General News
The World Needs Visionary, Courageous Leaders
By Austin Okere
Today’s leaders must be effective communicators who embrace depolarization, paradox, and compassion—and who take action without fear.
- As society faces a range of global challenges, it looks for leaders who can create positive change and share responsibility across sectors.
- Today’s leaders must reject black-and-white thinking, be comfortable with uncertainty, and empathize with others.
- Leaders are distinguished by whether their actions and attitudes are influenced by courage or fear.
Effective leadership plays a critical role in shaping the success of any society or organization. As American author John Maxwell declared, “Everything rises and falls on Leadership”
In our complex and connected world, society faces mounting environmental and humanitarian crises. Leaders must help drive societal change by taking into account not just profits, but also people and the planet. They must help society determine what type of growth is necessary and sustainable and what type of growth we can no longer afford. To accomplish this, today’s leaders need three essential traits:
They must be visionary. Bold, forward-thinking leaders see farther and more clearly than others, often anticipating what lies ahead. They motivate teams to perform at their best.
They must be collaborative. Such leaders encourage a greater diversity of ideas to flourish, and they make sure no one individual or entity shoulders the entire burden of any task. Collaborative leaders know how to share responsibility across all sectors to solve pressing societal challenges.
They must be willing to learn. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and large language models introduce leaders to new challenges on a regular basis. Leaders must be ready to constantly learn, unlearn, and relearn diverse skill sets to keep up with the changes. By embracing innovation and creativity, leaders can move beyond current restrictions and unlock more possibilities, iteratively creating new and improved realities.
Essential Competencies
To discover what qualities accomplished leaders should possess, Ausso Leadership Academy conducted an inquiry in partnership with AACSB. The academy is a mentorship program in Lagos, Nigeria, that I founded for executives and entrepreneurs. Our investigation showed us that leaders must develop capacity in three areas: depolarization, paradox, and compassion. These skills are so important for future leaders that business schools should provide opportunities throughout their curricula for students to develop them.
I speak about these capacities in a YouTube video on the #BusinessInsightsWithAO channel, but here’s a closer look at each one:
Depolarization is the ability to reject black-and-white thinking, embrace complexity, and explore alternative perspectives. It requires self-awareness, an open mind, and a nonjudgmental attitude that allows to engage in meaningful dialogue.
A professor could teach students about depolarization by dividing them into two groups that stand at opposite ends of the room and study a graphic on the floor. From one perspective, the graphic will look like the figure 6; from the other perspective, it will look like the figure 9. Students should discuss how they see the graphic from their position, and then switch sides with their peers.
This exercise teaches students that they must learn to listen to each other, acknowledge their different viewpoints, and find common ground. It shows them that people can create a more peaceful and harmonious world when they come together with respect, empathy, and understanding.
Paradox is the willingness to embrace uncertainty and acknowledge the interdependence of opposing forces. It involves operating with a curious and inquisitive mindset, recognizing personal limitations, and being honest with ourselves and others.
A faculty member could teach the concept of paradox by giving all students pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that depicts an elephant. Based on the pieces in their hands, students should try to guess what the whole image is. Those who see only the tail might think they’re looking at a rope; those who see only the thick legs might think they’re looking at a tree. The true image only emerges when all the pieces are put together.
Through this exercise, students are invited to explore the complexities of the human experience. They learn that sometimes the things that seem irreconcilable can be connected in ways that are not immediately apparent.
Compassion is the capacity to empathize with and understand different cultural backgrounds and personal experiences. It necessitates maintaining a broad perspective, avoiding confirmation bias, and striving to understand as well as to be understood.
Compassionate leaders radiate warmth, kindness, and understanding; they exude a sense of serenity that eases the burdens of those around them. Quite often, a high-performance member of the team falls on challenging times and simply needs an empathetic ear. If the compassionate leader offers a comforting word, the team member will feel a sense of hope, knowing that someone is willing to help.
To teach compassion, a professor can ask students what they would do if a team member dropped the ball on an important project. The class is likely to respond that the colleague should be removed from the team. Then the professor should remind the class that the individual is historically a high performer and suggest that the person might be going through some personal difficulties. At this point, students might view the situation differently and conclude that they should support their team member through this tough patch by showing compassion.
The Importance of Generative Listening
In addition to developing these crucial capacities, leaders must possess the ability to communicate effectively. Communication is always a two-way track, and the key part is generative listening, which happens when people listen intently, with curiosity and openness, to what each person has to say. Generative listening is not about waiting for a preconceived answer, but about creating spaces where others can feel heard, valued, and understood.
Generative listeners are not just waiting for their turn to speak, but truly seeking to understand and learn from each other. They offer words of encouragement, support, and affirmation, making each person feel safe to share their thoughts and feelings. They reflect back what they hear, ask thoughtful questions that deepen the conversation, and create spaces of respect and authenticity.
To become empathetic listeners, leaders must quiet the voices of judgment, cynicism, and fear and open themselves to the expectation of learning something new. They must step outside themselves, realizing that the truth is more conditional and experiential than their lone egos can fathom. Sometimes leaders are so arrogant that they are fully confident in their own incorrect views. Their need to be right trounces their need to learn what is true. But truth is the essential foundation for producing good outcomes.
A professor can teach generative listening by having students imagine a mathematics classroom for children. In this class, the teacher presents an addition problem to a young student named Mary: “If I give you these two apples and then I give you two more, how many apples will you have?” Mary confidently replies, “Five.” Instead of chiding Mary for her incorrect answer, the teacher should ask how she came up with that number. At that point, the teacher would learn that Mary already has an apple in the lunch bag that her mother packed.
Professors also can show students the power of generative listening by inviting them to share their experiences and learn from each other.
An Analysis of Leadership Attitudes
As a leadership consultant and an entrepreneur-in-residence at Columbia Business School in New York City, I spend a great deal of time considering the traits that distinguish leaders from each other. I have determined that one critical quality is their attitudes toward delivery (producing the desired goods and services) and accountability (taking responsibility for how the work gets done). Are their attitudes influenced by courage or by fear?
To be continued
Federal High Court in Lagos has declined Access Bank Plc’s request to freeze the bank accounts of MTN Nigeria Communications Plc over a disputed N180.95 billion debt claim linked to a long-expired infrastructure-sharing deal with now-defunct Multi-Links Telecommunications.
Justice Akintayo Aluko, ruling on an ex parte application filed by Access Bank and three companies in receivership, Multi-Links Telecommunications Limited, Capcom Telecoms Limited, and Cyancom Limited, refused to issue an interim order freezing MTN’s funds.
The judge held that MTN must first be given an opportunity to be heard before any such drastic action is taken.
Access Bank, through its counsel Mr. Kunle Ogunba (SAN), had requested an interim injunction restraining MTN from withdrawing or tampering with funds across all its accounts in Nigeria up to the amount of N180.95 billion.
The bank claimed this figure represents a long-standing debt owed by MTN to Multi-Links.
As part of the orders sought, the applicants also requested that all financial institutions in Nigeria be directed to disclose, under oath, the balances in MTN’s accounts within seven days.
The suit, marked FHC/L/CS/1004/2025, essentially sought to lock down MTN’s funds pending the determination of the main suit.
However, Justice Aluko ruled that, while the plaintiffs presented a seemingly compelling case, MTN must be allowed to respond.
“Due to the peculiar nature of the case and the potential implications of the orders sought, especially in light of MTN’s correspondence marked ‘MTN 17,’ the defendant must be heard before any orders are granted,” the judge said, according to ThisDay Newspaper.
The court ordered MTN to appear and show cause within five days, with the case adjourned to June 23, 2025, for further proceedings.
According to Nairametric, at the heart of the dispute is a fibre-sharing agreement between MTN and Multi-Links dating back over a decade, sources say.
The deal gave both parties “irrefutable rights of use” of each other’s fibre infrastructure for 10 years, expiring in 2024.
However, due to financial and operational setbacks, Multi-Links reportedly underutilised MTN’s infrastructure while MTN made significant use of Multi-Links’ network.
As Multi-Links spiralled into financial distress, the company went into receivership under the control of Diamond Bank. Before it folded, Multi-Links attempted to sell its fibre assets to MTN, but negotiations collapsed over pricing disagreements.
Years later, a company named Hoop Telecoms emerged, claiming to have acquired Multi-Links’ fibre infrastructure. However, Hoop reportedly disclaimed any responsibility for Multi-Links’ past liabilities. Despite this, the company billed MTN nearly N170 billion, retroactively charging for years prior to its supposed acquisition of the assets.
MTN flatly rejected the demand, estimating its actual obligation under the original agreement at just over N1 billion.
The telecoms firm also took the matter to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which reportedly found that Hoop Telecoms lacked a valid telecom licence and thus had no legal standing to make such claims.
The situation grew more complex after Access Bank acquired Diamond Bank in 2019, thereby assuming control of Multi-Links’ receivership. According to sources familiar with the case, Access Bank aligned itself with Hoop Telecoms’ claims and pushed for a legal settlement, which MTN resisted.
One insider told Nairametrics that several vested interests, including political actors, saw the claim as an opportunity to pressure MTN into a payout.
“There was talk that pushing MTN to pay could benefit everyone involved,” the source said. “But MTN stood its ground and sought legal protection.”
Caught in this web of legal and commercial ambiguity, MTN sought a court’s protection.
But to the company’s surprise, Access Bank approached a court seeking a Mareva injunction, a legal order to freeze MTN’s accounts across Nigerian banks to the tune of N180.95 billion. Such orders are typically issued when a plaintiff fears the defendant may dissipate assets to frustrate judgment enforcement.
Insiders suggest that Access Bank may not have been fully briefed on the intricate history and legal background of the Multi-Links-MTN arrangement and might now be reconsidering its position.
According to one source, MTN and Access Bank have since opened lines of communication to explore an amicable resolution of the matter.
The judge’s refusal to grant the Mareva injunction offers MTN some short-term relief, but the legal battle is far from over.
The company now has until June 23 to respond formally and argue why the court should not freeze its accounts.
MTN declined to comment when contacted, stating that the case is subjudice. Access Bank has yet to respond to Nairametrics’ enquiry as of press time.
While the final outcome remains to be seen, the case raises deeper questions about the enforcement of legacy telecom agreements, the legal risks around receivership claims, and the influence of non-commercial interests in high-stakes disputes.
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group has approved a financing package of up to $184.1 million to support the development of the Obelisk 1-gigawatt solar photovoltaic project and 200MWh battery energy storage system in Egypt, which will be Africa’s largest solar power plant.
Located in Qena Governorate in southern Egypt, the project entails the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of a photovoltaic power plant with an integrated battery energy storage system. The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company will be the sole off-taker under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement.
The project’s total cost is estimated at more than $590 million. The Bank Group’s financing package includes $125.5 million of ordinary resources, as well as concessional funding from Bank Group-managed Special Funds the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) worth $20 million, and the Canada-African Development Bank Climate Fund ($18.6 million), a partnership of the Bank Group and the Government of Canada.
A further $20 million will come from the Climate Investment Funds’ Clean Technology Fund, with additional financing to be mobilized from a consortium of development finance institutions.
Under Egypt’s Nexus of Water, Food, and Energy (NWFE) platform, Obelisk has been granted a Golden License by the government, which recognizes it as a strategic initiative that will contribute to addressing Egypt’s energy constraints and advancing its energy transition.
Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, said “the Obelisk solar project is another important milestone for Egypt under the energy pillar of the NWFE program which has since its launch in November 2022 at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh delivered 4.2 GW of privately financed renewable energy investments, worth about $4 billion, with the support of partners such as the Africa Development Bank.
“The goal of NWFE’s energy pillar is to add 10 GW of renewable energy capacity with investments of approximately $10 billion, and phase out 5 GW of fossil fuel power generation by 2030.”
The project, expected to be fully operational by the third quarter of 2026, will generate an estimated 2,772 gigawatt-hours of clean, reliable, and affordable energy annually to the national grid. The battery energy storage system will help meet peak evening demand with renewable power while also mitigating the variability of solar power generation.
The project is expected to reduce annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by approximately one million tons and create about 4,000 jobs during construction and 50 permanent jobs during operation, with a special focus on women and youth employment.
“Obelisk is another landmark development under NWFE that leverages on Egypt’s and the African Development Bank’s leadership as well as commitment to harnessing the country’s renewable energy to enhance the resilience of the country’s energy supply to meet its fast-growing energy demand sustainably,” said Kevin Kariuki, African Development Bank Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth.
“This project also contributes to Egypt’s ambition of producing 42 percent of its power generation capacity from renewable energy sources by 2030 while spurring economic growth and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,”
Ambassador of Canada to the Arab Republic of Egypt Ulric Shannon said: “Canada is proud to support solar energy development in Egypt. This initiative is a meaningful step toward enhancing energy security and stability, with direct benefits for the Egyptian people.
“We are pleased to collaborate with the African Development Bank and other partners in supporting Egypt’s transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy.”
The Obelisk Solar Project aligns with the African Development Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy, its New Deal on Energy for Africa, and its Country Strategy Paper for Egypt as well as SEFA’s strategic framework which aims to accelerate African countries energy transition by increasing the share of renewables and catalyzing commercial capital mobilization in the power sector. The project also advances Egypt’s commitment to achieve 42 percent generation capacity from renewable energy sources by 2030.
“This project exploits the abundant renewable energy potential in Africa and demonstrates how strong partnerships and innovative solutions contribute to balancing three core objectives in the energy sector, namely energy security, affordability, and sustainable economic development,” said Wale Shonibare, Director of Energy Financial Solutions, Policy, and Regulation at the African Development Bank. “It has high potential for replicability across the continent.”
Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) have pledged to deepen collaboration in key national development areas, including geospatial data infrastructure, satellite technology, communication sector regulation, and population census operations.
This was the outcome of a high-level meeting held on Tuesday at the headquarters of OSGOF in Abuja, where Abudulganiyu Adeyemi Adebomehin, surveyor General of the Federation, received Dr. Matthew Adepoju, director general of NASRDA, and his management team.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by Henry David, head, Information and Public Relations, Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, titled ‘SGOF Pledges To Support NASRDA For Optimal Performance.’
According to the statement, the discussions at the meeting focused on the impact of upstream and downstream operations in Nigeria’s communication sector, challenges of mast proliferation near residential areas, and the broader implications for public health. Both agencies expressed concern over the unregulated installation of communication infrastructure and its potential link to rising cancer rates.
“The downstream sector of communication companies involves placing signal-receiving stations within living communities, which poses significant health risks due to radiation,” the two agencies said in a joint position. “Co-location of infrastructure, as practised in developed countries like the UK and US, should be adopted here to reduce radiation exposure.”
The two agencies called for stronger regulation of telecommunication operators, noting that television and radio signal disruptions—commonplace in Nigeria—are largely due to a lack of oversight, a situation that does not persist in countries with stringent telecom regulations.
Addressing issues of national data management, the agencies stressed the critical need for collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC) in the upcoming national census. “Without the input of NASRDA and OSGOF, the census will remain speculative,” they jointly noted.
On geospatial data, both parties resolved to work together to strengthen the National Geospatial Data Infrastructure, which they described as vital for national planning and development.
In his remarks, Surveyor General Adebomehin expressed firm support for NASRDA’s initiatives. “I will defend NASRDA to the best of my ability. If you need software engineers, we have capable hands here,” he said. “Keep encouraging your staff. Behind every successful organisation in the world, you will find Nigerians. We are in full support of your mission.”
Adebomehin urged NASRDA to engage the Presidency directly in acquiring high-precision satellite systems. “You need a satellite that can deliver accuracy of less than 10 centimetres,” he said. “This will reduce the government’s losses from MDAs sourcing satellite services externally.”
Duniya Magaji Joseph, director of Geodesy at OSGOF, called for improved inter-agency collaboration, especially with the military. “Anytime the military collaborates with OSGOF, the outcome is always better,” he said. “We need to overcome the tendency to work in silos driven by funding concerns and instead focus on joint advantages.”
NASRDA’s DG, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, said his agency is working with the Ministry of Steel Development on mineral exploration projects, including the identification of new sites for raw materials such as steel and limestone. He stressed the importance of OSGOF’s technical input in these initiatives.
“We’ve agreed to support the Ministry of Steel Development in identifying new resource locations,” Adepoju said. “But I don’t want NASRDA to go it alone. We want OSGOF fully involved so that roles are clearly defined, and the synergy is more impactful.”
To mark the visit, NASRDA presented symbolic gifts, including a plaque and a vest, to the Surveyor General in appreciation of OSGOF’s commitment to partnership.
The meeting, held in Abuja, concluded with both agencies reaffirming their shared mandate to support national development through technology, data integration, and inter-agency cooperation.
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