Anoto K Chisho
Nagaland, the pride I take in calling it my home, is the 16th state of the Indian Union, inaugurated on 1st Dec 1963. A remotely backward state, comprising basically of tribal people with vibrant jovial and colorful atmosphere. An abode of culture, traditions, customs, festivals and a rich heritage of the bygone past. A place, where warriors once dwelled engaging in warfare with each other gaining accolades of heroism and honor by beheading their enemies and adorning the severed heads as collected trophies.
A fearsome ethnic people, where traditions, cultures, customs, and laws were sternly adhered to. The people were presumed to be symbols of courage, majesty, authenticity and dignified intimidation; something which is sadly nonexistent today.
Long have we come from the savage ways of life; and with no clear written record of the past, we can only depend on the word of the mouth passed down through the generations. The revelation of the past ways of life can be learned through the oral archives that made its way in the form of traditional folklore, dances, songs, traditional attires and the unique traditional ways of living as practiced by the respective tribes.
The one common thing, among the many shared, however, by almost all groups, the clans or tribes, is the way in which the leadership or kinship was followed upon. The system of governance in their respective lineage was always based on the reign and system of leadership that enabled the survival and expansion of the tribe. We are all aware of the saying, ‘powerful man makes places powerful’, and hence a man of power, might and charisma led the tribe, ensuring survival of the clan/tribe. A leader was someone who could lead, guide and drive the tribe’s upsurge amongst the many enemies that existed. With eminent dangers lurking all around, it was the responsibility of the leader to safeguard the lives and to nurture the needs of his people in times of vulnerability to threats and crisis. In the atmosphere of uncertainty, the leader was the one who shouldered the responsibility of defending and conservation of the needs and interests of his people.
Now, with the tides of changing times and with the rapid globalization of the modern era, the question arises about the sphere of how leadership has evolved or degraded in our land. It can be said with absolute certainty that there exist more problems, hurdles and complications in the way of progress and development at present. But, has the outlook of leadership changed even so at this very moment, in our land? No matter what or how far we have come towards modernization, we simply cannot undermine the need of competent leaders to guide and lead us forward. And in the present scenario we need it more than ever, lest we fall back behind to dark ages.
Nagaland is not the only domain facing crisis and dearth of capable leaders. Almost every nation struggles to boast about the existence of capable leaders that would put the interest of the nation and the people above everything. However, saying so does not undermine the capability of the existing leaders in general. I should say, it is almost impossible to cater to the needs, wants, demands, interests, of all the people of our land, since there are differences at almost every level. With thousands of associations each vying to push forward their interest ahead of others, the government or the leaders must be precautious to handle the sensitive issues and interests without sabotaging the importance and freedom of others.
Let me present my opinion on why the crisis of leadership in our land is ever increasing.
1. Diminishing virtues and integrity: Today, most have lost their principles of morality and integrity. We tend to prioritize personal benefits over the social welfare of all. Engagements in corruption, immoral values, dishonesty and unethical practices have led the way to mistrust and have greatly undermined genuine leadership.
2. Abbreviated mindset: Living in a fast world, we have accustomed ourselves to quick gains and results which often lead to short term thinking. We ignore the larger picture and instead opt for instant relief that could possibly do us more harm in the future. Long-term sustainability is neglected hampering the future generations.
3. Meager leadership development: There is almost no platform or programs for leadership development. An individual who is entrusted to the position of a leader without any necessary skills, knowledge or experience to effectively lead will ultimately lead to incompetence. There is a major difference between a leader and a boss. One should be provided with a platform to inculcate the qualities that would enable him to competently lead, motivate, guide and inspire people.
4. Slacken mentality: The morale of our past ancestors and leaders have been forgotten in our present generation. We are now used to being handed out things, without any effort. Consideration for others in general has weakened and so long as we benefit, there arises no cause for one to bring about a change in our society.
The recent build up regarding the opposition-less government in Nagaland is an example of a crisis of leadership. With no opposition to the leaders of the current government, there is a dystopia of governance ignoring the interest of the general people as there will be no room for questioning, check and balance on the government. Moreover, the possibility of the platform for other leaders to equip and train themselves gets removed.
Let me now present about the repercussion of crisis of leadership.
1. Stagnation: In the mad rush towards progress, the lack of capable leaders will only lead to confusion and conflicts. There is a need for new thoughts, ideals, and visions to adapt to the changes in our everyday lives and bring about stability through them.
2. Missing out opportunity: In the absence of a strong leadership potential opportunities may be missed out, as an effective leadership is crucial for the identification and utilization of opportunities. The development and progress of the land may be hindered due to negligence of a weak leader.
3. Absence of guidance: Scarcity of clear vision and direction arises in the crisis of leadership, which could hamper the progress and growth of the land. A clueless leader cannot set goals, take decisions, navigate or address complex challenges.
4. Mistrust and disappointment: when a leader fails to perform their roles, the trust placed by the people is questioned and disappointment sets in. The relationship shared between the leader and the followers is disrupted which further aggravate the crisis of leadership.
Some standpoints on how to combat the issue of crisis of leadership.
1. Grass root management: One is not born a leader but made. To enable one to become a capable leader, programs and platforms should be given priority. Proper guidance and freedom at the grass root level should be provided to enable one to inculcate the qualities of a good leader of the future.
2. Deep-rooted rationality: A leader ought to consider the long-term consequences of the decision adopted. A shift from short-term end goals should be replaced by promoting sustainable choices that would bring about social, economic and environmental progress.
3. Humane leadership: A leader should promote and practice integrity, honesty, honorable, just and ethical behavior. By doing so, he can motivate, lead, guide and inspire the rest to follow suit.
4. Leadership development: Investment in programs for leadership development is crucial to address the crisis as it will enable the aspiring leader for exposure to mentors, professionals, and enable him to develop the necessary skills and training.
Crisis of leadership is a global challenge which needs to be addressed urgently. To pave the way for growth and all-round development of the nation, ethically active with new visions and offering leaders, should step up to meet the existing challenges faced today. Nagaland for a fact needs to not shun away from the crisis but pave the way to acquire suitable solutions that would eventually bring forth effective leaders that will protect, develop and enhance the prosperity and progress of the land we love and live in.
The crisis is, I should say, manmade and so only we can bring about the solution to it. The young dynamic people of our land should step up to the challenge and shoulder the responsibility of leading the way towards the best possible achievement of the desired goals and interest which will, in turn enable our land to progress peacefully and bring about further developmental changes. We, as responsible citizens of our beloved motherland Nagaland, should all play our respective roles in bringing about changes in every possible way including the issue of the crisis of leadership. Not all of us can be leaders but we can play our competent part by supporting and electing the right deserving leaders; who will bring about peace, progress and transformation of the stature of our beloved motherland; the one we call Nagaland.
Kuknalim.
Winner of the Chalie Kevichusa Essay Contest 2023 (Youth Category)
