By Uchechukwu Okoroafor, Abuja
In no time the House of Representatives members-elect from the 2023 General Election shall gather to elect from among themselves a leader, the first among equals in the best traditions of parliamentary democracy. The lawmakers-elect would have their first major assignment in the 10th House of Representatives, by deciding the choice of who becomes the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
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It is a choice that had to be made by the lawmakers irrespective of political party affiliations. However, in a democracy the minority will have their say and the majority will have their way. It is therefore a given that the next speaker is going to be selected from among the ranking members of the House of Representatives from the majority party in parliament, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
What type of leader does the next House needs and who should be that leader that deserves consideration for the position. That leader has to be the rallying point of all lawmakers. A leader with character, integrity, capacity, nationalistic and a man of ideas that would lead the 10th House to break new grounds in lawmaking and development of the country. We have found such a leader in Honourable Benjamin Okezie Kalu. We choose him because he has all the qualities that a modern leader in the 21st Century should have.
Hon Kalu is a man of integrity who has discharged his responsibilities in private and public life with uncommon transparency and accountability. And we dare say that the National Assembly deserves a speaker that would run it with transparency and accountability and thus reduce the high cost of doing government business and corruption.
Those who have worked with him could attest that he is a team player. Team player is one of the traits of good leadership. As a team player he understands the importance of delegation of responsibility and he is known to delegate responsibilities effectively. This is not just to free himself up rather to enable him facilitate teamwork, provide autonomy, and lead to better decision-making. Kalu in the best tradition of leadership understands that the best leaders build trust through effective delegation.
Effective leadership and effective communication are intertwined, and whoever that should be speaker must have good communication skills. Already Hon Kalu is the chairman of the House Committee on Public Communication where he has discharged the responsibility which often requires interfacing between the National Assembly and the public, especially the media with finesse. He is an excellent communicator who would also listen to Nigerians and is able to communicate in a variety of ways, from transmitting information to inspiring others. He has the capacity to communicate with, a wide range of people across roles, geographies, social identities, and more.
He is also a leader that is self-aware. He understands the burden of leadership and recognizes his own strengths and weaknesses and is very aware that he is a role model which has made him very conscious of what he does and does not do knowing that the young ones are watching. He is therefore a leader who never wanted to disappoint himself, family and the youths that see him as their role model. That is the kind of leader the country and the House need.
He is also a man that has the ability to know what to do when he doesn’t know what to do. He has the ability to excel in unfamiliar circumstances, and like all great leaders he is really a great learner.
He is able to convince people through the influencing tactics of logical, emotional, or cooperative appeals which is an important trait of inspiring, effective leaders. Effective influencing can be a game changer in the House as it would make it easier for him to walk across the aisles of political parties divide to get the job done in the National Assembly.
He is also an empathetic leader who will prioritized the welfare of downtrodden Nigerians and ensure the passage of laws that will create a more equal society where the needs of the poor are put on the front burner. It was as a result of his concern for the downtrodden that he established a foundation to address some of the ills of the society.
Hon Kalu cannot be cowed. He speaks his mind on critical national issues no matter whose ox is gored. He will be the voice for the voiceless if he emerges speaker. That’s part of the reason courage is a key trait of good leaders. Rather than avoiding problems or allowing conflicts to fester, having courage enables leaders to step up and move things in the right direction. He is the kind of leader that will speak up and show the way in the National Assembly.
One of the enduring qualities of the Speakership hopeful is his respect to all who come in contact with him. He treats people with respect on a daily basis which is one of the most important things a leader can do. It eases tensions and conflict, create trust, and improve effectiveness. He exhibits his respectfulness in many different ways, but often by being a good listener.
Therefore, the leadership of the House of Representatives will be better under Ben Kalu, who would build on the achievements of the speaker of the 9th House Femi Gbajabiamila who brought great innovations to the legislature.
Uchechukwu Okoroafor is Writer, Columnist and Public Affairs Commentator. He is also the CEO of UNITY TIMES.