Abia governor in 2015. Abians will not easily forget the traumatic governance of the Kalu era which crystallized into hatred, rancor and disunity that brought to the fore the Old Bende and Ukwa/ Ngwa dichotomy. Kalu is hell bent on stopping the Ukwa/ Ngwa zone a chance to produce a governor in 2015.

“The administration of Gov. Theodore Orji has unified the two warring blocks with confidence and attendant healthy relationships between them. Gov. Orji has firmly given his unyielding promise that the streak of governance is on course towards the Ukwa/ Ngwa axis come 2015.Kalu should resist the temptation of scuttling the existing understanding between the Abia PDP and the people of Ukwa/ Ngwa zone in line with the Abia Charter of Equity,” the statement read.

The group noted that the Abia Charter of Equity which was championed by the former Premier of Eastern Nigeria, Chief Michael Okpara was intended to allay the fears of domination of one zone over others as well as for even development and equitable distribution of amenities and positions.

“Since the other two zone of the state have held the governorship slot since 1999, equity good conscience demands that it should go to Ukwa/ Ngwa zone in 2015. Kalu intends to distract the governor and cause crisis within the Ukwa/Ngwa zone. We know him too well for his antics.

“We also appeal to Gov. Orji to shun the diversionary antics of Chief Orji Uzor Kalu and ensure that power shifts to Ukwa/ Ngwa zone in 2015 as well as continue in his bid to see that major roads in Aba are completed before the rains so that business life in Aba will breathe fresh air. Aba people will give him the support he deserves.”

Africa has long been noted as a continent fraught with economic deprivation that heightened unrest and conflict. As a result, civil wars and unstable government characterized its political landscape. While there is little doubt that economic and political instability fuels the various conflicts, much less has been noted regarding the exploding Islamist Insurgency that seems pervasive and in definite rise for over a decade now. While it may appear as African Continental headache, the result and negative impact sure has far global implications. Since the Arab Spring in 2011, the spate of Islamists radicalism and insurgency has spiked. The roots yet of both the Arab Spring that swept through Egypt, Tunisia, Libya at Yemen has yet to fully abate, Mali and Nigeria continue to fan the ambers of Islamist radicalism in rebel outfits that continue to terrorize some sections of their respective countries. The link between Al Qaeda ideology and the festering Islamist Insurgency groups in Somalia, Sudan, Mali and the Nigeria Boko Haram sect will continue to strengthen unless and until serious alternate steps are taken in combating the menace.

It has now taken French direct intervention in Mali to bring a temporary lull to a near civil war that would have plunged Mali into years of uncertainty. Much worse, the re colonization of Africa will increase under the guise of UN Security mandate to checkmate the Islamist Insurgency. In a flash, France, Germany, US and other Western nations scrambled their military might and descended on Mali. While Mali now boasts of the Islamist rebels on retreat, the case of Nigeria is surprisingly on the rise. Just recently on February 1, 2012, the Nigeria Military announced the killing of 17 Boko Haram members in an operation in a deep forest described as the Militants terrorist camp. Since 2009, Nigeria has faced increasing violence from the Boko Haram sect just as she was settling the economic hardship in its oil output caused by the then Niger Delta Militants. It took the pragmatic step of the late President Shehu Musa Yaradua who offered amnesty to the militants that included economic welfare package that soothed the gun tooting and terror ready militants of Niger Delta.

Similarly, the danger on the horn of Africa where Somali Sea Pirates laid siege on merchants ships passing through the Gulf of Eden have largely abated on a different approach. The Somali pirate menace peaked in 2010 before radical steps were brought to bear on the hapless pirates. . US Today reports that Pirate attacks in the Gulf of Eden has dramatically plunged from all time high of 45 attacks in 2010 to 24 attack in 2012.  Merchant ships now enjoy a relative safe passage at a huge cost of naval and military protection from over 11 countries that patrol the waters of the Gulf and Indian Ocean. Merchant ships now parade onboard security equipped enough to combat and almost annihilate any threat of few pirates that escape the near total aerial surveillance. The costs associated with the enhanced security should be noted. Private avoidance measures by ocean vessels add close to 30 cents cost per barrel of oil. The total cost to governments and private ship owners sure ads up to billions of Dollars per year. While relative calm returned to the Gulf, it certainly cannot be said that danger posed to the world peace and economy both by the incidence of Piracy and Islamist insurgents have been curtailed. It appears readily that decline in the Piracy resulted in increase in insurgence.

Strong evidence appears to show that many of the beleaguered pirates simply drift to insurgency. The Tuaregs of Mali or the audacious Algerian Gas plant attack by the Movement of Sons of the Sahara for Islamic Justice bear similarity to reactive activities not unconnected with heightened restiveness propelled by frustration. Aggressive enforcement and renewed Western incursions cannot be the only solution that can bring abatement to the present scourge. If anything, I would argue that it would be counterproductive and bring about an opposite result.

It is time therefore to proffer alternative approach that is tested and would result in both saving costs and preserving life. Nigeria was behest by years of increasing militancy in her Niger Delta Oil producing region and the attendant drop in her oil output capacity. After years of seeming iron fist approach to the activities of militants, it took the courage of late President Shehu Musa Yaradua in 2009 to proclaim the amnesty program that since marked a turning point in the relative peace now recorded in the Niger Delta region. Nigeria’s oil production capacity dipped to as low as 700,000 barrels per day in October 2008 far from her OPEC pegged capacity of 2.3 million barrels per day. At the same period kidnapping of oil workers was at a frightening dimension which worsened matters. All the task forces and government forces deployed to quell the exploding situation in the Delta failed woefully in combating or abating the situation. The carrot approach used by President Yaradua that tempered justice by infusing economic and financial reward to militants that surrendered their arms worked remarkably.

In Africa context, the result shall not be different. Much of the conflict both in the Islamist Insurgency, the Somali Pirate, the Gulf of Guinea Pirates and the Tuaregs of Mali and Nigeria Boko Haram sect come from the pangs of economic hardship or the frustration brought by perceived dwindling opportunities. Poverty has heightened as the cost of living has dramatically increased. These mostly young adult males see little or no opportunities for economic advancement due to pervading poverty. While the immediate causes of the poverty can be traced to bad and weak governments, corruption of the various leaders and leadership of the restive nations bear grave suspicion in contributing to the alarming state of insecurity. The activities of small arms dealers and drug trade appear attractive to the restive miscreants that fuel that the social strife. Their expected result therefore is rather for economic survival. The right thing to now do is for the various Directors of Human Rights groups in the affected country to pilot a new approach that would result in organizing a continental conference to articulate the effective vision of harmonizing a common Amnesty Program for the Insurgent groups. The task must be taken with all seriousness. While rights abuses attach to the root causes of the various militant groups, it is proper therefore for the Human Rights Directors of the affected nations to organize the conference. Sensitization trips must be made to the leadership of the warring groups and to Western nations that would realize now that the course of dialogue and potential amnesty by far looks rather more promising in achieving long lasting peace rather the present militarization of Africa.

It is a well delivered adage that there s nothing that peace did not solve that war could solve. In Africa today, the pockets of civil conflict dotting the continent is rather alarming. No matter the profit to the Arms manufacturers that wash Africa with weapons to fester the conflict, the negative impact would nonetheless affect the world, not just Africa. Even with the touted success in combating piracy in the Gulf of Eden, presently, a total of six ships and over 175 hostages are being held by the pirates. The costs continue to mount as the danger shifts like the sand dunes of the Sahara desert. It is now right to do the right thing. Amnesty is both necessary and desired to achieve lasting peace in Africa.

• Reiterates Government’s Commitment To Efficient Health Care Delivery

Governor Emmanuel of Delta State at the weekend flagged off the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) free health care scheme, reiterating his administration’s commitment to efficient health care delivery system in the state.

The governor while flagging off the free health care scheme for Ndokwa nation at Ashaka in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of the state maintained that DESOPADEC as an interventionist agency was set up by the state government to address the needs of oil bearing communities in the state.

Dr. Uduaghan who was represented by the commissioner in charge of DESOPADEC, Mr. Timi Tonye said the free health care was targeted at the rural populace, adding that health care should be taken directly to the people because health is wealth.

In his address, the commissioner representing Ndokwa ethnic nationality at the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Rev.Chukwudi Eke said the free health care scheme was in line with the human capital development of the state government. He called on the people of the area to avail them of the DESOPADEC free health care scheme so as to address their health challenges.

He said the scheme which will cover free medical treatment for surgery, dental examinations, eyes surgery, provision of glasses, HIV/AIDS counseling and screening, maternal scan, diabetes screening, ear examination/hearing screening, and was aimed at bringing health care delivery closer to the rural populace who could not afford medical bills especially after the effect of the flood that ravaged the area last year.

According to him, the scheme which will cover all the communities in his mandate area will last for one week, adding that a team comprising 26 medical personnel from University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and Federal Medical Centre, Asaba (FMC) and led by Chief Consultant, UBTH, Dr. Dr. Collins Iyamu would attend to the patients

In his remarks, the Transition Committee Chairman, Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Hon. Alex Aniche commended Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, DESOPADEC and Rev. Chukwudi Eke for the free health care scheme.

In an interview, beneficiaries of the scheme which witnessed a massive turnout of people, thanked Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, DESOPADEC and Rev. Chukwudi Eke for positively touching their lives, saying that they had never had it so good.