TheCable

While reading the book, Shadow: Five Presidents and the Legacy of Watergate, by Bob Woodward,  something fascinated me. Richard Nixon, former American President and the man at the centre of the Watergate scandal was facing the most disastrous period of his career. The options in front of him were limited. One of it was to resign or face a disgraceful impeachment and trial. Nixon had to decide not just on the resignation,  but also how to navigate his exit without going to jail. He would require state pardon from his successor. 

He summoned his Chief of Staff Alexander Haig, his right-hand man and a retired Army General for a brainstorm. They decided Haig had to see the Vice President,  Gerald Ford and subtly negotiate Nixon’s post Presidency pardon. Gerald Ford would become President once Nixon resigned.

Gerald Ford had very protective aides. One of them was Robert Hartmann, detested and distruted by Haig. Hartmann did all he could to talk Gerald Ford into taking the hardline against Richard Nixon. But while Gerard Ford did not commit to agreements that could blight his Presidency from get go, he was resolute not to throw his Predecessor,  Richard Nixon under the Bus. As a matter of fact, at the risk of public outcry that questioned his integrity,  he processed and pardoned Nixon.

The preamble is a showcase of the rigour and laborious process of government administration,  crisis management and forthrightness in the face of complex political machinations. It is often a time for Leaders to rise above themselves in clear and charitable demonstration of nobility.

After Sunday’s ill-fated world press conference called by the embattled Governor of Lagos State, Akinwumi Ambode. I took time to study his resume found on a friend’s wall, GB Onitilo. From Wharton to INSEAD to Harvard, Ambode parades an intimidating track record of academic and administrative excellence. Indeed, you have to give it to him, he paid paid his dues.

If this resume is the only thing he reeled out at that Press Conference, if he had mentioned all in his CV with emphatic grace and candour, if he relegated to the background his ego, anger and a visibly combative quest for vengeance, by day break on Monday and by now,  Akinwumi Ambode would have seized the momentum in public discourse.  This CV is what we would be talking about. But in contrasting self immolation from the Gerald Ford model above, Ambode walked into his own long dark night in a reckless, misguided vulnerability to adult delinquency.

Ambode’s penchant for compulsive and unforced errors did not start today. I recall at the primaries that brought him to power at the Lagos Airport Hotel years ago. In front of other bewildered contestants, Ambode made a remark curious to the standards of sensitivity and gauge mechanism. He said “Anyway, we already know who would win”.  Eyebrows were raised. That was tactless. Ambode was made to apologize. After getting to power, no one can deny him of having delivered a stellar performance. The face of Lagos has changed.  But again, I hasten to say, this is an added “storeybuilding” on Fashola’s well decked upstairs. Characteristic of him, Ambode is accused of haven uprooted all of Fashola’s legacies. Why? Fashola was known to have worked against his emergence as Governor in clear preference for Supo Shashore. This he paid for dearly as he only escaped being muddied up after series of smear attacks that seemed to emanate from his successor.

There is something disreputable about being deliberately slavish to an unbridled urge to throw others under the Bus. It is this same compulsive demeanor that may propel you to attempt the suicide of rubbishing the man who brought you to reckoning,  Bola Tinubu. However, should you decide to burn that bridge and be your own man which is bold, daring and frankly lies within your right for self advancement, you must have “conquered” the mas populace through a people-centred system of governance that would propel Lagosians to queue behind you in one unequivocal voice on your raining day. Fashola enjoyed this where Ambode seems to be struggling right now.You cannot destroy the party structure that brought you to power and still not have the generality of the people behind you. It is tantamount to stepping out to jog bare-chested in snowy winter! Ambode did not think this through, he did not choose his battle well.

Let’s now add this icing on the cake. Imagine if at that Press Conference,  Ambode had said the following…

“I welcome my co-contestant to the race. I admire him and respect him. His ambition is his right and well safeguarded by our constitution. More so, the more contestants we have, the merrier and better it is for the robustness and deepening of our ever evolving democracy. As the holder and incumbent of the current mandate and Chief Security Officer of this State, I assure you, Jide Sanwo-Olu of maximum security as you present yourself for this primary. Finally, my good people of Lagos state, the meaning of leadership actually is service. And part of the inherent virtue of service is selflessness.  Therefore, I am not desperate to be returned,  but nonetheless, i emphasize that you reflect on my evidence-based giant  milestones as you make a choice. Our bigger picture shall be the peace, progress and consolidation of the strategic template that differentiates Lagos from other states. Our bigger picture is not my Brother Jide and definitely, not me, Akin! God bless you and thank you all!”

If this was Ambode’s short speech, i can visualize the applause and the turning around of wheel of tremendous goodwill to himself. What were his handlers thinking?! What went wrong? How did he waste such monumental opportunity that led to the anticlimaxing of himself and his brand personae?

Leadership requires the capacity for conquering self in the face of physical, psychological and emotional pressure. It requires seizing every opportunity as a platform to step out and make a STATEMENT in tempered, measured and  soothing and winning words. Ambode’s resume is fantastic but it was torn to shreds on Sunday in a self-destruct moment of fury. Many people boast of resumes, but not many people can lead. If they lead, occasions that test them expose them and they crash like a pack of cards. This exposes their lack of inner strength and how bereft they are to arrest and manage crisis. Ambode’s public communications’ failure is a learning curve on the tragedy that befalls a lack of capacity for conquering oneself.