Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has urged the nation’s leaders to redirect discourse on the socio-economic challenges facing the country to issues of strategies and tactics.
The governor said the call was necessary to enable the country achieve nationhood.
He said the regression into ethno-religious politics portends serious danger for the country, adding that no responsible leader would wish to manipulate the people for parochial purposes.
Akeredolu spoke on Wednesday during a lecture he delivered at the National Defence College, Abuja.
In the lecture entitled: “Strategic leadership: My political experience,” the governor defined strategic leadership as the ability by a leader to influence others without coercion.
He said: “A strategic leader must be firm, but fair in all situations and ready to exhibit courage when confronted with the inescapable possibility of making difficult choices.
“Political leadership in any clime has a sacred mandate to guide the people alright. Governance must not be reduced to a process through which a select few acquire benefits continually to the detriment of the larger populace.
“Political leaders must possess deep understanding of politics and economics. Reasoned decisions are only possible when leadership is enlightened.
“There are occasions when painful decisions must be taken in the long term benefit of the people. Popular opinions do not necessarily aid good governance. A good leader should be able to insist on choosing the best course of action based on knowledge.
“It is incumbent on good leaders to allow their knowledge and dispassionate intervention of experts in relevant fields guide their actions at all times.
“Ethnicity and religion should not be used as political tactics to win support. Leaders must always show restraint, even at moment of extreme provocation.”
He added that a strategic leader should be resolute once convinced that the decision made is in the best interest of the generality of the people.