Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has emphasized the importance of leaders acquiring knowledge and understanding to govern effectively.
Obasanjo made the observation on Monday in Abuja at the opening ceremony of the 11th African Biblical Leadership Initiative Conference organised by the Bible Society of Nigeria
The ex-President expressed concerns over the scarcity of quality leadership worldwide, citing rampant illiteracy among leaders as a major issue.
He stressed that good leaders must possess key attributes, including knowledge and understanding driven by teamwork and team spirit.
The former president criticized leaders who lack knowledge and understanding, leading to poor decision-making. He emphasized the importance of leaders having clear objectives and missions, stating that precision and clarity are essential in leadership goals.
Obasanjo’s remarks highlighted the significance of Christian values in leadership, drawing from biblical principles. He encouraged leaders to prioritize knowledge and understanding to drive positive change.
The ABLI Conference aims to promote effective leadership and good governance in Africa. Obasanjo’s comments underscore the need for leaders to prioritize knowledge acquisition and effective governance.
The conference brings together leaders from various sectors to discuss leadership challenges and opportunities. Obasanjo’s insights are expected to inspire leaders to strive for excellence in governance.
He said, “If the world is in short supply of anything today, it is leadership. Deficit of leadership is our major problem in the world today, and of course, Africa being part of the world, we are not exempt, and if you like, Nigeria being part of Africa, we are not exempt.
“What are we talking about as Christians? If we want to talk about leadership, it’s all there in the Bible. Key attributes of leaders are very important.
“One is knowledge and understanding. A good leader must have knowledge and understanding. One of the things I found about the so-called leaders is that they will be talking cathedrally about the things they have little or no knowledge of.
“And it is so annoying and very discouraging that somebody you expect to lead you is actually leading you into something he does not know enough about.
“And knowledge must go with understanding. Because knowledge is one thing, understanding is another,” the former Nigerian head of state added.
He argued that, “You may have knowledge and may not have understanding. But if you have knowledge and understanding, it is very important, and it makes a world of difference in leadership.
“When I see people in leadership positions, I ask questions: What is your objective for this job? The first thing we learn in the Army is mission. When you have something to do, what is your mission? What is your objective? You must be precise. It must be something that you can say.
“We have those who are in leadership positions who don’t even have objectives. They don’t have a mission. How do you expect them to go right?”
