Personality Friday With Mimi
'Reason I call myself a servant leader and not an autocratic leader' Flexy
Good day sir. This is Personality Friday With Mimi. Can we meet you?
I am Akindele Emmanuel Akinyele.
A student of Animal Production and Health from Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), currently in 300 level.
Can you tell us the posts 'Flexy of FUNAAB' has handled?
I served as the NAASIEC (National Associations of Agricultural Student Independent Electoral commission ) PRO 17/18.
Currently serving as the General Head of Class for 300 level, the Assistant General Secretary of FUNAABSU and also a member of the Student Court of Appeal.
Of what benefit has leading people been to you?
Thank you very much. Actually, I've benefited a lot from leading people.
Most expecially in school, it has made me realize we have different set of people coming from different background which doesn't stop me from treating them equally.
Also, it has helped in building my self confidence and courage to stand before people no matter the number.
What's the highest challenge you've faced while leading?
So far so good, my highest challenge was a time I had to bring H.O.Cs together when I organized a programme tagged 'H.O.Cs Summit' which was the first of it kind in FUNAAB.
Also, I've had challenges like waking up to see series of insults in my dm from my level mates, most especially my departmental mates but I accept it based on the fact that we're coming from different backgrounds and you have to be tolerable as a leader. Reason I call myself a servant leader and not an autocratic leader.
Different challenges but we learn to move and grow up with those challenges which is making us who we are today.
To you, what is leadership all about?
Thank you very much for that lovely question.
I believe leadership is service to humanity and not having selfish/personal interest, having hidden agenda and being self-centered.
It is disheartening nowadays some people don't go there to serve but for selfish/personal interest, popularity sake and all that. Imagine someone going for a leadership post and not having self control, not being cultured, not controllable and not disciplined. This is because most have a negative understanding of what leadership is. As I said earlier, I believe leadership is service to humanity.
What can you say about those who buy votes?
You want to be a leader and you go ahead to buy votes? That's awkward! That way, it's more like a 'by fire by force' something. Your handwork should tell if you worth it or not.
The set of people who buy votes are those who are power intoxicated, ready to do anything to make sure they're in leadership post and go as far as threatening people.
How do you respond to criticism?
I love criticisms. I'm open to critics but one thing I detest most is backbiting.
If you want to criticize me, you come up to me and say your own while I tell you my reasons for doing what I did. If you're fine with it, we're cool and if you're not, we do the needful.
Respect is reciprocal. I'm a servant leader doesn't warrant you to use the advantage to disrespect me. There are different ways by which you can address issues and we'd sort it out.
How do you handle disagreement with co-leaders?
I tend to have a listening ear when it comes to the issue of disagreement. There's a saying that we agree to disagree and disagree to agree. I'll only concor or go in line with you if what we're disagreeing on is for the benefit of the populace and not for personal interest.
What motivated you to be a leader?
Nobody motivated me. I motivated myself.
Why? It's because I believe if you're in the best position to render assistance to people but you keep calm without doing it, someone not worth it would come up and take over whereby you have to take whatever comes out of it like that.
It's not that I forced myself, it's an inbuilt trait I can't hide. I don't like a situation whereby people would be suffering from something I'm in the best position to do. Reason I give it a trial to see how it'll work out.
One thing I believe is that your handwork speaks about you most. I motivate myself to keep doing the right thing so that when the right time comes, my handwork would speak and people would see I'm worth it.
What do you have to say to young ones interested in going for leadership posts?
First of all, I tend to notice that most young ones now trying to go for leadership posts are not just going there for the interest of people but for selfish and personal interest.
Also, they've been overwhelmed by the word leadership without really understanding what it means. Most of them believe they're leaders and have the right to control anyhow.
Most of them have a wrong impression of what leadership is all about cos they get to be misled by their so called mentors.
My advice is for them to be calm, have a listening ear, be able to tolerate people from different background, not to be an autocratic leader, not to be self-centered, letting your handwork speak for you and not you forcing yourself on people, don't be overshadowed by pride and they should know what they're going there for.
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