An Appraisal of Robert Greenleaf’s Political Model and Crisis of Leadership in Nigeria
ETTEUKO Dianabasi Effiong
Department of Philosophy, Akwa Ibom State University
Abstract
This paper entitled, “An Appraisal of Robert Greenleaf’s Political Model and Crisis of Leadership in Nigeria” concerns itself with the task of employing the expository and analytic methods of philosophical investigation to discuss Robert Greenleaf’s theory of servant leadership as a panacea to leadership crisis in Nigeria. In executing this task, the research seeks to unveil the theory of servant leadership. The main thesis of this paper is that bad governance in Nigeria is as a result of selfish leaders who do not have the interest of the citizens at heart. The paper justifies the thesis vis a vis the tenets and requirements of servant leadership model as propounded by Greenleaf. Evidence shows that an investigation into the political system of Nigeria reveals that corruption and selfishness are the main qualities of Nigerian leaders as those saddled with leadership positions often do not have the interest of the public at heart. Accordingly, the paper maintains that this Machiavellian approach; which is cunning and manipulative pursuit of personal goals and gains is the bane of good governance in Nigeria. Though the theory of servant leadership is not devoid of its own flaws, however, the paper upholds that it is only when Nigerian leaders imbibe the qualities of servant leadership can the crisis of leadership in Nigeria be vanquished.
Keywords: Robert Greenleaf, servant leadership, political model, leadership, crisis