22nd April, 2015
By Olalekan Olagunju
Singapore recently lost one of its most respected leaders, the departed pioneer Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew. He was a member of delegation that negotiated Singapore’s independence from the British in 1956 until 1958. Born on 16th September, 1923 to a wealthy Chinese family, he ruled for three decades, 1959 to 1990 and was an astute politician and erudite scholar. Lee graduated from Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University in England, with double starred-first-class honours in Law.
In 1950, he became a barrister of the Middle Temple (called to the English bar); and practiced law until 1959. Consequent on his return, he became a prominent nationalist leader. In 1954, he formed the People’s Action Party (PAP). The mantle of leadership fell on him as Prime Minister in 1959. In 1963, Lee merged Singapore into the Federation of Malaysia, because of Malay fear of Chinese domination Singapore was forced to withdraw in 1965. Under his increasingly restrictive and imaginative rule, the City-State became a centre of international trade with attendant prosperity in Asia. His emphasis on rapid economic growth, support for business entrepreneurship, limitations on internal democracy, and close relationships with both the United States and China set the nation’s policies for the future of Singapore.
He was attributed to have brought Singapore from third-to-first-world status in a single generation, and was recognized as the founding father of independent Singapore from cradle to modern Singapore.
His popularity, sustained and steady economic growth during his tenure helped prolong his single dominant-party control. However, his rule was criticized for curtailing civil liberties, public protests, media control, and iron grip on power and intolerance for distractions, etc.
His educational reform was qualitative and holistic which led to high standard and attainment in science and technology; as a result of training and re-training of graduate teachers toward placing Singapore on higher educational pedestal.
In addition, Lee endeared himself to myriad of world leaders as they fell back on his political, economic, and administrative prowess. Lee was a visionary leader who led his country from Singapore’s independence in 1965 to build one of the most prosperous countries in the world today. He was a devoted public servant and a remarkable leader.
According to United States of America President, Barack Obama, Lee’s views and insights on Asian dynamics and economic management were respected by many around the world, and no small number of this and past generations of world leaders have sought his advice on governance and development.
Obama further attested to Lee’s rich intellectual depth: “I personally appreciated his wisdom, including our discussions during my trip to Singapore in 2009, which were hugely important in helping me formulate our policy of rebalancing to the Asia Pacific. He was a true giant of history who will be remembered for generations to come as the father of modern Singapore and as one of the great strategists of Asian affairs.” British Prime Minister, David Cameron, equally noted how Margaret Thatcher once said she admired no Prime Minister more than Mr. Lee for what she said was “the strength of his convictions, the clarity of his views, the directness of his speech and his vision of the way ahead.”
In Lee’s classic account of his rule, From Third World to First, he disclosed that after gaining independence, he searched for some dramatic way to distinguish the country from other third world countries. He, therefore, settled for a clean and green Singapore. One arm of the strategy was to make Singapore into an oasis in Southeast Asia, according to him, if the country had First World standards then business and tourists would make it a base for their business and tours of the region.
Lee had a challenge changing the attitude of his people to embrace his new line of thinking. In his words, “physical infrastructure was easier to improve than the rough and ready ways of the people. Many of them had moved to shanty huts with a hole in the ground or bucket in an outhouse or high-rise apartments with modern sanitation, but their behaviour remained the same.
“We had to work hard to be rid of littering, noise nuisance, and rudeness, and get people to be considerate and courteous.” Fortunately for Lee, he was proficient in three languages, English, Mandarin Chinese and Malay which enabled him to reach the widest audience of the nation’s multi-racial, multi-cultural citizenry and convinced them about his vision for the nation.
Lee was a selfless leader who placed high value on Singapore above self interests. He put the nation on a sound political footing by taking only decisions that were for the good of the society. As Nigeria begins another era in our democratic voyage, with the outcome of the recently concluded national elections and the emergence of new crop of political leaders, it is hoped that the newly elected leaders would take a cue from Lee’s selfless and creative leadership style.
They need to emulate Lee’s style of selfless, dedicated, visionary and dynamic leadership at all levels of governance (local, state and national). What Nigerians are yearning for is a leadership that will fast track good governance and fairness to all and sundry and ensures a vibrant and sustainable socio-economic growth.
They want leaders that would place high premium on their wellbeing without favouritism or segregation. It is heartwarming, however, that a new crop of leaders with the spirit of Lee are fast emerging in Nigeria. For instance, a retrospective look at Lagos State in the past eight years would reveal that genuine efforts have been made to transform all sectors in the state through the creation of an enabling environment. Governance is all about the people.
It is, therefore, important for leaders to make good governance their watch word. Political leaders should be role models; ready to align with their promises and create value for the people, imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship and eschew politics of bitterness in addition to abiding by the rules of the game.
Most importantly, we must uphold the rule of law as a non-negotiable instrument of national development. The electoral system should be well structured to conduct free, fair and credible elections, where the result reflects the will of the people, as Nigerians need leaders who will develop the nation’s human capital and material resources prudently and transparently.
Most of all, Nigerians should work and pray for the peace and progress of the country. As we say a final farewell to Lee Kuan Yew, the father and political icon of Singapore, one could only hope that Nigerians would learn a great lesson from the life and time of this great man.
•Olagunju wrote from Alausa, Ikeja.