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Are you familiar with the Russian Roulette? It’s a game (invented in Russia) played with a revolver and a bullet – amongst all other ingredients. A typical revolver bears six bullet-slots. To start the game, all the bullets (except one) are emptied; then then cylinder is spun and loaded. Six bullet slots, one bullet, one spin and one squeeze of the trigger. Implication: there is a one-in-six chance that what used to be the participant’s brain-matter would become the subject of a cleaning exercise. So, calling it the “ultimate gamble” is not far from true. There are two popular ways to play: with the gun to your own head {in a reckless show of courage} or to the head of another (like twisted Russian Lieutenants did with Privates).

Actually, asking whether you knew this game was a bit redundant. You might not know it by that name – but we both play it. In fact, everyone capable of completing a thought process plays that game. Still wondering how you’re concerned? Hang on, we’ll get there soon!

Let’s keep our thoughts within Russia for a little while longer – in spite of the finger-numbing cold.

There once lived a mystic; monumentally mysterious in life and in death. An adjective to fully describe the extent of mystery that covered him is yet to be forged in the furnaces of grammar. His every action reeked of controversy (in its most fermented state) as he rose from peasantry to fame (more correctly, notoriety)! Interestingly, for healing the Tsar’s (emperor) ailing son, the Tsar made him his sole adviser. He was so revered that the Tsar obeyed the very twitch of his nostrils. His name was Grigori Rasputin and by accounts from many quarters, the simplest question he ever caused entailed the reason for his gruesome murder. It was bad enough that Russian noblemen had to watch in ire as a peasant became the sole adviser to their Tsar. They could also stomach the rumours linking him with their Tsaritsa romantically. There was however one thing they that broke their restraint. One act that, by their judgment, was too much. As at the time of Rasputin’s death, everyone had grown accustomed to his despicable drunkenness, sexual indiscretion and unfathomably controversial lifestyle. Yet, people were surprised when Rasputin’s corpse was found poisoned, castrated, shot four times (with one to the head) and drowned in an ice lake. What exactly could he have done to deserve all that? What was that one thing that was greater than the aggregate of all his previous sins?

Rasputin’s fate was sealed by one “silly” piece of advice he gave out. He asked the Tsar to take personal charge of the army – and lead them out to war! Pause for one second! Why does that sound strange? Why did the noblemen take mortal exception to that counsel? Think about it! Why did it sound strange that a king should lead his troops into battle? Why would I risk my life for a cause my leader is not willing to die for? Why submit to a boxing coach who never hit a living adversary – or pledge my allegiance to a captain who bears no scars of battle? If the CEO won’t invest in the company, why should I?

By my {unpublished} economic model, every reputable firm should have two GMs: the General Manager and the GateMan. Yet, there is no legal injunction against both being leaders. In fact, they were both designed to lead. The second biggest lie of all time is thinking (and/or saying) that leadership is tied to a job. {BTW, the first would be calling OBJ a fine boy}. So, what (or who) is a leader? Leadership is the readiness to take responsibility (entailing courage, focus, patience, dedication etc) for utilizing resources (human and otherwise) to realize a tangible vision. Leadership is preparedness for responsibility. A leader tells tomorrow what it should be – he doesn’t wait to be bossed around by life. A leader is a careful planner – one who would eliminate as much of “random” as he possibly can from his activities. “The patient dog eats the fattest bone”. Hmnn! Femi Yoloye once said the impatient ones eat the meat! And, brooding over that, I realize it’s true – dogs actually prefer meat to bone! How about “Good things come to those that wait”? The best of life are for those that strive!

The earth is filled with two kinds of people ONLY: Leaders and Bullies. A bully isn’t necessarily the over-sized over-aged kid in class who picks on the little ones. Whoever makes others pay for personal shortcomings is a bully. Two kinds – and we all play the Russian Roulette. Indeed, we must. Someone must take the fall. But of a 6.7 billion (approx) planetary populace, who? Tough choice! Erhmerhmerhm! HELLO! How about you? How about you begin to take responsibility for your actions – for tomorrow? “Oh, blame PHCN”. “It’s the naija factor”. “It’s just my nature”. “Our leaders are too corrupt”. Blame whatever you can lay your hands on – you’re lucky those elements can’t respond! A leader picks a cause he believes in and puts his resources (sometimes, his life) on the line for it.