By Priscilla Osaje
Advance National Integrity Movement (ANIM) says it remains committed to strengthening and sustaining the unity and progress of the country.
Its National Leader, Dr Abubakar Fakai, said this in Abuja at the National Leadership Retreat themed “Leading with Integrity Building Resilient Leadership for National Rebirth”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the retreat was organised for young leaders across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Fakai said the movement would not allow or compromise anything that tampered with the unity and progress of Nigeria.
According to ANIM leader, the purpose of the retreat is to bring young leaders together to discuss some national issues that have to do with the unity, progress and development of the nation.
“The essence of this programme is for us to sit and agree to unite ourselves to see what we can do to work together. This is imperative because we all believe in the unity of this country.
“We love this country, and we also know that this country loves us more than we love it. So, we cannot allow or compromise anything that will tamper with the unity and progress of this country.
“Irrespective of area politically, business, whatever interests it is, we are taking that aside. What is happening today, we are working towards bringing or closing gaps that is affecting our unity. And I believe we are all committed to this cause.
“After this programme, we are going to roll out the value-added programmes that will be adding value to the unity and progress of this country.
“And we are not looking either from north or from south. So, basically, those are the primary reasons for this meeting.”
Fakai said the movement also planned to profile the committed young leaders in either business or politics.
“This is because I know if we are not part of the system, whatever we feel is wrong, we cannot change it. So, we keep on identifying progressive-minded leaders and we profile them.”
Dr Longji Dambok, the keynote speaker and Chief Officer, Distribution Kingdom Network, said Nigeria and African countries had no leadership problem but they faced problem of integrity in leadership.
Dambok said that leadership in every sense was built upon the three pillars: integrity as a person, integrity as a system and integrity as a culture.
According to him, any attempt to build leadership without them will fail from the start.
“Integrity as a person for any nation to get it right, integrity must first be seen and lived as a personal virtue and lifestyle. Integrity begins with you. It is not merely about having principles or following rules.
“It is about being the embodiment of truth, honesty, and moral uprightness. Some can be principle yet lack genuine integrity because integrity is deeper than principles. It is who you are, not just what you do.
“So, leadership is a reflection of the person behind it. When integrity is missing in the individual, corruption becomes inevitable in the system. In my opinion, integrity is a person and not just a practise.
“And this is one of the things that I believe ANIM is coming to establish. We need a new set of leadership and approach so that even in Nigeria, you must exhibit this at whatever level.”
According to Dambok, the second dimension is integrity as a system.
Even if individuals embody integrity, a nation will still fail if its systems are not built on the same foundation.
“So, integrity as a system means that the structures, institutions, and operations of a country are guided and regulated by ethical values.
“In Nigeria today, systems have become corrupt because integrity has not been institutionalised,” he said.
He said integrity as a culture evolved from a personal virtue and systemic practise into a national culture.
“Culture is simply the way of life of a people. When integrity becomes our culture, then Nigeria will truly rise. We will see a nation where honesty is normal, not exceptional.
“Where lost items are returned. Where people do what is right, not because they are watched, but because it is who they are. Countries like Singapore, Japan thrive today because integrity is deeply rooted in their culture.
“When you go to some of these places, when you lose an item, you will get it. When you keep your phone in a place, you will get it.”
Also speaking, the National Patron of ANIM, Alhaji Nasiru Haladu Danu, emphasised the need for quality leadership that would promote the unity and progress of the country.
Danu said, “When leaders have failed, when leaders have nothing to offer, they go into issue of religion. Some of us are privileged to be a product of Nigeria. Why am I saying that? I was born and brought up in the south, particularly in Rivers State.
“My family lived there for over 75 years. I have an elder brother who is 65 years old. So, I am more rivers than even many of the rivers’ people.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Deji Abdulwahab
