Leaders from all walks of life in the South West Region (NGOs, associations, educational establishments, managers, representatives from youth groups and youths) converged in Buea, Saturday March 6th for a one-day capacity building seminar on leadership in the conference hall of capitol hotel.

Organised by the Twenty-first Century Visionary and multidimensional organisation, Nation Builders International, the event featured as main speaker, the globalist, educator and author of more than fifty publications and chief executive officer of Nation Builders International, Dr. Benard Etta.
The summit, which had as theme “THE CHALLENGE OF LEADERSHIP”, was characterised by motivational talks on topics such as defining leadership in the context and perspective of the 21st century, qualities of a leader, the challenge of leadership (theme of the summit), as well as other  key elements relating to the concept.
Dr. Benard Etta remarked that leaders are not followers, though they are developed through a process of followership; as such, their place is “ahead”. They are supposed to be pathfinders, road makers, ground breakers and pacesetters for the future. He challenged participants to develop pioneering skills, have a positive vision, be creative and not be limited to followership.

The resource person identified the motivation to bring about change, raising other leaders and the issue of succession as the key challenges in leadership. He added that it is through these that, people can move beyond followership, move ahead,  be the path-way to national transformation and above all, be veritable instruments in this generation, who will make their mark in the 21st century.

Interestingly, the March 6th Buea Summit is just one in a series of national seminars and conferences to be organised by the Nation Builders International. A similar event has been scheduled to take place from the 20th – 21st of March 2010 at Muyaka. The seminar, which will begin at 5pm daily, and is free and opened to the public, has been captioned “Moving forward”. This will be followed by a host of others, before the grand rendezvous, “Vision 2010 Global Leadership Conference on the 21st Century”, billed for November 15th-21st 2010 in Yaoundé Cameroon.

BUEA 2010
Leaders from all walks of life in the South West Region (NGOs, associations, educational establishments, managers, representatives from youth groups and youths) converged in Buea, Saturday March 6th for a one-day capacity building seminar on leadership in the conference hall of capitol hotel.

Organised by the Twenty-first Century Visionary and multidimensional organisation, Nation Builders International, the event featured as main speaker, the globalist, educator and author of more than fifty publications and chief executive officer of Nation Builders International, Dr. Benard Etta.
The summit, which had as theme “THE CHALLENGE OF LEADERSHIP”, was characterised by motivational talks on topics such as defining leadership in the context and perspective of the 21st century, qualities of a leader, the challenge of leadership (theme of the summit), as well as other  key elements relating to the concept.
Dr. Benard Etta remarked that leaders are not followers, though they are developed through a process of followership; as such, their place is “ahead”. They are supposed to be pathfinders, road makers, ground breakers and pacesetters for the future. He challenged participants to develop pioneering skills, have a positive vision, be creative and not be limited to followership.

The resource person identified the motivation to bring about change, raising other leaders and the issue of succession as the key challenges in leadership. He added that it is through these that, people can move beyond followership, move ahead,  be the path-way to national transformation and above all, be veritable instruments in this generation, who will make their mark in the 21st century.

Interestingly, the March 6th Buea Summit is just one in a series of national seminars and conferences to be organised by the Nation Builders International. A similar event has been scheduled to take place from the 20th – 21st of March 2010 at Muyaka. The seminar, which will begin at 5pm daily, and is free and opened to the public, has been captioned “Moving forward”. This will be followed by a host of others, before the grand rendezvous, “Vision 2010 Global Leadership Conference on the 21st Century”, billed for November 15th-21st 2010 in Yaoundé Cameroon.
I- How should Leadership be defined in the 21st Century?

Leadership should be defined differently in the 21st century in relation to the peculiarities of the 21st century.

II- The 21st century is a leadership century
Every first decade of a century is a leadership decade and every first century of a millennium is the leadership century of that millennium. The breakthroughs of each leadership century would determine both life and the affairs of humanity in the future of that millennium. The failure of humanity in each first century of a millennium to make the right discoveries and to establish the paths for operations in the future will have terrible consequences as mankind will step into the future as blind horses, without direction and wisdom to cope with future opportunities, challenges and responsibilities.

III- Leadership Generation
A leadership generation is that generation which begins every new millennium. Each leadership generation is supposed to be a visionary generation. They are to be path finders, road makers, ground breakers and pace setters for those in the future. So much responsibility is levied on each leadership generation thus; the negative would prevail if this generation of people substitutes their destiny for trivial issues.
Most of the unprecedented calamities humanity faced in the pass centuries and millenniums were as a result of the failure of their leadership generations. Will this generation be counted as a failure or a success; this will depend on what we brace ourselves to do in this last ninety years of the 21st century.

IV-Defining leadership in the 21st century
Leadership is different from followership, to properly define leadership, the difference between leadership and followership must be taken into consideration. What is followership? Followership comes from the root word follow, which means to go after or come after something. It is very important to note that, every leadership success is traceable to successful followership. This implies, followership is not a destination but a process of leadership development. It is not also the purpose of leadership; leaders don't produce followers as the ultimate, leaders produce other leaders. Thus, the test of leadership is not in the numbers of followers but in the number of leaders developed and trained.

V- What is Leadership?
Leadership is the opposite of followership, which is to be ahead. What does it means to be ahead? The answer to this question brings out the characteristics of true leadership.
a- Vision: Leaders are visionaries that is, they see, think, imagine and plan ahead. What type of leader are you?
b- Standard of life: Leaders should be ahead in terms of standard of life. This is actually the greatest leadership test. (NB) Leaders are humans and can also make mistakes. A mistake in life is not a disqualification but perpetual malpractices.
c- Creator: Leaders create their own universe. They start things, launch projects and have an entrepreneurial and pioneering life style.

VI- What is leadership challenge?
Leadership challenge is in three dimensions
-The challenge to bring about change
-The challenge of raising other leaders
-the challenge of succession

VII- The making of a leader
-Life struggles
-Education and research
-Work/service
-Mentorship
-Divine enablement

VIII- Discovery of leadership potential
-Find your passion
-Learn from others with similar passions
-Start something
-Use failure as your trainer
ORDER YOUR VCD COPIES OF THIS LECTURE
info@nationbuildersint.org