By Keem Abdul There’s a famous Hollywood movie titled, ‘The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner.’ Based on a short story of that title by the English writer Alan Sillitoe, it talks about delinquent young man who takes to long-distance running in order to free himself from the pressures and expectations of his society – and especially of the peer pressure which has so often led him into trouble with the law. Sillitoe gives his character the ability to achieve his purpose without the pressures of a team – hence the use of the term, ‘loneliness.
’ Leadership, too, is a marathon and an awfully lonely business – especially if you’re a visionary with your eyes fixed on the bigger picture and you’re willing to sacrifice instant gratification for long-term and ultimately lasting gain. It’s a lonely business if you have decided not to be a people-pleaser, prone to being blown here and there by the often changing winds of popular opinion – and even more so if you’re at the head of a team comprising members who are not completely on board with your vision. Recent media stories making the rounds, to the effect that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is on the verge of a major cabinet shake-up that would effectively rid his cabinet of certain ministers who have been described in various quarters as ‘dead woods’ and ‘square pegs in round holes’, etc, seems to suggest that the President has come to the understanding that though these appointees may have had thei.
