UBUNTU/HUNHU leadership is becoming a buzz word in the African leadership circuit and leadership studies. Leadership without ubuntu/hunhu is incomplete in an African context.
SUCCESS LIFE: JONAH NYONI
This article has been inspired by Cythia Hakutangwi, who will be hosting a discussion around the subject. Hakutangwi says: “Africa is at a watershed moment, where this generation of leaders has to act if the ‘Africa Rising’ narrative is to see the light of day and produce the kind of thought leaders Africa needs to move forward decisively”.
This discussion, which will also see her next book launched, will have reputable leaders as panelists. The title of the book to be launched is The Wealthy Diary of African Wisdom.
The discussion will begin at 3pm and end at 7pm at the Meikles Hotel in Harare next Saturday.
Talking about those who will come for this discussion and book launch, Hakutangwi pointed out that: “We believe that your thoughts and discussions will present the various dimensions of thought leadership as it pertains to the African Renaissance and also provoke thought leaders to arise for the renewal and reconstruction of the African continent”.
Talking about the Ubuntu concept, in her previous book, Intelligent Conversations, Hakutangwi said: “Until Africans embrace and accord honour to the importance of relationships on all levels, the foundations for the development of their continent will remain short-term and flawed. Every woman, man and child must come to a place, where they seek to not only understand, but relationally establish their purpose, roles and responsibilities on a micro and macro level. This understanding will give birth to moral integrity and positive social change that can be passed on to generations to come. There is need for restoration yet again of our African heritage that honoured relationships and community. The power of synergy, which is found in constant team development will ensure increased productivity, as Africans begin to work together from a personal, family, community and national level. Relational thinking creates collective unity and order, an environment that enables God to release a corporate blessing.”
What is ubuntu? An online article says: “It is a traditional African philosophy that offers us an understanding of ourselves in relation with the world. According to ubuntu, there exists a common bond between us all and it is through this bond, through our interaction with our fellow human beings, that we discover our own human qualities.”
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One scholar and an Ubuntu leadership coach, Dumisani Magadlela of South Africa, told me that: “Ubuntu leadership ignites our connection to the greater good that is already within us. It promotes and builds on the resonance that our humanness already knows. It helps us remember who we really are: connected beings. I am because we are.”
Charisma vs character
Charisma is great, but if one does not have a good character, it kills the whole essence of being a “person through other persons”. Through good morals, you respect other human beings. For example, there are managers or bosses that might not consider employees as people who should voice their concerns. Servant leadership says the leader serves the people. The people don’t fear the leader and the leader is at the service of the people.
Gift vs leadership
The mistake we usually make in institutions is that it’s easy to recognise a talented person, but not someone with leadership qualities. Not every talented person should lead.
Power vs principles
Leadership and power go hand in hand. The best power is the ability to empower others. For this reason, true leaders have power over themselves first and mental strength to delegate without fear or jealousy.
Though change steps in at a tremendous speed, there are principles to govern leadership. In order to enrich other people’s lives, we must have love for them. We must be motivated to see growth and development in our societies.
Intellect vs integrity
As Africans, we have a special intelligence, as seen through our language, semiotics, dialects and institutions. However, that cannot be enough if those in leadership do not stand by what they purport to be. We have to be people of integrity.
Integrity is who you are when people are not there to judge you and given options to choose right from wrong. As a leader, can your word be taken as a done deal? Do you stand for truth in politics, religion, economy, and in the sociological spheres? African leaders understand that their word is their honour.
Visions vs values
In our talk as a build up to this article, Themba Nyoni, a leadership lecturer at the National University of Science of Technology said: “Ubuntu leadership is about going back to the basics and leading people in a manner that respects human values”.
Vision is the mental picture of the future, but it must encompass the values of ubuntu. Meaning that the human aspect to the success of any company or institution is based on collaborations. Talking about values, Hakutangwi inquisitively asks: “How do we rebuild the moral fabric of society that has degenerated so much and where values are no longer upheld? Many voices on the African continent continue to echo the need to go back to basics and embrace the spirit of ubuntu. Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning ‘humanity to others’. It also means ‘I am what I am because of who we all are’. It is an idea from the Southern African region, which means literally ‘humanness’, and is often translated as ‘humanity towards others’, but is often used in a more philosophical sense to mean ‘the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity’.”
Stanlake Samkange (1980) highlights the three maxims of hunhuism or ubuntuism that shape this philosophy: The first maxim asserts that “To be human is to affirm one’s humanity by recognising the humanity of others and, on that basis, establish respectful human relations with them”.
And the second maxim means that if and when one is faced with a decisive choice between wealth and the preservation of the life of another human being, then one should opt for the preservation of life, while the third maxim, as a principle deeply embedded in traditional African political philosophy says “that the king owed his status, including all the powers associated with it, to the will of the people under him”.
Africa has the potential to produce enlightened leadership. We need to go back to the basics of ubuntu leadership. Africa has so much natural and human resources, but lacks resourcefulness. We need to embrace servant leadership, where people are not afraid of their government, but where the government serves its people.
Jonah Nyoni is an author, success coach and leadership trainer. He is the author of Inspiration for Success and Success Within Reach.
Email: [email protected]. Twitter @jonahnyoni
