By Comrade Adebayo Clement
THE Constitution of our union gives us leverages over those who lead us. It made it a point of duty for all financial member to see to the way in which the affairs of the union is been conducted.
Even with this provision in the constitution, I wonder why so many people refused to speak up even when the constitution is been trampled upon.
For any successful organization, the principle of separation of powers with checks and balances is paramount. If power is concentrated in the hands of a single person, it will surely lead to tyranny.
From the national executives to the shop floor members, there seems to be a great conspiracy of silence even when things are falling apart. Everyone decides to go mute to avoid the consequences of speaking. That is why I decided to the theme of messianic complex and how it is affecting us in NUFBTE.
Back to NUFBTE, our current president was a man of honour. He came at a time when there would have been crisis in the union. Everyone supported him. He did a great job for the union in the last twelve years he has been the president. But like every uncareful past leaders, power has a way of deafening those who have it. He also fell victim to himself and suffered from the same syndrome of messianic complex. A man highly regarded suddenly developed the messianic complex.
History has thought us that many of our leaders usually have good intentions from the beginning. Mugabe was a freedom fighter in Zimbabwe before losing focus. Gaddafi of Libya was said to be a reformist. Mobutu was also acclaimed to be a reformist from the beginning. All the above past leaders ended up being tyrants and oppressors. How did a liberator suddenly become the oppressor? How did Saviour suddenly become our accuser? The change happened with time and with connivance of the financial members and crumble pickers within the table of power.
Leaders who once promised to liberate people to gain power suddenly became the abuser of human rights and freedom! This transformation is what I termed messianic complex. Messianic complex is a process where a leader who enjoys the acceptance of majority of citizens to reform a country/organization/union suddenly sees himself as the only Saviour who can lead the people all the time.
Prominent among the characteristics of a messianic complex leader is perpetuation in office – the urge to continue irrespective of anyone’s opinion.
All the leaders mentioned above have the complex and none wanted to leave until people started talking. They are sit-tight leaders who are eventually disgraced out.
Such leaders suddenly realized that they are the only ones that can provide the right leadership. They are the only persons that matter. It is a disease and the only cure sometimes, if not all the time, is disgrace.
Among the attributes of messianic complex leaders are: they have best opinions, have the greatest ideas, control virtually everything except themselves, crushing all opposition, endless desire for endless tenure and Saviour mentality.
Many factors are responsible this. Few among them are: conspiracy of silence of financial contributors and serving executives; the crumbs pickers around the table of power will always saying good things that only please the leaders; listen only to the self-centred advisers; leaders are told to go on irrespective of peoples welfare or lack of it; leaders are separated from the led and leaders only appreciate cheer-leaders and praise singers around them.
Other factors include crushing of perceived enemies; every contrary opinion is a traitor; fashioning of a slogan of 100% loyalty to the leaders and crushing of all vestiges of separation of powers. These scenarios eventually make leaders develop messianic complex.
Many don’t even know that people with this syndrome are the victims but we see them otherwise. They have been caged by power. They need help and that is why people must speak out. Speaking out is to help the captive leaders.
Was this the way he started? The answer is capital NO! He developed the messianic complex through the conspiracy of silence within the people who are close to the seat of power. Everyone wants to be in the good books of the President. Everyone wants to serve the interest of the President. What happens to the interest of the financial members?
Back to NUFBTE, our current president was a man of honour. He came at a time when there would have been crisis in the union. Everyone supported him. He did a great job for the union in the last twelve years he has been the president. But like every uncareful past leaders, power has a way of deafening those who have it. He also fell victim to himself and suffered from the same syndrome of messianic complex. A man highly regarded suddenly developed the messianic complex.
Today, the only voice that matters is the president’s. The president determines who is who in the union. He determines the decision of NAC, NEC and even delegates conference.
What is right in Company A will be wrong in Company B in as much as it serves the interest of the president only. He determines who follows redundancy and who stay especially when it comes to the executives. National officer was even added to redundancy in some companies and exempted from others.
The constitution of our union was single-handedly reviewed and submitted by the president. The branches and states receive their rebates only when it pleases the president. The union investment is the sole responsibility of the president and his cronies. What a powerful president we have! Any difference of opinion is termed enemy of the union.
Les I forget, happy 60th birthday to our President. Rumours have it that the retirement age in his company was raised to 63 just to serve his interest only. I don’t have problem in the guidelines on retirement of any company; I just think it should not be done to serve the interest of an entity. The workers interest overrides the personal interest of an individual.
Was this the way he started? The answer is capital NO! He developed the messianic complex through the conspiracy of silence within the people who are close to the seat of power. Everyone wants to be in the good books of the President. Everyone wants to serve the interest of the President. What happens to the interest of the financial members?
Who dares challenge the President? Everyone around the President has been emasculated. He has dealt a blow to all and sundry. Will a retired national officer challenge him? I wonder whose interests the retired national officers who are still members of the present NAC are serving. Are they representing the staff of company they are not working for? Can they talk? Never! Hope they won’t be angry anyway, but the intention is clear.
So we need to help cure the syndrome being experienced by our serving National President. I personally love and salute his courage. But power has a way of dealing with its occupants; it makes them see every critic as enemy. I hope am not one to my boss?
How can this be cured? It involves each and every one of us. We must stop being silent. Let’s correct our leader to be upright. We are doing more disservice to our union by keeping silent. A fast way to correct this anomaly is separation of powers with checks and balances.
According to our union’s constitution, the position of General Secretary is very clear and unambiguous. He is the Chief Executive Officer of the Union. He serves the purpose of being a check on the elected executives as the head of administration. Over the years, the president has bullied and caged all the General Secretaries that served under him. He has virtually turned them to errand boys. Those who refused are being threatened of removal, sack or both.
Can anyone explain why the reviewed constitution of our union is not seen by anyone except the president? It is because the president has rendered the position irrelevant. No union or organisation will thrive when there is none that can challenge the hegemony of the overbearing executive organ. Why are people silent? I wonder but it seems they have all lost their voice through the eating of crumbs that fell off the table of power.
For this union to progress, we need people with ideas. We need leaders with listening ears. We need leaders that are opened to criticism. We need separation of powers. The offices of the President and General Secretary are not the same. Each should function effectively for the progress of all.
This article is intended to challenge members to speak up and call our attention to the dirt in the system. It is intended to make correction to the mistakes we all made in the past and cure the disease of Messianic complex inherent in our current system. Let’s open our mouths and talk.
It has never been proven by medics that a coward lives longer than the brave. Posterity won’t forgive us if we remain silent or neutral in the fase of injustice.
Let me end this write up with a quotation from Afro-beat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti; “Truth is bitter, many hate to listen to it, but whether people want it or not, I will say my own, you can’t shut my mouth.”
I hope I have not broken the bees nest. Make I stop here, I refused to be silent.
Comrade Adebayo is Food Union’s Branch Secretary, Nestle.
