Lamido’s Life of Service and Passion for Education
By Muhammad Abdu Mago
Leadership is all about action. It is not just holding positions without impacting on people’s lives.
That explains how great leaders are almost always great, because they are simplifiers of difficult tasks and issues.
Their actions cut through arguments, debates and doubt, as they offer solutions everybody can vividly understand and accept.
They always engage in providing services to the people and devout their lives in making other people’s lives better.
For this reason, leaders are seen as individuals who influence and guide others.
Now, why does others engage in providing a Life of service to the people?
Experts are of the view that:Those who engage in such venture do so by engaging in a life of service to the people, as a full time activity. It’s just their mindset.
It isn’t about giving up on their goals, aspirations and desires. For them, it’s about looking at the world and asking themselves how they can make things better for others, hence they engage doing those things (what they believe in), day after day; not for any reason but for the sake of humanity and divine purpose.
Take a look at the recent decision by Dr. Sule Lamido CON, the former Governor of Jigawa State, where he donated to the state government, the mansion he is living in at Bamaina town, and dedicated it to be used by the State owned university Sule Lamido University, situated at Kafin Hausa, after his demise.
All human beings are mortal, everybody will die one day. But those who choose to live on, would want to leave a lasting legacy. As such for Lamido’s love of the people and for his passion in providing quality and moral education, he has chosen to leave an edifice that would outlive him.
Dr. Lamido has chosen to live on. His donation of his marvelous house, his own personal possession to the state government, which would eventually be used as Institute of Islamic Studies and Research, by the beneficiary university, is a great sign of his desire to live on.
It is so fantastic, very insightful and clearly an aspect of a life of service to the people which would further advance Islamic education and culture in the state and to a large extent, at a global stage.
Service is a central pillar of how Lamido approach this issue, and that remains what will describe him for the rest of his life and even beyond as a great lover of scholarship and development.
Lamido has never being a ‘yes man’. He is living his life with a purpose. He has a vision and a focus with clarity of what he want to achieve. He is a leader who uses his God’s given talent, personal strengths, wealth and skills effectively – for himself, and the society at large.
Living in service for others requires a great deal of self awareness and honesty, because without that energy and drive, one will not be able to serve others the way he want to, and his life might not be impactful on their lives.
For Dr. Sule Lamido, who has been in politics for over five decades and has stuffed himself with a very rich political ideology, and with a pragmatic principle he learned from the tutelage of a political sage and an Icon of transformational leadership, Malam Aminu Kano of blessed memory, the best of life is the one that impact positively on the lives of others, particularly those who are less privileged.
In his over five decades in politics, Lamido had came through wide range of experiences. A mix of very difficult times and a taste of good sides. That perhaps was what strengthen his political growth and determination to serve people rather than become self centered.
In all Allah’s sent scriptures and literature, the concept of leadership is considered one of the most important aspects of social and corporate existence. Some are even of the view that leadership is indeed more important than some main elements of religions. Islamic thoughts is not far off on this.
Lamido, as a leader has useful techniques for problem solving, influencing or convincing, and team building strategies to achieve common goal with general ability to make positive impact in a society under the need for integrity as his bedrock.
So his resolve to doll out the fabulous mansion to a state-owned university in order to further advance the cause of scholarship, research and development, is a clear testimony and of course at the back of his untoward commitment to nurture a culture that is dedicated to excellence and ethical behavior.
He is a charismatic and transformational leader and a pace-setter of sort. It seems, this particular action he started might be the first and hence a lead for others to follow.
As leaders lead because there is work to carry out for people to have a better life, a vision of the future is necessary as demonstrated by Lamido.
Lamido has such qualities in abundance. His leadership style is dynamic. He lead people with the goal of achieving a common goal. That’s how he is serving others by leading and leading others by serving, a fact that clearly demonstrate his love for his religion – Islam and his people and equally encourages him to give out Sadaqah Jariyya – that’s leaving an inheritance that will benefit the people and the giver.
This form of multi-level leadership is highly encouraged in Islam.
With Consciousness of God, Competency, Consultation, and Consideration, Lamido has by this particular donation, inculcates the Islamic philosophy of servant leadership. He has identified the need for advancing Islamic scholarship in the state, the need to address the educational backwardness of the state and also the need to leave a lasting legacy in the form of Sadaqah Jariyya. No doubt, the best reward awaits him eternally.
Mago write from Dutse. He was Commissioner under Sule Lamido
