Ubuntu: The Basis to worthy leadership

More than just a native word:

An anthropologist proposed a game to children of an African tribe. He put a basket of fruit near a tree and told the kids that the first one to reach the fruit would win them all. When he told them to run, they all took each other’s hands and ran together, then sat together enjoying the fruits. He then asked why they ran like that (holding one another's hands), as one could have taken all the fruit for oneself (having gotten to the fruit basket first, thus winning the race), they said "Ubuntu, how can one of us be happy if all the others are sad?"

"Ubuntu" is a philosophy of African tribes that can be summed up as "I am because we are".

  

The above words, as extracted from the caption to the left summarises selflessness, the basis of Ubuntu. But the big question is, do people still exude these qualities? My answer would be yes they do but such people are in the minority.

Interestingly, I trust that you reading this are among the handful of “ubuntu-centric” people, as such selflessness has in recent times been extinct from human ethics and responsibility to one another.

Moreover, with the growing level of disrespect for human existence, as evident in the lack of Ubuntusim, which is the resultant effect of widespread poor leadership traits and capabilities by those privileged to govern a given geographical area (political climate), especially in Africa, it is scary to conclude that such worthiness in leadership that defines Ubuntu is creeping into extinction. The deteriorating level of living standards across Africa, as against the lavish lifestyles by its leaders, who are mostly corrupt, speak volumes in this regard.  

According to www.theguardian.com, the word Ubuntu is part of a Zulu phrase "Umuntu, Ngumuntu ngabantu", which means a person is a person through other people.

One of the greatest human that ever lived, Nelson Mandela, once described Ubuntu with the example - "a traveler through a country would stop at a village and he didn't have to ask for food or for water. Once he stops, the people give him food and attend him. That is one aspect of Ubuntu, but it will have various aspects. Ubuntu does not mean that people should not enrich themselves. The question therefore is: Are you going to do so in order to enable the community around you to be able to improve?”

Ubuntuism - A trait with a difference to make or mar:

It is no questioning the fact that such communal improvement is lacking these days, as even those with the biggest opportunity - leaders across the various tiers of political leadership- fail to enact such.

To this end, the neglect of Ubuntu by leaders, mars the widespread display of humanity by the generality of people in the geographical area in question.

Whereas, on the flip, the exude of Ubuntu-centric attributes drives the commitment of individuals in making the difference and having everyone carried along to selflessly live for the betterment of all, not because they have to but it is a necessity inherently serving as a measure of rightful living. 

With Ubuntu, leaders would have their worthy leadership traits emulated by their followers, which would in-turn make the territorial area in question – country, state or local government - a cynosure to the rest of the world. Irrespective of Ubuntu being a native African word, it is sadly lacking in Africa.

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu though acknowledging that "Ubuntu is very difficult to render into a Western language”, further summed it up to mean 'My humanity is caught up, is inextricably bound up, in what is yours’.

http://africanhistory.about.com/od/glossaryu/g/Ubuntu.htm

Effects of Ubuntu-centric leadership to a nation:

Ubuntu discussed so far. I opine the following to be the effects of Ubuntu-centric leadership approach to a nation…

1.         With Ubuntu, the growing corruption (the most threatening leadership disease ravaging     Africa) would be greatly dwindled

2.         Selflessness, as against selfishness would be key to leadership across the board  

3.         The led would have a strengthened believe in their leaders

4.         An increased widespread patriotism and belief of one’s area of territorial origination           would be the order of the day

5.         The country with Ubuntu centric leaders would be a cynosure for all

6.         The growing patriotism would have the nation economically growing at a resounding fast
paced level. This is due to the increased commitment by the people, coupled with the   ubuntu-centric traits passed down from the leaders to the led which in-turn would drive   brain gain, as against brain-drain.      

These 6 effects itemised above are interwoven, entailing that all - neither some nor one - is paramount to adjudging the leadership to be worthy.

Like I once said in the article - Accountability Directed towards Efficiency in Government - “good governance is a must for all nations of the world, for it is the key to an all round National and International recognition, respect and historical significance in all spheres of nationhood and existence”

Be UBUNTU-centric!!!