What is Leadership?

The season of election is here again, and the word "LEADER" has become the most used noun candidates vying for various leadership positions. Indeed, the desire for leadership is inborn, but not everyone can be a good leader (Great man theory: 19 Century and before). There are several examples of persons who had the desire to be leaders and indeed had the opportunity to lead but could not passed the test of leadership.

Foday Sankoh of Sierra Leone's Revolutionary United Front (RUF), Idi Amin Dada of Uganda, Dr. Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah are examples. It is an undeniable fact that, Bishop Daniel Obinim is one of the popular leaders in Ghana today, perhaps, with more followers than present day CPP Party. This affirms that, everyone can be a leader, but not necessarily a good leader.

If a leader or leadership is defined as a person who lords on his people and uses his or her "influence" to get a task accomplish, you would not be wrong to say anyone can be a leader, just as we saw in these three personalities. So, who is a leader or what is leadership? One can only elucidate leadership, depending on the intended Objective of the purported leader. Why? Because, leadership can be exercised in the service of nobility, liberation, enriching one's self, manipulating of others and miss- leading and repression of followers. Very elusive and puzzling right? Don't worry; I am here to help.

Now to the point. NPP-USA is hungry for a leader as the chairperson/chairman, and two names have been circulating all over social media. Frimpong Obaa Yaa and Dr. Anthony Adade, and off course, the only First Vise Chair; Dr. Tina Abrefa -Gyan, my senior scholar colleague. Not forgetting the most competent Treasurer, Abubakar Abdulai, who is currently serving as the USA Nasara Financial Secretary, besides his nine-years banking experience, and the other competitors.

Back to the question of who is a leader? As stated earlier, everyone can be a leader, but as to whether he or she is a good leader, is the reason why I am devoting my time to help you vote for a good leader, not an imposter, or an authoritarian leader. Most important of all, not to vote for a non- transformational leader.

Permit me to ware my unbiased lens and give a critical analytical review of the two competitors of the chair position in NPP-USA. Frimpong Obaa Yaa, perhaps the most popular of the two contestants, has been in the forefront of affairs in NPP-USA, undoubtedly. Obaa Yaa, as popularly known, reached out to so many diaspora mobilization coordinators, to help mobilize people, so that we could all go to Ghana to help effect the desperate change that most Ghanaians wanted. A WhatsApp platform was created, and we communicated our opinions on the platform, shared relevant information to the benefit of all parties. My first disappointment in Obaa, was when she vigorously engaged one Mr. Emmanuel Gyampo of Cincinnati, it was vulgar, to say the least. Then on another occasion, Obaa engaged one Bright Kumi on the same platform, to the point that, she removed Kumi from the NPP-USA WhatsApp platform, instilling fear on the platform. No one then could criticize her or oppose her on any issue. Sad right?

Obaa Yaa and the former NPP-USA executives took our resumes and dumped them in Ghana; the NPP administration is a year old now, none of them have the courtesy to communicate back to us, the status of the resumes they asked us to submit. Obaa Yaa Frimpong is contesting to be the substantive chairperson of NPP-USA. Really? Furthermore, under the last NPP-USA leadership, of which Obaa was a member, not a single year, have they accounted to NPP -USA members on financial disclosure. Last but not the least, Obaa is giving selective services to NPP-USA member, for example, members have paid their dues and have not yet received their memberships cards, and these are members Obaa do not get along with. So, to draw the curtains on Frimpong Obaa Yaa as a chairperson for NPP-USA, I will not vote for her, because, she lacks the ingredient of a quality leader.

Again, to the definition of a leader, there are so many types of leaders as stated earlier, where does Obaa Yaa fall as a leader? Under McGregor's Theory X and Y (1960), leadership modules, she falls under Theory X, meaning, Obaa is an Autocratic Leader. Let me also be charitable to her, by adding that, she is a contingent leader as well. Under Hersey & Blanchard's (1996) leadership style, prevailing situation, and the environment may compel some leaders to be hard on followers, but our situation did not deserve Obaa's tyrannical rule at that time.

Frankly, I have never met Dr. Anthony Adade in life, unlike Obaa Yaa. I read about Dr. Adade through social media, where it stated that, he was the First chairman of NPP Worcester branch. I called and missed him, within a short time Dr. Adade called back. I engaged him, curious to know who he is, and why He thinks he deserves my vote. Yes, DR. Adade succeeded in convincing me as a minority in NPP, with the statements below;

1). To embrace all members regardless of tribe, religion or creed.

2). To reconcile the needs of the people to the share values of the NPP party.

3). Finally, promoting grassroots participation in the party, to erase the erroneous perception that, the party longs to the elite.

I was impressed, and to further know Dr. Anthony Adade, I google his name. There is no point introducing Dr. Adade to you as the most qualified candidate for NPP-USA Chairmanship position, considering his biography, which is easily accessible. He is a transformational leader; he does not only lead, but he also educates, inspires, and encourages followers and subordinates.

Biography

"Anthony Adade is the Chief Information Officer at Worcester State University (WSU). He brought more than 20 years of technology support, management and leadership experience in corporate and higher education to the position. Before joining WSU, Dr. Adade served as CIO at Elizabeth City State University, a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina. At WSU, he is in responsible for providing overall vision and leadership for the development and implementation of innovative institutional technology services that support its mission and strategic goals. He serves as the university's leader and advocates for information technology, with responsibility for planning, coordinating and implementing a comprehensive technology strategy for both academic and administrative computing systems, including integration of technology into the teaching and learning process."

(https://members.educause.edu/anthony-k-adade)

To conclude, I will say that, both candidates are qualified as leaders. However, Dr. Anthony Adade is the most qualified person for the position of NPP-USA chairmansip, considering his track record as an educator, a business executive with a protracted management and leadership experience. Make a decision that will benefit you as an NPP-USA member, by voting Dr. Anthony Adade as the Chairman of NPP-USA. God Bless Ghana, God Bless NPP. Thank you.

Peace, Shalom, Salaam.

Latif Seidu

NPP Atlanta Chapter

(Wa Central)

latifseidu@yahoo.com