One of the most critical requirements of being at the elm of affairs is that the one so entrusted with the responsibilities of leadership must be prepared and able to reach tough decisions. As a leader, you will often find yourself at the crossroads of hard choices in any area of discipline you find yourself, be it political or private life. The CEO of a blue-chip company knows it takes more than a smile to move the organization forward. And a political leader, the governor of a state, for example, will bring no worthwhile transformation if he is not revolutionary in his thinking.

It’s no luxury being the leader and calling the shots, make no mistake about that. It is a high responsibility that the morally and ethically weak cannot succeed in. The leader should not be seen to be pushed about by people or circumstances. Like a military commander in the field of battle, the leader must reach hard decisions quickly or the battle is lost.

The case of a political leader is even more complicated. Take for instance, the governor of a state like Lagos; he leads on a larger scale, and is expected to fix the state without stepping on toes and ruffling feathers, which makes his job all the more precarious. Yet, he has to succeed in his job.

But I have heard it said by many critics that the policies of government need to be fair. The leader in a sane society like ours wants to be fair in the discharge of his duty. He however cannot be fair to all party concerned, for many reasons. He would fail if his goal is fairness in all aspects, and the very people to whom he was being ‘fair’ would in future list his regime in the annals of ‘Failed Governments’.

The nature of man is dynamic as it is unpredictable. Moods change over time. The leader who doesn't know or admit this will find that he will create a system that will self-destruct. It will only be a matter of time.

If you were elected governor today, one of the first things you will discover is that, to do a fine job, you will have to reach decisions that are hard and unsavoury, but always for the greater good. It wasn't easy clearing up Oshodi market. Hundreds of people who made their living by trading along the roads and sidewalks were affected. The ban on Okada was a tough call, but sooner or later, it’s something that has to be done, so why not now? In expanding many major roads, building foot bridges and clearing out riverine communities, many people lost their homes and lands to the government. Sadly. But change is always difficult. We have to do away with the old to get the new. We have come too far as a people to still be wallowing in the pool of lame excuses. People want results, not excuses. And results come by taking resolute steps. The system is not perfect yet, granted. Indeed, there’re no perfect systems anywhere in the world. Even in the so-called developed economies, their citizens still complain about unfair government policies.

So what is fairness of government policies? Is the elected leader expected to stand back and let everyone have their way because he doesn't want the state to fall to bits, or because he wants to secure votes for his party in coming elections? Is the APC government of Lagos State unfair to the people of the State because of their resolve to create a better Lagos State? Is Governor Fashola suddenly inhuman because he would leave behind a Lagos that is today rated as one of the fastest growing cities in the world? Don’t we all love the new face of Lagos State?

The governor must govern with a human face, but he must not be permissive. We should collectively aspire for a society that we can all be proud of, a state that we can say we built together. The journey may seem far fetched, and truly, some people will have to pay the price. Some jobs will have to be sacrificed, unfortunately. But there will always be more and better ways of living, if we dare to open our eyes and explore new and positive paths to prosperity.

When we look back 10 or 20 years from today, will we be proud of the state that we have created? Will our children’s children thank us for the state that they will inherent, or will they quickly cast the memory of us aside?

In our quiet corners, let us search our hearts and ask ourselves: “What kind of society do we really want?” A disorganized, lawless state lacking direction?

Today, Lagos is beautiful and more economically prosperous. It is a state where everyone can lawfully become prosperous; a state that we all call ‘home’. Truly, there’s still more to do, and one government cannot solve all the problems. But on an objective scale, this present government has done well. We must all constantly reach for change wholeheartedly, no matter what it takes. Then, only then, will change come.