Today, leaders are expected to treat their people with a greater sense of care and humanistic inclinations and to respect the unique attributes and qualities each person brings. Affirmatively, it is a requirement of contemporary leaders who want to navigate their people to sustainable success and a brighter future, to imbibe compassion as a right virtue. Although, there must have been a time when compassion was viewed as a weakness but unfortunately, today, building a robust and trusted relationship had been a very difficult task. Compassion, trust and unconditional loyalty are hard to come by as a result of the outright resurrection of people’s love for power, material gains and other earthly acquisition.
Fortake any virtue from Gov.Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to whatever extent or degree, you can’t, dechristianise his spontaneous compassion and humility. He had conspicuously, demonstrated in the language of Emergenetics, “that a compassionate leader flex into the social attribute or the part of brain that is relational and considers others”. Gov. Ugwuanyi recognizes that everyoone irrespective of your consanguinity or tribal make-up, is not only a significant individual but also an essential thread in the fabric of leadership and progress. However, he had continually, strived to enhance the happiness and well-being of the people of Enugu State by supporting and giving them what they need to excel.
Compassionate leadership is not focused on the short-term or instant gratification; rather, it is focused on what’s best for the individual, the community, the nation and it considers other factors that may influence or impact the situation at hand.
What does Compassionate leadership entail?
In a simple and practical manner, it can be derived from the virtuous act demonstrated by Gov.Ugwuanyi in honour of the gallant officers of the Nigeria Police Force, who lost their lives few days ago, in an attack launched by the men of the underworld.
The sympathy filled Governor, could not repress his grief over the significant loss of the security personnel whom before their painful demise, had maintained utmost dedication and commitment to assigned duties.
The visit by Gov.Ugwuanyi resuscitated in the minds of the deceased families, a firm belief in existence of good leaders as against the negative perspectives and distrust with which we had held some of our leaders. Nevertheless, Gov.Ugwuanyi did not see the families of the slain officers, who were overlaid in a dark moment of despair, as separate entities, rather he sees them at much deeper level, as a part of himself by relating to what they are currently passing through.
Without mincing words, Enugu State had continued to savour the enormous advantages accruable from having a great leader like Gov.Ugwuanyi. The wives of the slain officers can attest to the above statement as their assumptions before the Governor’s visit, barely affirmed they could get such a magnanimous largess and benefaction from our empathetic Governor, Rt.Hon Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi. The Governor’s visit to the families of the slain officers marked a period of reprieve and restoration. The bereaved families received rains of compensations from the Governor which includes; Offer of automatic employment to the wives of the demised security personnel; Payment of three months salaries of their late husbands; Grant scholarship to their children up to secondary school level.
Even before he embarked on the condolence tour, a full-scale investigation, duly monitored by Gov. Ifeanyichukwu Ugwuanyi, had already been launched by the Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police Force solely, to uncover the disgruntled elements who perpetrated the dastardly act and cause them to face the full wrath of law.
It is in the interest of the people of Enugu State that Gov.Ugwuanyi had on many ocassions, kept late nights, travelled far and wide, disregarded security protocols, as well as participated actively, in functions and tasks that can be committed to his subordinate(s).
All these and more, had thus, soaringly increased as well as, sustained the confidence of people of Enugu State in his style of leadership both now and in other future political engagements.
Bibian Anekwe News added …Good Governance cannot remain merely a philosophy. Concrete steps have to be taken for realizing its goals.
Gibson Uchenna Ilozuru
Political Analyst/ Member,
Media Team, Enugu Di
Na Aka Chukwu.
