By  KEMI BUSARI & SIKIRU AKINOLA (OAU)

For close to five hours, Kwara State Government was temporarily relocated to the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife as former Kwara State governor, Senator Bukola Saraki delivered the first and 2012 Distinguished Lecture Series of the Department of Political Science, OAU.

The event which was organised as part of the activities marking the 50th anniversary of the university attracted academic and political heavy weights from within and without Osun State.

Delivering a lecture on Leadership and National Transformation in Nigeria, the distinguished lecturer and the immediate past governor of Kwara State, Sen. Bukola Saraki said it was important to discuss leadership function in the form of setting vision, developing an agenda while mobilising resources is at the heart of transformation management.

He observed that “the qualities that initiate good followership create transformative leadership. Some of these include the expression and enjoyment of basic rights within a system that is accountable, and merit-driven.

“Some people have argued that our socio-political environment, not only makes the emergence of national leadership difficult, but also complicates the process of national development. While agreeing in part to this view, I think that to give it axiomatic status glosses over the emergence of dynamic leadership.

“Nigerians from all walks of life more than ever before are yearning for change. The solution is that we need to build the culture that accepts defeat, tolerate and respect losing and manage with humility victory. An unhealthy and protracted tussling for leadership chokes out the transformative value of leadership”

According to Senator Saraki:  “Change will always require the destruction of walls and the building of bridges. One of the best ways to do this is through effective and regular conversations. Our leaders must learn to talk more about the change they desire to make.

“Influencing people and not foisting positions down on their throat is useful. We must talk of all shades of people, students, women, traditional institutions, religious bodies and other to help shape the message to life. Nigeria awaits the emergence of this leadership for national transformation,” the former governor of the Kwara State concluded.

The Head, department of Political Science, Dr. Sat Obiyan   thanked God for the success of the programme.  When selecting the topic, he said: “we were mindful of selecting a person who by the virtue of his knowledge and experience can represent the past, the present and the future and we found the trait in Senator Bukola Saraki.

Leading the management team at the event was the representative of the Vice-Chancellor of the Institution, Prof. Ayo Salami (Deputy Vice-Chancellor-Academics).