Emmanuel Etim|11 June 2016|6:58am
There are many styles of leadership, some of which include autocratic, participative, transactional, transformational etc. The type of leadership style a leader employs is a matter of choice and personality. The different leadership styles have their advantages and disadvantages but it can be asserted that some are better than others.
One of such preferred leadership styles is participative leadership. Often called democratic leadership, participative leadership values the input of team members and peers, but the responsibility of making the final decision rests with the participative leader. Participative leadership boosts team morale because they make contributions to the decision-making process.
When Rt. Hon. (Barr.) John Gaul Lebo was elected Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly on 11th June 2015, on the inauguration of the 8th assembly, he left no one in doubt that his tenure will be monumental. He communicated to his colleagues that his leadership style will be participative, giving all members opportunity to contribute to the process of creating effective legislative framework for the realization of the Cross River State dream.
No doubt his style of leadership has led to undeniable achievement in the 8th Assembly within the past 1 year with 14 bills passed and 15 motions moved on the floor of the Cross River State House of Assembly including the 2015 supplementary and the 2016 appropriation bills.
Some of the bills debated and passed by the by the Cross River State House of Assembly in the past one year include Domestication of Corporate Social Responsibility bill, the Waterfront Infrastructure Management Bill, the Sustainable Development Goal Agency Bill and the Anti Kidnap Bill.
Others include the Social Housing Scheme bill, the Tax Exemption bill, the prohibition of kidnapping bill, the Wharf Landing Bill, the Administration of Revenue Bill, the Equal Opportunity Bill, the Greater Calabar Area Agency Billl, and the Infrastructure Regulatory agency bill.
Many of these bills have since been signed into law by the governor Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade. All these achievements are as a result of the participative leadership style of the Hon. Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. (Barr.) John Gaul Lebo. There is no doubt that these achievements have contributed to the development of Cross River State.
Often people have failed to appreciate the critical role that the legislature plays in the development of the state. They presume the legislature is an arm of government that was created to antagonize the executive. How wrong they are.
The role of the legislature as one of the three arms of government can best be described as complementary to that of the executive and the judiciary in the development of the state. Their powers are separated but their roles are complementary.
The fast track development currently being achieved by the Sen. Ben Ayade led executive in Cross River State can thus be linked to the effective legislative leadership of the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. (Barr.) John Gaul Lebo.
It can also be attributable to the cordial and complementary working relationship between the various arms of government; the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. This has made Cross River State an exemplary state in Nigeria.
The ability of Rt. Hon. Lebo to operate a participative leadership style is based on his quality emotional intelligence and relationship management skills. Let me throw a bit more light on these qualities of the Hon. Speaker.
Emotional Intelligence according to Wikipedia is the capacity of individuals to recognize their own, and other people’s emotions, to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior.
Emotional intelligence is the area of cognitive ability involving traits and social skills that facilitate interpersonal behavior. It focuses on the aspect of intelligence that governs self knowledge and social adaptation.
On the other hand, relationship management has to do with maintaining cordial and productive relationships with people we meet and work with in our everyday life. The importance of managing people’s expectations, maintaining mutual respect and keeping healthy relationships cannot be overemphasized.
In the light of these, it is not difficult to understand why the 8th Assembly has been so productive and successful. Effective leadership in the 21st Century requires these important skills and qualities and Cross River State is blessed to have them in the Speaker, Rt. Hon. (Barr.) John Gaul Lebo.
There is no gainsaying that the 8th Assembly in Cross River State promises to be the most productive in the history of state legislature in Nigeria and by partnering with the executive and judiciary arm in the state will help achieve the much needed development in the state.
As the 8th Assembly of the Cross River State House of Assembly marks its first year anniversary on the 11th of June, 2016, I urge you to join me as I doff my hat for a young, intelligent and humane leader, Rt. Hon. Barr. John Gaul Lebo, the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly.
I pray God gives him more wisdom, capacity and patience to lead the state legislature in the remaining years. For Cross Riverians, all that is required is your support and good will now and in the next three years.
Best Regards.
Emmanuel Etim
Special Adviser
Research and Strategy
Office of the Hon. Speaker