Today Nagas are facing the greatest challenge in the field of economic, political as well as social corruption system and for this current issue, we the Nagaland people in general have a great burden because the world around us has become highly complex and we are therefore forced to seek different and more elaborate solution. Our political, business, media and social elites may be able to recognize what is right but I do not perceive that they have the ability or the will to put it into practice when they are faced with opposition to their plan.
Our elites should not underestimate the reasoning power comes to the big questions. Our elites, especially politician, must take the lead with respect to vital reform issue and not stumble along behind! Our leaders of today in which fields they must justify themselves by achievement, decisiveness and their role as model worth of emulation. I also expect them to speak in plain language! Our present leaders no matter whom you are leading must be straight with those who follow you, even when it is an unpleasant task. Because many of so called leaders of today in our state have failed the people. They have remained insensitive irrespective of the needs of their fellow beings. Unfortunately, many are motivated by a desire for personal glory rather than a loving concern. They assume that leadership means prestige and personal advantages and because of these reasons there is dearth of dedicated leader. There is no denying the fact that, there exist scores of potential leaders, but few are those whom people regard as true leader.
Therefore, a question arises who are these true leaders? And these leaders are the need of the hour in our state toady! When we deeply look into this matter and makes a referential study of the different types of leaders, the significances of the leaders referred to, in our Christian context came into much relevance to the need of our society. Here leadership essentially involves service. They who serve the interest of the people.
As John Stotta, a prominent writer beautifully writes, “The authority by which the Christian leaders lead is not power but love, not force but example, not coercion but reasoned persuasion. Leader have power, but power is safe only in hands of those who humble themselves to serve” thus the action of true concern which exhibited by way of service.
We must keep in mind that leaders are chosen by God for the peoples. Who has endowed him with ability and expected to us. These skills and gift for His glory and the good of others therefore, the responsibility that the true leader has to bear is not an easy one, for it involves lots of sacrifices and selfless service. And they should be ready to pay the price. In my opinion, First we must be clear about the society in which we want to live in the 21st century:- First of all, we need a new vision. Visions are nothing but strategies for action. Vision can mobilize undreamed of forces which is good intellect for the modernization of our society. So in order to fulfill this great vision in our society, we need dynamic leaders to enhance greater and faster economic development in our state. We should have wider scope and creative ideas to modernize Nagaland into a beautiful land of industrialization, scientific agriculture, proper use of natural vegetation and raw materials which can solve the problems of poverty and educated unemployment for our future generation.
Today in this stinking society of ours, the truth has no voice. So we need true Christian leaders who can courageously stand up and lead the peoples on the right track, looking into the people’s needs. Thereby recreating a new Naga society where dreams and visions become reality.
Let’s try to imagine Nagaland in the year 2020, then the State of Nagaland we picture is vastly different from that of today. We should aim to achieve in which everybody as autonomous individuals bear more responsibility, both for himself and others, and in which he sees that not as a burden but as an opportunity?
Again, we must aim to achieve a society i.e no longer rigidly divided as ours today, but a society that regards Naga unification not as techniques for living together, but as a part of its political and cultural unification. Today we demand freedom, but what if the public find freedom/liberty too cold, preferring the comfort of our state welfare benefits and provisions? We must prepare young people for freedom, we must equip them to handle it. We must encourage a sense of responsibility for oneself, so that the young Nagas accept freedom as a prize rather than burden. Young generation has the greatest capital assets; all we have to do is offer them a realistic future.
Everyone knows that we must be a learning society. So we must become part of the Nation –wide learning society in which all round the globe seeking the best ideas and the best solutions.
We have built up an enormous back log of neglected reforms. It will take strength and effort to drive renewal forward and too much time has already been lost. The world is on the move, it will not wait for us. But it is not yet too late. We expect action now, that is social, political, economic revolution against the corruption system in the state and if every Naga bonafide sees the tasks before us as great common challenge for our future generation, we should succeed and in the end, we shall all benefit. I strongly believe that the Naga will be able to solve our present problems one day or the other. I believe in our energy, our community spirit, our ability to run our vision into reality. Strength and the will power to do if we believe ourselves capable of doing so.
I Chubatangit Jamir Social Activist Bharat Joyti & Indian Best Citizen awardees for social service
