Author : Okey Iheduru
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (137 download)
Book Synopsis Leadership, Critical Thinking and Social Cohesion in Nigeria by : Okey Iheduru
Download or read book Leadership, Critical Thinking and Social Cohesion in Nigeria written by Okey Iheduru and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper contributes to the debate about the role of transformational leadership in national development by exploring how the principles of "critical thinking" could be infused into the process of education and training of future transformational leaders in Nigeria, with particular focus on early career military officers. I argue that a “crisis of leadership” or leadership failure has afflicted Nigeria and, indeed much of Africa, since independence. This crisis of leadership is traceable to the lack of, or the inadequate prior preparation of those who suddenly found themselves in leadership roles; and more fittingly, due to the failure of those who were ostensibly prepared both through education and training but failed to rise to the occasion and provide the kind of leadership expected of them. Pursuant to these theses, therefore, the paper first conceptualizes “leadership” and “critical thinking,” situating the latter concept within the theory of liberal education from where it is derived. This is followed with a discussion of the relationship or nexus between leadership and critical thinking. Critical thinking leadership which often results in the dismantling of existing, comfortable order, however, comes at a huge cost, to both the arrow head of change and to the subjects of change, especially if the new social order fails to achieve results or gain following by the intended beneficiaries. These costs are explored in the third section of the paper. What kinds of questions might we ask and what issues could be interrogated should the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) and civil authorities embrace and embed the principles of critical thinking into the leadership education and training curriculum of their academies and tertiary institutions? These questions are explored in the penultimate section. The paper ends with some remarks about the constraints and opportunities for embracing the worldwide movement towards the infusion of critical thinking in any serious project of leadership formation for the twenty-first century.
