His Eminence rtd ArchBishop Ayo Ladigbolu @ 86 : An Elder Statesman whose believes in absolute truths, moral compass is rooted in a sense of absolute right and absolute wrong (1)
” ArcBishop Ladigbolu does not make his countrymen’s hearts soar and burn with empty promises; he keeps his word and does what he says he will do.
He harnesses the power of the written, and especially the spoken word. He is a master orator”.
By Bode Durojaiye, the Director of Media and Publicity to the late Alaafin of Oyo (08050419987) .
His Eminence ArchBishop Prince Ayo Lawrence Ladigbolu recently clocked 86 years old .
I am celebrating his enduring imprint on the fabric of Nigeria’s story.
His Eminence’s distinguished careers, a poet, Journalist,and Redoubtable Clergy , among others, are testaments to his unwavering dedication and unrelenting passion that had traversed the realms of politics, and traditional leadership, thus elevating him to the esteemed position of a distinguished elder statesman.
His Eminence Ayo Ladigbolu possesses some sterling attributes which distinguishes him as indeed an embodiment of ” transformative leadership with lasting impacts”.
The attributes included a bedrock of principles, moral compass, vision and
the ability to build a consensus to achieve that vision.
Retirees ArchBishop Ladigbolu us a Statesman who builds his platform on a foundation of firm, unchanging, fundamental truths.
These are the things he believes at his very core, his overarching philosophy.
Just as in the foundation of a house, storms may buffet the structure, opposition and challenges may arise, times will change, but the foundation remains.
As a dignified Statesman, rtd ArchBishop may change the details of his policies and his methods for achieving those policies, but only inasmuch as those short-term tactics of expediency serve the purpose of furthering his bedrock of principles in the long run.
Politicians makes decisions by using “antennae.” . But ArchBishop Ladigbolu puts his feelers out there to gauge the public mood.
Once he figures out which way the wind is blowing, he then shapes himself and his message to give the people exactly what they want.
He does not govern by public opinion polls, but rather makes his decisions by following the dictates of his own moral compass.
He is not a relativist; he believes in absolute truths, and his moral compass is rooted in a sense of absolute right and absolute wrong.
When something is wrong, he plainly says it is wrong and does everything in his power to fight against it. When something is right, he is willing to overcome any opposition to preserve and spread it.
The Statesman is a man of integrity; he speaks the truth. He leads by moral authority and represents all that is best in his countrymen.
He has a clear vision of what his community, country and his people can become. He knows where he wants to take them and what it will take to get there.
What about rtd ArchBishop Ladigbolu’s foresight iwhich is one of his most important qualities, as he is able to recognize problems on the horizon and be able to come up with solutions that are good not only for the short-term, but for the long-term as well.
He keeps in mind not only the here and now, but the world future generations will inherit.
Rtd ArchBishop Ladigbolu’s ability to build a consensus to achieve his Vision is spectacular.
As a Statesman a d Chairman, Oyo Metropolitan Development Association is a free leader of a free people, who’s success in building a consensus ultimately hinges on his ability to convince his countrymen of the soundness of his philosophy.
To win their hearts, his Eminence does not use slick advertisements and PR campaigns. Ads and propaganda as these are the tools of the despots.
Rather, ArchBishop Ladigbolu harnesses the power of the written, and especially the spoken word. He is a master orator.
His lifelong study of great books and the lessons of history allows him to speak to the people in intelligent, potent, well-reasoned arguments.
Because this dutiful Statesman follows his moral compass instead of opinion polls, his ideas are often initially out of step with the public mood.
But instead of tailoring his rhetoric to that mood, he speaks to the very best within his countrymen. He understands that while their ideals may be deeply buried, powerful rhetoric can bring them forth and activate them.
The strength of ArchBishop Ladigbolu’s words comes from the fact that he actually believes what he says.
And he does not make his countrymen’s hearts soar and burn with empty promises; he keeps his word and does what he says he will do.
To be continued ………