Vice-President Namadi Sambo on Tuesday in Abuja presented to the public a book on the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and extolled his servant-leadership qualities.
The book entitled: “The Servant Leader 2 – 3 Years Presidential Watershed of Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua,'' is written by Mr Emmanuel Adeda.
Smabo said at the presentation of the book that the country lost an apostle of servant-leadership, saying the late Yar’Adua was loving and compassionate as he had expressed love for all Nigerians and showed genuine affection for all without bias.
He maintained that the late Yar’Adua served Nigeria “faithfully until his untimely end.”
?“The late President popularised the concept of servant-leadership in Nigeria.
“It is a generally held belief that the late President Yar’Adua had wanted to genuinely and meritoriously serve the Nigerian people up to the end but his illness and eventual death cut short this avowed intention and service to the nation.?
“During his inaugural speech of May 29 2007, President Yar’Adua had this to say: ‘I will serve with the fear of God; I will serve with humility and I will be a servant-leader.”
Sambo recalled the policy principles of the late president who declared emergency in the energy sector, noting that his 7-Point Agenda was coherent.
He said many felt that if the agenda was to be faithfully implemented, the myriad of problems plaguing the country’s power sector would have been solved.??
While restating the commitment of the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration to following the path of transforming the country, Sambo urged Nigerians to support the Federal Government in its quest for the progress of the country.
“President Jonathan is honest, patriotic, transparent and fair and would faithfully implement the programmes that would make the country one of the twenty most developed nations by the year 20:2020.”??
?In his remark, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Solomon Lar, observed that the late president initiated a fresh dimension to governance in Nigeria.
According to him, as an avowed democrat, he committed his administration irrevocably to transparency and the rule of law.
Lar, who was represented by former Minister of Information and Orientation, Prof. Jerry Gana, challenged everybody to obtain a copy of the book as it would be useful to serving and aspiring leaders.
He said the book would also be an enriching experience to all students interested in the study of leadership in Nigeria.
“It is a right tool for our democratic system as practiced in Nigeria today.”
The Guest Speaker, Alhaji Maitama Sule, said Late President Yar’Adua was a just and fair leader who died for the service of his fatherland.
He urged leaders to always emulate the late president.
Also speaking, the author of book, Adeka stated that the book, “Servant Leader 2”, should be regarded as a modest contribution to the leadership process in Nigeria.
He said it should also be regarded as a reference material for present and future Nigerian leaders.
“It is hoped that the public will find it useful in assessing leadership styles in Nigeria. It is hoped that in reading the book, people will admire the fact that what we need in Nigeria is committed, visionary, honest leadership driven by respect for the rule of law.”
?The 234-paged book divided into 20 chapters, deals with electoral reforms of the late president; civil service reforms; the Niger Delta and the health challenges of the late Yar’adua.
Prof. Essiet U. Essiet of the Bayero University Kano was the book reviewer.?