Days Of ‘The End Justifies The Means’ Is Over In Governance – Fashola

A former Minister for Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said that the days of “the end justifies the means” is no longer a standard practice in governance in this era.

He noted that a leader must do the right thing even if the consequences do not go down well with the population.

Fashola spoke on Wednesday at the first Lagos Leadership Summit, organised by Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy (LJLA).

The former Lagos State governor said that any policy, project or programme of interest to the generality of the people, should be implemented by the government irrespective of oppositions or consequences.

He said: “Days of the end justifies the means can no longer be the gold standard for governance any more. The process must be as important as the result. I subscribe to enjoyment after adversity because I have had introspection on every sustainable success story we have had, not one of them had not been built on the foundation of adversity.

“Therefore, if the utilitarian value of any policy, project or programme being pursued by the government serves the greatest good to the greatest number of people, then the leadership must go for it regardless of the consequences. In years to come, many people would look back and say it was better that we did it the way it was done.”

Also speaking at the event, with the theme: “Leadership and Nigeria’s Future”, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu emphasized the importance of character and competence in leadership.

He said the summit was initiated with the objective to create an engaging platform for young people to channel their energy, knowledge and creativity to actions that would project their leadership skills.

Sanwo-Olu said: “We believe young people are leaders not only for tomorrow, but today. This idea gave birth to Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy through which we provide opportunities for young leaders to learn, innovate and develop skills that will enable them hone their leadership skills.

“For us, it is not about the contemporary challenges that we face; it is about the innovative ideas and solutions that we will bring about in solving the problems. That is why we all gather here to make you think out of the box, innovate and unleash your leadership potential.

“The quality of output from the Academy has not only shown us that we took the right step, the feedback has been outstanding and we are prepared to create more platforms for robust youth engagement. The country is banking its future on the youth. Character is critical; young people must have the competence and vision to make the changes you want to see.”

The Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, noted that foundation for building a consensus in the community had been jettisoned for individualism.

He said: “The older generation inherited a robust community engagement model that pursued the agenda of the collective. Today, the foundation for engagement is weak and people have moved towards individualism, which has eroded the values of collectivism entrenched in our culture and civilisation.

“In trying to bridge the gap and create robust community engagement, technologies have given us the speed and instantaneous power to drive change within our communities today. We must continue to aggregate what is positive and use it for the best of our communities.”

On her part, Executive Secretary of LJLA, Mrs. Ayisat Agbaje-Okunade, said the summit aimed to forge connections between the old and new generation.

“Our world is evolving at an unprecedented pace and the challenges we face require leaders who are not only capable but compassionate, visionary and adaptable. We believe leadership must transcend rhetoric and manifest tangible outcomes. We need leaders who inspire confidence, foster unity, and drive transformation,” she said.