By Engr. Victor Ojimadu,
In Nigeria’s multifaceted social and business landscape, where complex hierarchies—from traditional chiefdoms to rigid corporate structures—often define formal power, true leadership requires more than a title.
Authority is granted by position which relies on the structure of the organization, but effective and enduring change is driven by influence. Influence is the ability to inspire a voluntary behavioral and mental shift in others, leading not just to compliance, but to genuine, motivated commitment. Influence relies on the strength of relationships and credibility. This distinction is paramount for driving any initiative, whether in government, business, or community.
The pillars of lasting influence remain universal: Expertise, Relationships, and a Shared Vision.
Expertise provides the technical credibility required to be taken seriously; people follow those who know the way like Nigerians usually say ” follow who know road “. Relationships build the social capital and trust necessary to overcome skepticism and bureaucracy.
Finally, a Shared Vision ensures that the goals of the leader align with the core values and aspirations of the followers, creating a compelling reason for them to act. In a deeply relational society like Nigeria, the “Relationship” pillar often outweighs the others, acting as the critical lubricant for all forms of professional and social interaction.
Consider Ngozi, a young Public Health Coordinator working for an NGO in a local government area (LGA) in Rivers State. Her task is critical: to organize a community-wide sanitation and immunization drive. Ngozi is a field officer; she has no formal authority over the local political council members, the health clinic staff, or the traditional community leaders (such as the king and chiefs). For the drive to succeed, she needs all these groups to collaborate.
Ngozi understands that simply presenting her organizational mandate will lead to delays and minimal participation. Instead, she exercises leadership through influence:
- She starts by building relationships with traditional leaders. Ngozi first approaches the king with deep respect. She doesn’t focus on her own NGO’s targets. Instead, she frames the campaign around the king’s primary concern: the legacy of health and well-being for his people, showing how a successful, clean community raises his standing among his peers. She requests his guidance, treating him as a vital partner, not an obstacle.
- Next she aligns motivations with political stakeholders. When meeting with the LGA council members, she aligns the sanitation drive with their political objectives. She presents data on how reduced malaria cases (a direct result of better sanitation) would free up local government funds previously spent on treatment, allowing those funds to be redirected to visible infrastructure projects they care about.
- Then she goes to empower clinic staff. She spends time with the local nurses and health workers, not commanding them, but offering to coordinate logistics, supply resources, and provide specialized training that enhances their professional skills. This demonstrates her technical expertise and genuine support, increasing their professional buy-in and commitment to the campaign.
By consistently appealing to the self-interest, respect, and values of each stakeholder group—instead of relying on non-existent positional authority—Ngozi successfully mobilizes the entire community. The king publicly endorses the drive, the council provides logistical support, and the clinic staff enthusiastically conducts the outreach.
This outcome is a willing, collective commitment that formal authority could never have bought or commanded.
For politicians and government officials, positive leadership is synonymous with effective delivery of their mandate and the preservation of political capital. Ngozi’s use of influence is viewed positively by the LGA council members because it offers a “win-win” scenario.
If Ngozi had relied solely on authority (e.g., appealing to a higher ministry to order the LGA to comply), the political leaders would likely view this as a bureaucratic imposition and might resist it passively. However, by using influence, Ngozi transforms the public health initiative from an obligation into a political opportunity.
In any functional society, particularly one with complex traditional and modern governance structures like Nigeria, politicians hold formal authority—the right to govern. However, asserting true leadership requires them to consistently leverage influence—the capacity to inspire voluntary commitment.
The assertion of true leadership is defined by their ability to institutionalize successful, collaborative efforts and align diverse interests under a shared public good. This is faceted into three parts:
1. Translating Influence into Policy and Permanence
The most crucial role of a politician asserting true leadership is taking a successful, influence-driven initiative (like Ngozi’s community health drive mentioned previously) and turning it into durable, sustainable policy.
- A non-leader politician might simply take credit for Ngozi’s successful health drive. A true leader politician, however, uses that success as evidence to pass a local by-law that permanently allocates budget or resources to maintain the sanitation efforts. This act converts a temporary win (achieved by influence) into a permanent system (enforced by authority), ensuring the impact lasts far beyond the life of the NGO’s project.
- By publicly endorsing and integrating grassroots efforts, the politician validates the citizens’ capacity for positive action. This fosters trust and signals that the political office is a supportive partner, not just a punitive or a cash-in body., which strengthens the democratic relationship between the governed and the government.
2. Strategic Management of Political Capital
True leadership in politics is often measured by what the politician achieves without depleting their most valuable resource: political capital (trust, goodwill, and budget).
- A politician who relies purely on authority must often resort to confrontation, threats, or costly enforcement to get compliance. This quickly depletes goodwill. A true leader uses influence to align motivations first.
- The politician asserts leadership by being the one who ensures the overall goal is met efficiently. They don’t need to be the expert (like Ngozi), but they must be the strategic conductor who recognizes and utilizes expertise across different sectors. This ability to deliver positive, visible results using minimal political expenditure is seen by the public as highly effective, or “positive,” leadership.
3. The Role as a Vision Aligner and Bridge Builder
In a multi-layered society where traditional, religious, and political authorities often compete, the true leader acts as the ultimate unifier.
- True leadership requires the politician to find the common ground among competing interests—the traditional Eze who seeks legacy, the community leader who seeks development, and the health worker who seeks professional support. The politician asserts leadership by articulating a vision that is large enough to include, and benefit, all these disparate groups.
- Ultimately, the politician’s role is to ensure their actions are driven by the public good, cementing a reputation for being trustworthy and dependable. This long-term focus on character and consistent delivery—two foundational elements of influence—is how a politician ensures they are not just a temporary office-holder, but a lasting leader whose influence endures long after their term ends. The goal is to make followership voluntary and committed, ensuring the next generation will also align with the vision.
In conclusion, the efficacy of leadership is measured not by the size of the leader’s office, but by the extent of their influence. Authority can impose a task, but only influence can inspire a people to change their habits, collaborate across boundaries, and drive sustainable development. The true power of leadership in complex societies is therefore measured not by the height of one’s hierarchy, but by the depth of the trust and relationships one cultivates, indeed, the true currency of enduring leadership.
