How to Prepare to Participate in Public Leadership

You should Prepare to Participate in public space leadership

By Joseph Ibekwe

The political structure of any society determines its trajectory of development or underdevelopment. It’s not a one-person thing. It is the political actors and political leaders that determine what things happen and what do not happen.

One person cannot change the entire system; even if he tries, he must have a buy-in from those that will implement the changes initiated. This requires the galvanization of a critical mass of persons that can make the difference by effecting the required changes.

The hope of a Messiah to change things in the public space is often a utopia. Most African countries often dream of one person that will come as a leader and give them a heaven-on-earth society. Their citizens often refuse to prepare themselves to participate in bringing about the changes they desire.

Those who want to lead in the public space and bring about positive changes must begin to prepare themselves to participate in the process. It’s not a one-person project—a messiah-kind of expectation. It is true that one person can initiate a change, but there must be a cream of those that will help to implement the change, and they must be educated to follow through.

The preparations for this kind of change begin through education: citizens education, political education, and leadership education. People practice what they are taught. People become what they are taught. The idea of expecting one person to come on board that will be like a flash in a pan. That is not what is needed for a sustainable change in any society.

The fact is that if you’re not registering yourself to receive political education and leadership education, then you’re not likely preparing to be part of the change. It is also high time you got your children to receive political and leadership education, not just religious and academic education.

You must understand that political education is different from studying political science as an academic course in the university. They are not the same, please. On the one hand, political science is more about the struggle for power and the use of power for and against. It has a little human face.

On the other hand, political education is the human face of participation in public life by understanding the dynamics of political power and how to influence those dynamics as a citizen.

There are two stages of leadership education courses offered at Fled International Leadership Institute that could help those who desire to prepare themselves for public leadership. There is the Basic Leadership Certificate Course and the Advanced Leadership Certificate Course. If anyone is interested, you might send a Whatsapp message to this number: +234-9063069744

Leadership education is critical to prepare citizens for public leadership, which will reset the society and stabilize it.

Joseph Chinenyeze Ibekwe is a Professor of Public Leadership and Governance at Fled International Leadership Institute, Abuja