The Visit of the French President Mr. Emmanuel Macron to the Afrika Shrine in Lagos was no doubt a eye opener for many Nigerians, especially those in the corridors of power. To me I learnt that leadership should be by example.
Since that visit, it has dawned on me that we should always practice what we preach and that our leaders are guilty or corruption, oppression and hypocritical lifestyles that do not match what they profess.
There is no doubt that this is the reflection of the mindset of most Nigerians about our leaders at different levels of leadership. Most of them have been openly chided for unjust and irresponsible leadership which has remained the bane of development of Nigeria. In most of his speach the French President did not fail to remind us that our problem is the leadership of the country and he called on the youths to brace up to the challenges ahead.
Macron believes that we need the right leadership by example, honesty and integrity.
If the countrymust have a strong and stable economy like other developed countries of the world, the character of some of our leaders, which includes injustice and hypocrisy must change.
As leaders, we should know that in whatever position God has placed us, we are expected to demonstrate humility and live by example instead of using our office to oppress people and mislead them.
Therefore as one of the youngest head of state in the world, Macron’s choice of tourism sites while in Nigeria must have been a great surprise to many people especially in the protocol department of both in Nigeria and the French government whose herculean task it was to make the President’s visit worthwhile in the country.
If the late music maestro and Afro beat king, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who condemned the kind of leaders we have and foresaw the the future Nigeria of today was alive to receive the French leader, he would no doubt have released an album to commemorate this historic visit.
The visit also reminds me of a Senator in American who decided to leave his house disguised as an old man just to feel the pulse of the people on how they react to the elderly persons in the society.
The Senator, after putting on makeup and dressed like an old man with a walking stick was walking down the street from his house when he met a neighbor who apparently did not recognize him initially.
He went into town and discovered that majority of the people were nice and willing to give him assistance when he requested for it and with that he was able to arrive at a conclusion.
On arrival back home, the neighbour noticed him coming and this time he recognized he was the Senator. When the neighbor confronted the senator, he opened up and told him why he had to disguise himself, which according to him he does once in a while to find out the true response of the people on any particular issue. How many of our Senators or government official will take this initiative and mingle with the commoners just for once after they are elected or appointed into office.
The Senator disclosed how he once entered a public bus and discovered the poor attitude of some drivers of a transport company that had series of complaints from the public and with his investigation, he discovered that the complaints from the public were true.
Back to President Macrons visit to a place like the Afrika shrine, a night club which is being condemned by some persons as a no go area for decent people because of its reputation as a joint for Indian hemp smokers during the days of Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
But, we can now see that a place like that has become an heritage site for The President of France who during his stay in Lagos as an Intern at the French Embassy in Nigeria some years ago may have patronised the pub.
The French President advised Nigerian youths to get involved in politics stressing that politics is good and he pointed out that only Nigerians could change the negative perspective about the nation in the international community.
Mr. Macron who said African leaders needed to be alive to their responsibilities by accepting the ugly situations and tackle them head on, stated that it was high time the leaders rise up to the task of showing the African youths that their future in Africa.
President Macron who emerged as President at the age of 36 years described the Afrika shrine as a place of remembrance and culture. He is the first sitting president to visit the shrine which he was familiar with during his stay in Lagos as a diplomat.
The President justified his decision to visit the Afrika shrine thus: “First, because I wanted to find a good occasion to come back there. I know the place and I have some memories. I have to confess at a time that there was no President around. I hope I will not spoil the party.
“I think that is such an Iconic place for a lot of African people and African culture. And I think very often when you speak of the African cultures in Europe, those who succeed in Europe and in France which is different most of the times are dramatically very famous in Nigeria or in Africa.
“There is a bias, because you know people are absolutely not the same. I mean Fela Femi, Seun Kuti are obviously very famous in France and Europe. I mean they are big successes but the shrine is a cultural hub, an Iconic hub and is very important for me first that is why I want to say with a lot of humility that I recognize the importance of this place. I recognize the place of culture in this current environment.”
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Eubaldus Enahoro is Deputy Editor with The Nigerian Observer
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