Lagos State Governor, Mr.
Babatunde Fashola, SAN, on
Thursday faulted President Goodluck
Jonathan, for inviting parents of
abducted Chibok schoolgirls to the
Presidential Villa for the purpose of
sympathising with them.He
described the development as lack
of empathy, saying Jonathan’s
leadership style “has re-defined
empathy by inviting the bereaved
parents to the presidential villa for
commiseration.”Fashola stated this
in Abuja while delivering a lecture on
‘The challenge of Democratic
Governance’ as part of activities to
mark the 50th birthday celebration
of a former Governor of Bayelsa
State, Chief Timipre Sylva. He
insisted that Jonathan’s attitude was
“Truly strange and Truly
unAfrican”He asked, “How does this
sound? ‘Hello neighbour, I heard
you lost your child to abductors.
Please come and see me at home so
I can sympathise with you’.“This is
my paraphrasing of what has so far
transpired. As if this was not bad
enough, the event had been
followed by another round of lies
about whether or not they tried to
give money to the bereaved parents.
For me, it’s a low point for
leadership, it suggests lack of
empathy.”According to him, “The
first lie when the news of the
abduction broke was that all the
abducted girls had been retrieved.
When that was exposed, the next lie
was to raise doubts whether they
were truly missing. “When that was
not enough, they are now telling us
that they know where the children
are. We are prayerfully waiting that
they will bring the children home.”
Fashola, who had earlier canvassed
for the active involvement of the
elite in politics in order to provide
necessary professional skill to drive
the nation’s development, said,
“Until recently, we all used to think
that our national development was
inhibited by the fact that we never
had a university graduate as leader
of any national government in an
executive capacity.“This perhaps
alludes only faintly to the issue of
the elite consensus, but it is not the
same. Thankfully, the myth of
graduate leadership as desirable as
it is, has been exploded now.“We
have two graduates (one zoologist
and an architect) and I think the
majority of Nigerians will tell you
today that their lives are worse off
than they were four years ago.“So
there is more to leadership than a
university degree and educational
qualification. There is character,
vision, courage, empathy,
compassion and many more
attributes that you simply will not
find in a classroom or school. They
are in homes, in communities and
also in the value system of
society.”Fashola therefore
encouraged politicians to make
politics interesting and worth being
participated in by the professional
elite.He said, “Distinguished ladies
and gentlemen, it is still regrettable
that the majority of the members of
our political parties and politicians
do not yet include the critical elite of
our society.“Whether we like it or
not, history has shown that the elite
of any society, especially its
professional cadre, and the very best
of them decide the direction of the
nation when they come to a
consensus about the pathway for
their nation, even if they belong to
different political parties.Where are
all the people who have built things
with their hands in our society?
Where are the founders of the big
banks, businesses, telecoms in our
body politic? Are they just content to
finance and yet remain unwilling to
take the plunge?“Are they willing to
identify with the ruling party in
Abuja, and the party in Government
in their states when they get to their
bases for fear of reprisals?” he
asked.

How does blasting n questioning the administrative style of the commander in chief enhance the developmnt of Lagos State or Nigeria. Our Political office holders should learn how to talk about higher authorities Or equals irrespective of party affiliations because in the long run it reduces the trust n respect the people have on the government Generally

whether Fashola belongs to the opposition or not,he is right.

iyeminifie: How does blasting n questioning the administrative style of the commander in chief enhance the developmnt of Lagos State or Nigeria. Our Political office holders should learn how to talk about higher authorities Or equals irrespective of party affiliations because in the long run it reduces the trust n respect the people have on the government Generally

When higher authority refuses to do that which is right I do not think it is wrong for 'lower' authority to call it to order.
Higher authority my foot.
Which higher authority are you talking about? Is it the higher authority that refused to listen to the cries of millions of Nigerians but responded immediately when a 17 year old Malaysian girl came calling .

kessgreen: whether Fashola belongs to the opposition or not,he is right.

as much as I appreciate fasholas work his an asshole y does he alweys see d negative things gej has done?

iyeminifie: How does blasting n questioning the administrative style of the commander in chief enhance the developmnt of Lagos State or Nigeria. Our Political office holders should learn how to talk about higher authorities Or equals irrespective of party affiliations because in the long run it reduces the trust n respect the people have on the government Generally

stop that trash u are vomiting, Fashola has said nothing he shuldnt have said.

samflexxy: as much as I appreciate fasholas work his an asshole y does he alweys see d negative things gej has done?

that's is the beauty of opposition in politics, besides criticism is meant to make a leader a better person, it helps to bring the best in u out. But honestly do u think the way our president went about the chibok girls things worth commendation?

kessgreen:
whether Fashola belongs to the opposition or not,he is right.

can you still say that today?

Imustreturn:
can you still say that today?

Jonathan invited them to the presidents Villa but Buhari killed them including Bring back our girls. I spit on Oby ezekwesili ugly face.

Danzakidakura:
Jonathan invited them to the presidents Villa but Buhari killed them including Bring back our girls. I spit on Oby ezekwesili ugly face.

lol

See this kettle calling pot black....