There was a time when the largest determining factor in any romantic relationship was proximity. The girl next door, down the street or on the other side of town was pretty much the extent of the options available for most single men. As travel became easier - and more necessary for work - after the Second World War, the field broadened and people from different states and even different countries began getting together. Still, however, proximity was the overriding factor in the vast majority of relationships. Letters and the occasional telephone call were all well and good, but it was difficult to sustain a relationship when there was only at best sporadic contact and no visual contact at all.

All of that changed, however, with the advent of the Internet, and the various ancillary technologies that have grown with it - such as voice communication, instant messaging and webcams. Communication with people on the other side of the country - or the other side of the world - is now not only possible, but commonplace. With the explosion of the information age and the openness and ease of communications afforded by the Internet, international online dating has become a multi-billion dollar a year industry, with millions of men and women participating in it. Women in Greece are now enjoying the time they spend online with men in Ottawa, and men in St. Louis are forging meaningful and rewarding relationships with women in the Ukraine.

As with any other form of romantic relationship building, international dating brings with it new and, in some cases, unfamiliar challenges. While it is true that people all over the world share common needs and desires, people from different cultures possess different customs and belief systems and, in some cases, process information differently. Assuming, for instance, that forging a relationship with a woman in Moscow is going to be exactly the same as charming a girl from Cleveland is probably not going to work out terribly well. Below are a few things to keep in mind as you hit the international online dating scene.

• Language Differences: Obviously if you find yourself an online dating interest from an English speaking country (assuming, of course, that your primary language is English) then this shouldn't be an issue, but what about if your interest - to use our above example - is a woman in Moscow? Basically, most people who look into international online dating will be able to speak English at some level, but their proficiency with the language will vary greatly. The key to meaningful communication is to make certain that, until you are sure of how well a woman understands English, you keep things fairly basic. Avoid using long, complex words or sentences to express your thoughts to begin with, because there is every chance that if you don't you will spend as much time explaining yourself as you will getting to know the woman. Be patient, and be prepared to explain what you mean when asked - and also be prepared to help her ‘find the right words'. Open communication and clear dialogue is essential to building any romantic relationship online.

One thing you should always avoid at first is "text speak", until you are very comfortable with the woman you are communicating with. "LOL, "BRB" "BBIAB" and other such examples are certainly common enough in the states, but unless the woman you are communicating with is familiar with them, they will seem like gibberish - and could even serve to lower her first (or second, or third) impression of you. Additionally, you will want to keep your use of slang to a minimum at first. If the woman has only remedial or even intermediate English skills, she is likely not to have mastered even frequently used slang terms as yet.

• Humor: One aspect of a man's personality that survey after survey indicates is extremely attractive to women is his sense of humor. The ability to make a woman laugh is important to not only getting any relationship off on the right foot, but also to building the relationship and moving it forward. In the world of international online dating, humor is a necessary component of forging a mutually satisfying relationship - but the rules are a little different. In order for you to make your international dream-girl laugh, she is going to have to get the joke, and actually find it funny.

Part of the concern here harkens back to the language challenges mentioned earlier. Jokes or quips that rely heavily on double entendre or word play - i.e. "Last night I shot an elephant in my pajamas, what he was doing in my pajamas I'll never know" - will only work with your online partner if she has sufficient English skills to appreciate them. Another area to avoid - at least at first - is humor that is heavily dependent on sarcasm. Not only can sarcasm be very challenging to someone with limited English skills, but it simply doesn't translate very well to the instant message and/or chat room medium. Generally, it is better to avoid using it until your relationship has progressed to the talking and/or streaming live video stage.

• Time Zones and scheduling: Of course, if you are considering international online dating you are probably going to realize that time differences will exist between you and your partner. However, along with realizing that the difference in time is there, it is important that you keep in mind what these differences mean in terms of your relationship. For instance, returning to the example of our woman in Moscow, if you are in New York City (Eastern Time Zone) then when you get home from work at 5:00 and sign online, it will be 1:00 AM at your online girl friend's place! Conversely, if you want to have a chat with her just before you go to bed, the odds are that she will have just awakened and be rushing around (as we all do) to get ready for work.

One of the keys to international online dating is scheduling time with a woman you are interested in, and then remaining on that schedule if at all possible. This will require a bit of give and take on both your parts - staying up a little later, getting up a little earlier or blocking out lots of time on the weekends. Remember to be considerate of her time, if you expect her to be considerate of yours!

• International Online Dating services: While there are many ways to meet women from other countries online, many busy people (both male and female) choose to use online dating services to make their initial connections. While virtually all of these services charge their customers fees, some studies indicate that not only does using services of this type decrease the time it takes to meet a person you are interested in, but also increases the likelihood that your online relationship will progress into something special and fulfilling. When looking for an international online dating service, make certain that their website is secure, and verified by independent agencies (McAfee, GoDaddy, etc) as being safe. Make certain that they list their fees upfront, and make certain that they offer everything you are looking for (private chats, streaming video chats, etc) before you sign up. Just like anything else, when you are shopping for an international online dating service, make certain you read the fine print.

International online dating can be a very fun and rewarding experience - and there is no reason not to think that if you lucky, you might actually meet the woman of your dreams. But as with anything else in life that is new and different, it is important to understand some of the basics before getting into it. By following a few simple rules, and making certain that you communicate in a clear and considerate manner, who knows ... the perfect woman might actually be in Moscow, and yet only as far away as your laptop!

About a week or so ago, the news reported that there is a 50% high school dropout rate for inner city kids across America. I would be lying if I said that I was shocked, because the family structure has been in disarray for years. Negative situations such as alcoholic and abusive parents, sons in prison, daughters struggling to raise their children without the assistance from their children's fathers, nieces prostituting themselves to make ends meet, and nephews living on the street because of a drug problem they can't kick are destroying our families and our society.

There are so many negative issues facing the family unit today. Where are the family matriarchs and patriarchs of yesteryear? Are there role models in the family unit anymore? Where is the leadership in the family unit?

Instead of worrying about what is occurring outside the front door, families need to come together and function as a unit behind closed doors. Family members need to create a culture of success, much like organizations (Microsoft or Pepsi) do. Those within the family that have achieved success (which is facilitated by leadership development) should lead this endeavour as they should have a better understanding of what needs to be done to bring about a positive change in the family unit's thinking and behavior. It is up to these leaders within the family to teach their relatives how to effectively pursue and achieve their goals. Only through repeated success by others within the family unit can success become the dominant culture for current family members and future generations.

Just think about your family for a moment, there was at least one instance where some family member demonstrated leadership that you can model or use to inspire your greatness. No matter how dysfunctional your family may seem, there is usually at least one member that you can look to for inspiration and guidance. It may just take you a bit of digging to find him/her. If there is no current family member that has demonstrated leadership that inspires you, then you may have to look to the past, which is fine. It's worth the effort, so take a look.

What did you come up with? Was it your great grandmother and great grandfather who immigrated to a young America in search of a better life for their family, your father who worked tirelessly to turn a mom and pop business into a family empire, your aunt who overcame an abusive relationship to be the first in the family to earn a college degree and purchase her own home, or your cousin who beat his drug addiction and now speaks to at risk youth about the pitfalls of drug abuse that inspires you?

Family members such these have demonstrated their leadership through their triumphs. If they are still with us, it is their duty to pass on their leadership insights to family members that are willing to learn. If they are no longer with us, it is up to us to gather as much information about their life, struggles, and triumphs so that we can learn from their leadership and use that knowledge as inspiration for our own leadership development. In either case, the goal is to gain leadership insights and pass them on to other family members so that a culture of success can be created and instilled in all family members.

Some of you may pose the question-"Am I my brother's keeper?" Well, the simple answer to this question is, yes. However, this is not to say that we should overburden or destroy ourselves in an attempt to uplift family members that don't want to help themselves. Nevertheless, it is our responsibility to help create a culture of success emphasizing personal
leadership development for each and every family member. If we don't, who will? Furthermore, if we don't, some if not all of the negative situations that we discussed earlier may begin to destroy those that we hold dearest. Creating a culture of success based on leadership development will help to deter family members from underachieving, as the kind of thinking and behavior that fosters negative situations will not be supported.

Why is leadership development in the family unit essential for society? Leadership development in the family unit is essential for society because every family member has the possibility to be a major contributor or detractor to society. Society would much rather have contributors (leaders) than detractors. For example, Joe Kennedy Sr. (former matriarch) of the Kennedy clan used his ambition and personal leadership as tools to create a political dynasty that has had a tremendous influence on society. Rest assured, Mr. Kennedy had family in mind in every step along his pursuit of success, which is a major reason why the Kennedy family has been such a major contributor to society over the years. We have to ask ourselves-What role do we want our family to have in influencing society? In answering this question, we must first acknowledge that our family is influencing society negatively or positively whether it's our intention or not.

We need to become more aware of the power of the family unit. We need to infuse our families with leadership. We must accept that it is the family unit that has the power to keep our children in school. It is the family unit that has the power to keep its members off of drugs and alcohol. It is the family unit that has the power to nurture, encourage, and inspire one another to greatness. However, for all of this to occur, leaders within the family have to step up to the plate and begin creating the conditions for success. These leaders have to show the others how to lead.

Am I my brother's keeper? Yes, I am. We all are. We are our sister's, aunt's, mother's, nephew's, father's, uncle's, children's, and cousin's keeper. If not us, then who?

Global warming, poverty and starvation, and hostility among nations are some of the major problems that still remain in today's world. These problems directly impact the quality of life of millions of people around the world as it relates to macro level issues (such as the depletion of wildlife, natural resources, and the perceived instability of national economies), and micro level issues (such as the reduced sense of personal vitality, happiness, and well-being). Nevertheless, these problems remain as humanity struggles, stumbles, and fails in its attempts to address each of these concerns. This leads to a fundamental question regarding this topic-Does humanity have the ability to successfully address these problems so that they no longer plague our lives? If so, through what means?

The Possibilities For Society
Throughout this series: Leadership Development is Essential, we have explored leadership's potential impact on the individual, the family, the community, and the organization. Now it is time to explore leadership's potential impact in the context of collectively addressing the problems of the world that are degrading the human condition. This is not to say that the world we live in is a horrible place. But, most of us can agree that it is no utopia either. Therefore, in an attempt to create a world that successfully addresses its problems head on, humanity must call upon itself to lead the charge for its own betterment, and not rely solely on a specific group of individuals to lead us. As it relates to the problems previously discussed, it is our collective voice that gives rise to our leaders taking the appropriate actions to addressing issues such as these.

Facilitated by leadership, scientists and politicians around the world can put aside egos, self-interest, and posturing to understand and address the causes and create solutions for global warming. Fostered by leadership, business leaders, doctors, and politicians can assess the underlying issues that create poverty and starvation around the world and come up with viable solutions to fix this problem. Finally, hostility among nations continues to give rise to unnecessary wars, however, through the utilization of leadership it too can be addressed through collaborative brainstorming and dialogue by national and military leaders. All of these world issues can be solved if humanity uses its collective voice to force its leaders to listen and take appropriate action(s). In this context, leadership does not rest on the shoulders of a chosen few, but rather on that of the collective many.

The Influence of Humanity's Collective Voice
While I identified a specific group of individuals (leaders) that have direct influence on each of these issues, I would like to reemphasize that every human being has a voice as it relates to issues that impacts his/her life. Collectively speaking, we give power to our leaders, and it is our collective voice that has always driven societal change, whether beneficial or detrimental. The French Revolution, the rise against England's Catholic church that spurred the Puritans journey to America, the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, the end of apartheid in South Africa, the fight for the right of women and blacks to vote in America have all resulted in beneficial gains for the masses. On the other hand, the Holocaust, the Crusades, and slavery have all had a detrimental affect on humanity and still leaves scars today. But make no mistake about it, in each case (whether the result was beneficial or detrimental), humanity's collective voice had a significant influence on the actions taken by leader(s) of the time.

For The Betterment of Society
Throughout history, humanity has utilized its collective voice to give rise to those individuals we now honor as great leaders or heroes. They are the ones that we often credit for being the face of the movement and leading the charge for the betterment of society. However, we are the wind beneath their wings, as they help society move toward that state of utopia that we may never actually achieve. Nevertheless, it's a vision worth undertaking. What else is there for humanity to do, but to keep pushing for society's betterment for all who yearn to partake in the harmony and happiness that life can provide?

However, we all must remember that harmony and happiness is not a given. We have to put in the effort to create and maintain the conditions that we want for the world we live in. This is why our collective voice is so important to the leadership (creation and maintenance) of this world. If humanity wants to work towards a vision of harmony and happiness, it can never forget to utilize its collective voice to force its leaders to take the appropriate steps toward this goal.

What is a community? A community is a group of individuals linked together by underlying similarities such as culture, race, geographic location, economic status, age grouping, sexual orientation, and gender. These similarities unify a community's members. For this reason, the issues or concerns that face a given community tends to have a significant affect on the lives of its members. Whether it be fighting against police brutality of minorities in the urban inner cites, protesting the moving of convicted sexual predators into a given neighborhood, improving the playground at the local middle school, or lobbying politicians for an increase in minimum wage, community members are often called upon to lead. All of us belong to a least one community, but most often we fall into many different communities. The question, however is-Are we truly answering the call of leadership when our communities need us to take action?

A community is much like a family unit, because a common bond is shared. Even though that bond may not be blood, it can be just as strong or even stronger. Therefore, it is not uncommon for our community ties to be stronger than our family bonds. However, what role do we play in developing and strengthening these communities that we claim to hold so dear? Are we doing what is necessary to make sure that our communities' needs are being met, just as we would make sure our family's needs were being met?

Over the years, I have heard different community groups make the argument that not enough was being done to address their issues or concerns. Some of these community groups have appealed to the federal government for legislation, others have made public pleas for help, while others seem to simply self-destruct without any clear vision for properly addressing their issues or concerns. To all of these communities, I ask its members the following questions:

What are you doing to improve your community from within?
Are you taking the necessary actions to impress upon others that your issues or concerns need to be addressed for the betterment of society at large?
Are you using outdated tactics to bring attention to you cause?
Are you still talking about the issues rather than thinking, devising a plan of action, and then working that plan to address these issues or concerns?

You see, appropriate, intentional, and targeted leadership within our communities is essential for them to prosper. However, many community members are not utilizing leadership for the sake of the community, instead they are leading for positional power and influence. When this type of behavior occurs the issues and possible solutions become lost as they are no longer the focus of the movement. This often leads community members to believe that certain issues or concerns may never be resolved, unearthing a feeling of hopelessness and apathy.

This feeling of hopelessness and apathy can be seen on the faces of many people across many communities in America. My question to you is-What will you do to change this? Notice, that I have not used the term "community leaders," because everyone is a community leader, however, it's your choice whether to take action or not. Everyone has the ability to lead and influence the issues and concerns that affect them. The days of waiting for someone "greater than thou" to lead never really existed. As with Dorothy's ruby red slippers in The Wizard of Oz, you have always had the power within you. You just need to believe in yourself and access it.

Do yourself and your fellow community members a favor and take a good look at the communities that you belong to and make the choice to do something about the issues and concerns that affect them and you. Take a stand. Think about how you can improve the current situation. Build a coalition, and then begin to take action (taking into consideration what you read here today). Your communities need your leadership. If not you, then who?

Virginity has become an obsolete concept in modern Western society, allowing young women to experiment with their sexuality while their male counterparts are doing the same. This actually results in a healthier more well-adjusted sexual identity later in life. However, virginity has not totally left the modern scene. Many cultures are still upholding the value of virginity or pre-marital chastity, mainly on the basis of predominant religious concepts.

The most popular advocate of virginity is the Catholic Church. Its most obvious validation for this stand is the teaching that all young girls are the Virgin Mary's daughters. As such, and having presented Mary as the most pristine and chaste of all women, young Catholic girls are therefore forced to follow her lead throughout their lives. Of course, sex is not prohibited once the woman has entered into the sacrament of marriage. However, while married women are viewed with respect and approval, women who remain virgins all their lives are considered as consecrated. Thus, the latter still achieves a higher status in the Catholic community. Aside from using the Virgin Mary, the Catholic Church has also employed countless symbolisms in order to justify the importance of virginity. Canonizing St. Maria Goretti, who died while trying to fight off a rapist, presents such a symbolism.

While the Catholic Church in ancient times did impose cruel punishments on women who become unchaste out of wedlock, modern ideologies have already diminished such harmful practices. However, while Catholic girls may have been spared such pain and humiliation, those from other cultures have to contend with much graver consequences. One such culture is present in Hindu countries. Chastity is a crucial virtue for all Hindu women, not only before they get married, but also after the latter's termination, usually upon the husband's death. Thus, if the husband dies, the widow, who is no longer a virgin, is not suited to wed someone else. Furthermore, her existence becomes not only superfluous, but abhorrent as well. Thus, the ancient practice called Sati was performed. This custom usually prescribes that during the husband's cremation, the wife shall fling herself into the flames. In so doing, she cements her faith and honor as a wife. A modified version of such practice is called the Jauhar or Jouhar. This custom is performed on a larger scale, likewise prescribing that the wives kill themselves, but this time, with their husband's imminent death in mind.

These heinous practices are now outlawed in India, but some fundamentalists still press for a reversion to these traditions. Nevertheless, premarital chastity is still a highly treasured virtue in Hinduism today. The same statement holds true for Islamic cultures. Muslim brides must remain chaste until the night of their wedding. According to Islamic teachings, Allah created the hymen because it serves the function of determining the validity of intercourse, in which women may engage after marriage. The hymen is present in order to make it clear to women that sexual relations outside the marriage bond are perversions of a holy act and are considered unclean. Islam prizes the body's cleanliness above most things, and should, thus, be protected and upheld.

Unlike the modern Western culture, those discussed above maintain the importance of virginity before marriage. However, the decision of whether or not virginity is important depends essentially on personal choice. After all, a woman must be free to choose, without fear or coercion, what she can or cannot do to her own body.

Meeting new people and enjoying today's dating scene includes people meeting people from other cultures. Thinking about this may have some asking if there is a difference between Spanish Dating cultures from American dating cultures. Though the answer is yes there are some both Spanish singles and American singles enjoy having a good time when they are out the more fun the better for both societies. Familiarizing yourself with the different customs may help you and your date have a great time when you go out.

Though they may have become Americanized many concurrent Latin singles still may want to keep connected with their culture. What this may include is the fact that Spanish women may be known here in America as some of the sexiest, in their culture they are taught to be shy in regards to sexuality and dating. Women from a traditional background are taught to meet every need of their man. Men though they expect to be taken care of by their women also are very respectful towards them. Customarily Hispanic gentlemen will adore their woman and others will see the adoration through their gestures and attitude.

Latin singles value the chance flirting especially when they are in their culture and heritage. Hispanic singles are like to sit close and enjoy touching while engaging in conversation. The difference between this custom of Spanish singles and American singles is that many from the U.S may feel like their space is being invaded. Giving a sense that their date is really more into them more than they really are is what this closeness may suggest. There are many actions that some may find as romantic feelings however they are not they are what is acceptable in their customs and traditions. Touching and hugging are generally accepted in this culture between first dates and friends. Being aware that closeness isn't always a sign that the romance is there will help you be relaxed and enjoy your date.

There are some great things that both cultures have in common when it comes to the dating scene. Both groups of people love to have a good time when they go out. We know that Spanish music is hot because it is enjoyed throughout the world including the U.S. Spanish singles enjoy dancing to the music and most enjoying dancing on dates because it is a fun way to flirt without getting mix signals. Having a good time is something everyone enjoys when you are informed when you are dating inter-racially you will be able to make your date feel comfortable and you both will have a great time. Another thing that Spanish singles enjoy in the dating scene is Spanish chat, they are able to be themselves, flirt and have a good time freely. The same with American singles which is why local chats are so popular and so much fun. Though there may be some differences and some things you will want to know when you are involved in Spanish dating the main goal is to have a good time with each other.

Society has various different methods to pay tribute to the deceased and as a result has just as much variety in burial ceremonies. These ceremonies are as unique as the cultures adopting them. Almost all funerals involve religious and cultural beliefs in as many ways as there are cultures. The ancient Egyptians had unique beliefs when it came to burying their dead. They believed that the dead need all the amenities the living have. Affluent Egyptians would commonly bury utensils, furniture, weapons, ornaments and even servants to follow the departed into the afterlife. Even with such bizarre customs the Egyptians employed other customs not much different than the ones we use today. Burial caskets are one such example of a carryover from the Egyptian bereavement customs to the customs used today for death.

Funerals are heavy with emotion, and that sentiment follows every aspect of the funeral, including the casket. Decorating the casket with flowers and engravings or ornaments imbedded is a common practice of the day. Preparing the body for the casket is part of the complete process as well. Bathing and clothing the body has been an ancient practice as has embalming the body with chemicals and perfumes and placing the body in a specially designed casket. Caskets come in all designs and colors with prices to match, and can even be purchased online.

With the sentiment that is involved, care must be taken to find the casket that best honors the loved one. As a result there is a variety of burial caskets to choose from, up to 20 categories of good quality burial caskets within the undertaking business. These different categories are created by distinctions such as wood types. As an example of the distinctions possible, the different kinds of wood that are accessed are ash wood, cherry wood, mahogany, oak wood, and maple wood. The use of wood is popular as it decomposes with time and allows the body to decompose as well. Burial caskets must be able to cater to a range, including the unfortunate sizing for infants; there are also accommodations for size exemplified with the large majesty size casket. Another distinction would be in the form of military specialization. The US funeral management services have their own special categories of burial caskets such as military, religious, art, and custom-designed.

As for the procedure before the casket, the details should be looked after by the undertaker. Undertakers collect the body from the home or hospital, and then they bath and embalm the body based on the family's wishes. These services are specific to the burial plan chosen and paid for by the family of the deceased. The casket containing the body is placed in a chapel and then decorated with flowers and candles. These burial caskets may be closed or open to allow the family to have a last look at the deceased. This is known as the visitation service and is presided over by a religious figure of the community.

What makes a Jewish casket different is the orthodoxy of their funeral procedures. Their burials are very straightforward as are the burial caskets. Jewish burial caskets are usually black without any sort of embellishment. Part of the Jewish orthodoxy involves not allowing the dead body to be exposed. The main intention behind this is to honor the dead. Another peculiarity, Jewish caskets are designed to decompose fast along with the body as per the religious belief from dust to dust. Any form of special material used in making a casket will delay the decomposing process, which is against Jewish religious belief. This is the reason embalming of the body is not allowed in the Jewish community. A Jewish funeral is mainly concerned with consoling the bereaved and respectfully laying the departed at rest.

In closing, what is most significant is to find the most appropriate way to honor your loved one based upon your own background and traditions whether it be by orthodoxy and tradition, or by the way the funeral is arranged, or by the casket chosen.

Women and Leadership
Recent years more and more women have appeared on the international arena as successful political leaders. This tendency shows that women have the same leadership abilities as men and can successfully perform as Presidents and Prime Ministers. This trend is a good sign for leadership in the world which can be interpreted as a great step towards equal opportunities and the ability of public to overcome prejudices against women abilities to lead and rule.
Women leadership abilities are formed under the influence of individual characteristics, internal and external environment. It is concerned with why they choose a particular course of action in preference to others, and why they continue with a chosen action, often over a long period, and in the face of difficulties and problems. This type of communication provides additional channels of communication and provides a means of motivation, for example, through status, social inter¬action, variety in routine jobs, and informal methods of work. It is admitted that women leaders are "more likely to be transformational leaders, defined as those who serve as role models, mentor and empower workers and encourage innovation even when the organization they lead is generally successful" (Evanston, 2005).
Without the direct participation and support of an institution's leadership, this power cannot be pushed to its full potential. Leadership requires many of the characteristics common to all leaders, but also requires special abilities to manage any organization in today's rapidly changing environment. One model for thinking about strategic change sees the exis¬tence of leadership as a social system built on 'influence paths' or 'loops'.
Most women leaders posses greater ability to motivate and inspire followers In order to achieve optimal goals three basics would be taken into account: motivation, reward and commitment. Motivating other people is about getting them to move in the direction they want them to go in order to achieve a result.
Motivation can be described as goal-directed behaviour and ability to contribute to a solution. Followers are motivated when they expect that a course of action is likely to lead to the attainment of a goal and a valued reward - one that satisfies their needs. It is reasonable to believe that strong commitment to work is likely to result in consci¬entious and self-directed application to do the job, regular attendance, nominal supervision and a high level of effort.
Referring to Eagly's study Evanston (2005) states that: "Women also scored higher than men on one measure of transactional leadership -- rewarding employees for good performance" (Evanston 2005). This explains why some countries prefer to elect female Presidents and Prime Ministers.
"Women presidents, prime ministers, and heads of state have commanded powerful nations throughout history. Great historical leaders include Cleopatra VII of Egypt, Queen Isabel I of Spain, Queen Elizabeth I of Great Britain, Catherine the Great of Russia, Empress Dowager Tz'u-his of China, and others" (Boyd, 2002). Probably, the most famous women of all times is Margaret Thatcher who proved the image of an "iron lady" able to compete with men on the political arena. Being an excellent example of an ideal female leader Margaret Thatcher possesses such features as vision of the future and personal charisma (Margaret Thatcher, 2005). The other famous female leaders include: Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark and Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel. "The world record amount of female world leaders was 13, in July of 2002, when Lativa, Finland, New Zealand, Ireland, Sri Lanka, The Philippines, Indonesia, Panama, Bangladesh, Sengal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and South Korea all had female leaders (Current Female World Leader Count 9, 2005).
General leadership skills are not sufficient in enriched environments. It must directly relate to the tools, medium, strategies, and competencies found within this culture. The recent tendency shows that female leader possess the competencies to use and evaluate new tools, but she must also have the insight into the impact these tools will have on the future of their countries. The ability to develop a shared vision for future political and economic changes within a country and in the world is an essential part of leadership.
Female leaders bring to politics a new vision of the problems and new strategies to problems solving. For instance, the example of African female leader depicts that women "bring motherly sensitivity and emotion to their presidency" (Female presidents show how the U.S. lags, 2005). Female political leaders show that leading others is not simply a matter of style, or following some how-to guides or recipes. Ineffectiveness of leaders seldom results from a lack of know-how or how-to, nor it is typically due to inadequate skills. Leadership is even not about creating a great vision. It is about creating conditions under which all followers can perform independently and effectively toward a common objective.
To overcome limitations of male leadership Liberian President" her presidential campaign on her experience and wisdom -- and on bringing a woman's touch to the civic reconciliation necessary for Liberia" (Female presidents show how the U.S. lags, 2005).
Female leaders help each of their followers to develop into an effective self-leader by providing them with the behavioral and cognitive skills necessary to exercise self-leadership. An important measure of a leader's own success is he success of her followers. The strength of a leader is measured by the ability to facilitate the self-leadership of others first critical step towards this goal is to master self-leadership. If leaders want to lead somebody, they must first lead themselves.
The list of female Presidents includes: Mary McAleese, Ireland (1997) and Ruth Dreifuss, Switzerland (1999-2000), Mireya Elisa Moscoso de Arias, Panama (1999-prersent ) and Tarja Kaarina Halonen, Finland (2000- present), etc. The Prime Ministers are Helen Clark, New Zealand (1999- present), Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Bangladesh (1996- present), Janet Jagan, Guyana (1997, President 1997-1999) so on. (Women Leaders. 2005).
In spite of this list and world's political practive it is supposed that women cannot be cussessful leaders because of conviction. In the article "Why Can't Women Be Leaders Too?"
Robin Gerber explains his vision of women leadership stating that: "women' conviction is not just having a belief, but holding strongly to it. It's one thing to talk about change; it's another thing to actually do something" (Graham, 2005). It would be possible to agree with Robin Gerber if not a numerous examples of successful female leaders.
The other leadership quality which appeals to many people is that female leaders are more trustworthy than men. Women leaders are able to implement new style faster than men. For instance, female leader in Peru is characterized as: "She's a good woman, the woman who is going to move us forward, because the men can't be trusted,' said Magda Acuna, who sells shirts and slacks. 'They rob. They're corrupt. Women are more honest.' (Vecchio, 2001). In pursuing and achieving objectives, Women leaders are more open to new ideas, insights, and revelations that can lead to better ways to accomplishing goals. This continuous learning process can be exercised.
To conclude it is possible to say that female leadership proves the fact that the world is needed in new vision and novelty brought by women. Recent years, global population are looking for leaders who are willing to give it all they have and they will follow, and female leaders are able to join strong leadership skills with female nature. Women leadership is the best process currently available for improving political effectiveness . The design retains needed principles from the traditional system; incorporates political principles, and builds a new system that works to accomplish overall objectives. The importance is that the process of effective leadership will be of extreme importance in the next 10 years and continues to advance rapidly and change becomes imperative. With a female leaders and transformational leadership any country will be "equipped" with the necessary and proper tools to successfully perform on the international arena and succeed on the national basis.
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Indian culture is amalgamation of different cultures, traditions of its neighbors and also its own ancient heritage, which were formed during the Indus Valley Civilization further evolved during the Vedic age, rise and decline of Buddhism, Golden age, Muslim conquests and European colonization. In all Indian culture exhibits a great blend of various cultures which are very unique and has a value of its own. India's exhibits diversity of cultural practices, languages, customs, traditions and religious systems such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. The unique blend of various rich cultures has influenced the various other parts of world to a great extend.

A number of languages spoken in India have added to its diverse culture. At present, there are 415 living languages in India, but The Indian Constitution has declared the usage of Hindi and English to be the two official languages of communication for the Union Government. Internal communications of Individual state's are done in their own state's language. There are two major linguistic families in India are those of the Indo-Aryan which is confined to northern, western, central and eastern India and the Dravidian languages confined to southern India.

Coming to Indian architecture, one's mind navigates from the great temple cities of the South -- Chidambaram, Rameswaram, Kanchipuram, Madurai, and numerous others -- to the architectural magnificence of the Vijaynagar Empire and the erotic sculptures of Khajuraho to the Mughal architecture of Delhi, Agra, and Fatehpur Sikri or the havelis of Jaisalmer with their immaculate lattice work. There is so much to see and discover.

Indians have cultural values and good manners that are acknowledged by all. Indians respect their elders and not only their elders they respect their guests too. We believe and are taught “atithi devo bhava” this means guest is god and therefore anyone who comes to Indian is treated well and cared.

Culture is not only about music, dance, art, and cinema, for marriage customs, death rites, patterns of pilgrimage, modes of raising children, treatment to elders, and there are innumerable other aspects stitch into meaning of culture.

Indian religions, beliefs, festivals, rituals, artifacts, monuments, costumes, music, dance, language and literature are the hallmark of Indian culture and collectively make it so rich. It is not only believed but has been acknowledged and recognized by people all over the world.

According to Wikipedia, Leadership may refer to “Those entities that perform one or more acts of leading,” “ability to affect human behaviour so as to accomplish a mission,” and “influencing a group of people to move towards its goal setting or goal achievement.

The political aspect leadership is indeed more than anything failing us not only as Nigerians but as Blacks and indeed everyone will definitely agree with me when I say this. This has continued to bother my heads as Africans do not seem to naturally posses what it takes to lead their followers or subjects. It is more than shameful for us all who are Blacks. The case of Nigeria is simply sympathetic because our leaders are not very leadership oriented. The definitions given above are viewed as tools for presenting to our so called leaders that political leadership is not mainly Caucasian owned but open to all fully interested humans wishing to lead their followers to the Promised Land. The leadership model as provided for in the annals of Nigeria has failed to promote the understanding of techniques involved in political.

It is today acknowledged that Nigeria is a potential giant of some sort of promises; the country has all it takes to rank with the rest of best world economies but the leaders crops the nation has produced have all lacked the wherewithal to position it in this avenue because of certain vices which are associated with these leaders. A look at the generality of leaders which the country has produced whether then or now clearly shows that the nation has never had good leaders but individuals only interested in their own well-beings and those of their families.

Before this time, Chinua Achebe has emphatically stated in one of his books well known to all that the problem with Nigeria squarely has to do with leadership, however I wish to state in clear terms that now added to this perhaps beyond Achebe comprehended was “corruption” which has added colours to the ways leaders roles are schemed in Nigeria.

Every system of government appears to have failed Nigeria too, Parliamentary system known then as the Westminster model which the country inherited from her colonial masters, Britain was condemned as a not too good enough model by the military men who thought they had all it took to liberate Nigerians from the bad leadership chains of the first civilians, again, this military men who ruled the country for decades proved that fraudulent acquisition of the nation’s wealth was more than anything topmost in their selfish agenda.

Within decades, a new generation of khaki men with different political ideologies, agendas and personal attitudes to life such as Buhari, Babangida, Abacha, and Abdusalami had in their selfish interests taken power in different incredible circumstances wasting the lives of millions of Nigerians through hunger, protests, lack of amenities, frequent increase in the prices of petroleum products, deliberate elimination and execution of brilliant individual citizens usually through unfounded rumours of trump up coups. Lives were lost in these battles notably M. K. O. Abiola and Ken Saro Wiwa, with the whole world again starting to attach credence to democracy as the best form of governance for the nation. Political leadership has once again failed Nigerians and the nation was now a pariah in the international arena not good enough for to relate with.

Not many will easily forget how the civilians recouped again to battle these khaki men in order to wrestle power from them in the name of democracy and finally democracy returned courtesy of Abdusalami, the man who had seen beyond Buhari, Babangida and Abacha, and even the old generation of Aguiyi-Ironsi, Gowon (the one who had every opportunity to industrialize Nigeria but went on to announce to the world that how Nigeria would spend her money was the problem) Murtala/Obasanjo (the man who handed over to a democratically elected leader)

Democracy again returned with Obasanjo handed the mantle of leadership after he suddenly became a born-again. His leadership model is indescribable here as he was himself a controversy manufacturer who ironically was accused of everything he accused his opponents of. The leadership style of this man became a failure to the whole nation and opinions once again began to condemn him. Obasanjo was hurriedly made and sold by People’s Democratic Party unprepared with the tag as “a saviour,” a party without any agenda priding itself as the biggest political party in Africa and maybe “the entire world” With time it became clear that this man was visionless without any clear direction. The height of his own crisis of leadership was the foundation for the auctioning of Nigeria’s Bakassi to Cameroon. Worse still, the man stylistically and unconstitutionally called for his term elongation to the amazement of the whole world.

Obasanjo lacked political stature and was far from activists, the result was irrational behaviour and apolitical authoritarian attitude the type required to only maintain one’s family. Actions referred to as policies were only geared towards what political friends would gain and what political foes would lose, these for him were assumed sufficient to pilot the affairs of his giant nation called Nigeria supported by his political party, PDP. Obasanjo no doubt added to the political crisis of his nation such that his immediate “selected” successor, inherited innumerable problems like nation wide hunger, teachers’ protests, increase in VAT and petroleum products and voluntary giving out of Nigeria’s territory to an unfriendly-friend Cameroon.

Professor Rita Kiki Edozien has said that “the crisis in leadership in Africa perhaps not one of the regimes in power per se, but it is a crisis in the broader civil society which lacks vision and a strategic plan on how to put the continent back on its toes” With a development the ugly situation of Nigeria will persist.

The result of leadership failure in Nigeria today is the present 2008 Index for Accessing Governance ranking of the nation as the 39th in terms of governance out of 48 countries in the world, and the 14th out of 16 West African countries which indeed is very shameful. The criteria used are:

1. Safety and security
2. Human rights
3. Transparency
4. sustainable development
5. Human development, and
6. corruption

The result of the above is that Nigeria is only better governed and fast developing than two West African countries.

One major problem Nigeria has is that the nation is lacking in consistent policy which puts the mechanism of the political leadership of the country and achievements in inertia. Nigerian leaders engage in sorts of probes with no reports seen or even implemented such has become the identity of the present administration. The implication of these probes is that victims do not lose sleep as they go about their normal businesses in their typical manners. Perceived representatives of the people as they claim to speak for the people are in the eye of these people lacking legitimacy.

Nigeria has not learnt any lessons of history, however there is need to reposition the nation and strategic plans for attaining this must be employed in order to make progress and responsive political culture, these must be upheld if the nation is to gain success in leadership. so much monies are spent on electionsand re-elections only good enough to be called sham. The 2008 Lagos Lg election is a typical of what I mean. The moment a particular government is power, it sweeps the result of the whole election.

The faith of the future lies in the hands of today's youth. It is therefore very important to train them how to be a leader at an early age. To start with, they must undergo youth leadership activities.

You can instantly see a born leader when you see one. At a very early age, you will notice that a leader shows certain traits like being independent-minded, patient, strong, hardworking, and many other positive traits. However, leadership can be developed. Through the years of continuous study and training, they soon become successful leaders.

Adolescence is a period of great changes. Each individual, boy or girl, tries very hard to be accepted. Oftentimes, peer pressure can give negative effects. If you don't want your kid to experience peer pressure and the possible negative influence of other adolescents, your kid should be a member of a certain youth group.

You must know the specific youth group that your child will join. You can find a lot of information regarding youth groups online. Some groups often have online forums where they can share their knowledge and experiences, as well as their problems. Other members of the youth group can share their stories and even give you pieces of advice.

Check the background of the youth group before your kid joins. Make sure that the group has a positive reputation. Once you've chosen the best youth group for your kid, then he or she can now join the various youth group activities.

Well of course, the existing members of the group will grow older as years pass and new leaders will take over. In this regard, youth leadership activities are often conducted to determine the potential leaders in the group. What are these leadership activities?

The youth group can organize a camping where they can spend a couple of days together. In the camp, the current youth leaders will be giving a series of games where every member will participate. Group games usually need a leader. At the end of the camp, potential leaders will be named and they are further trained to improve their leadership skills.

Seminars and trainings are often given to the potential leaders. These seminars can enhance the skills of the soon-to-be youth leader. The trainings are also quite helpful because certain knowledge can be imported to your kid.

Being a leader does not stop when you finally leave the youth group. Once your leadership skills are developed or enhanced, you will carry it as you grow older. Who knows, you might be the next senator or even the president of the country.

Youth groups are truly needed in today's times. The youth are more prone to be involved in vices such as drugs, alcoholism, gambling, and a lot more. If you don't want your kids to follow the wrong path, encourage them to be a member of a reputable youth group.

The parents play a very important role in the development of their kid's personality. If you want to help them, talk to your kid now and find a youth group that he or she can join.

Soon, he or she might be involved in youth leadership activities. In time, they may be the next leaders and will help other youths to enhance their leadership qualities. Good luck for finding a good youth group.

The solemn pledge that is taken in wedlock, finds expression in diverse ways in different cultures across the world. There are so many different ways to say “I Do”. Although wedding traditions vary from culture to culture and also from one country to another, the pledges taken during the wedding are always sublime. Carrying the most solemn promises, marriage symbolizes the potential for the utmost happiness of mankind that unites two hearts. Some Wedding traditions are popular worldwide and bear the mark of uniqueness such as American wedding tradition, African wedding tradition, British wedding traditions etc.

• American Wedding Tradition:

American wedding tradition ensures uniqueness in the nature of each ritual that it involves. American wedding tradition offers a merry occasion that also includes a number of invitees. The traditional Americans follow a celebration that is a gorgeous occasion followed by a grand party as the two newly weds unites together into a sacred bondage of life and love. Again this traditional wedding of the Americans include within its domain the rituals and customs of Bridal Shower, Bridal party, Veil customs, bride kissing ceremony and many more.

• African wedding tradition:

Noted for having a colorful ceremony coupled with merriment, the African wedding ceremonies are extremely lively. The African custom teaches from the very childhood the importance of marriage and family. Hence the wedding traditions among the Africans unite the two families in a single unit. There are different rituals and customs of marriage followed by the different African tribes. One can notice uniqueness and individuality in the wedding traditions among the different tribes such as the Ankole wedding tradition, Pygmie wedding tradition, Nile wedding tradition and many more. However the common features that all African wedding traditions follow are that of songs, dance, music, festive colors etc. In the wedding tradition followed in Egypt, the bridegroom along with his friends pays a visit to the bride’s house on that day of the occasion and pays partial bride price. However the actual wedding takes place in presence of two Muslim witnesses.

• British wedding traditions:

Memorable for their prolonged wedding rituals, the British wedding traditions take place within a church. According to the custom, the father of the bride gives the daughter to the groom in the presence of the priest and a crowd of relatives and friends who have assembled in the Church for the occasion. Again as a part of the ritual, the bride and the groom are asked to think over their decision of tying the knot. Before that the priest asks the invitees whether they have any objection in the marriage. The ceremony advances with the groom putting the wedding ring on the bride’s finger which is followed by the groom kissing the bride and putting an end to the joyous occasion.

Different culture, religion and countries have different wedding traditions. However the aim is to unite two loving hearts and celebrate the occasion with the near and dear ones.

That the Anioma people have not woken up from slumber is emphatically a fact that will remain a burden ever to ever slow down the slow pace of the people until the people decide to rouse, seek and discover the solutions to their own problems. Major catalysts to the realization of this lie with this group making proper identity and finding leadership in any one that can be counted trust worthy. There are obviously many people who will like to see the Anioma continue to play second fiddle and even sink in the politics of Delta State in particular and Nigeria in general.

Who are the Anioma people of Nigeria? Interestingly, the Anioma people themselves may not readily find an answer to this, such is expected in the midst of lack of proper knowledge and identify of group of people even by the people themselves. It is not for this author to try to define who the Anioma people are or even where they are presently located on the map of Nigeria, rather it will just be apt to state that long before many of us were born the Anioma region has continued to suffer one form of marginalization or the other because the people have failed to identify whom they are.

The Ekumuku wars which led to loss of several of the region’s communities such as Oguta, Ndoni, Onitsha, etc, Colonization in which the British failed to properly identify these people, Christianization, Westernization and the Nigeria-Biafra war in which also a number of communities in the region were terribly massacred, have not adequately shaped the history of Anioma people. It is a fact that all of these unfavorable events should have favorably woken the consciousness of any people but contrariwise is the case of Anioma people who appear to have accepted their fate, to the extent that the ethno-status of the people are currently being debated and determined from the world outside of Anioma.

Anioma for long has been toying with creating identity for itself, much less, defending it, if the Nigerian state has failed us, surely we do not have to fail ourselves, Historians today will rack brains to try to think of pointing out one remarkable gain the Anioma people made while forcefully carved into the old Benin province. In the defunct Bendel State, the case of Anioma State was very sympathetic as the Anioma area was left in rots to the extent that the roads construct by the colonial governments were in “extinction.”  In Delta State, our woes have glaringly continued, political events in the supposedly home state of the Anioma statistically shows that in the 18 years of the existence of Delta as a state in Nigeria, the Anioma people have never tested leadership. Never has any Deltan Governor regarded the Anioma as voiceless, leaderless, submissive and timid group of people who are created to accept just anything from their “True Delta” masters than James Ibori the former Governor of the state.

Ibori treated the Anioma people like inconsequential people meant to be drenched in shame because they have no reasons obvious to him to be in the state of Delta State supported by his personal friends who shared his opinions; even the best technocrats, bureaucrats and politicians from Anioma were made to look like nobody. This caused Anioma an untold story of neglect and degradation, the definite belief was that the best was not good for Anioma. To James Ibori, Warri was the unofficial capital of Delta State, while Oghara was the unofficial commercial capital of the state. In his years as the governor of the state, the Urhobo dominated oppressed and dominated other ethnic-groups in the state.

A Delta state with 25 Local governments, in the years of Ibori who hails from Ethiope West Local Government Area had 132 Board appointments, Ethiope West produced 50 out of 132, the rest of 24 Local Governments were left with the rest 82 appointments. Yet many communities in Delta State are oil producing contrary to what Ibori and cohorts made us assume. Ibori’s neglect of Anioma obviously sidelining the entire region was never hidden. The likes of Ubulu-Unor, Oko communities, Onicha-Olona, Obomkpa, Ukwu-Oba, Ewulu, Ubulubu, Ejeme-Aniogo, Ebu, Igbodo, Idumuesah, Issele-Uku, Usisa, Abah, Owa-Oyibo cannot boast any amenities derived from the Ibori administration.

The Oghara predating the Ibori administration was like any of these Anioma communities: Akah, Utuoku, Alihagu, Umu-Ebu, Oligbo, Ekpon, Obikwele, Igbuku, Obeti, Ugbodu but the emergence of Ibori became the emergence of Oghara. Without prejudice, this is a good development after all, we all in one state, and one development for any particular community could mean an advancement for all since non indigenes settlers abound in all of these communities but Ibori could have at least looked the way of Anioma communities and bring developments to their door steps which he either deliberately neglected or failed to do. Ogwashi-Uku, Ibusa, Ilah, Obiaruku, all waited to be turned to big cities but Ibori neglected them because they are Anioma communities. Agbor, Umunede, etc were already showing signs of development but were killed by utmost neglect.

The Anioma people as seen here have never really had it good with the “True Delta people” because they have always been viewed as alien Igbo from distant South-east of the country so the question is can the Anioma people go with the Igbo?

When recently the Joe Achuzie, an Anioma was initially offered the secretary-General position as a hand of fellowship to the Anioma people, OGANIHU ANIOMA, an elite non partisan grouping of professionals in Anioma rejected the offer and advised one of their own, Achuzie to shun the appointment, in a statement made public by the president of group, it was acknowledged that though linguistic affinities exists between the Anioma and Igbo but clearly Anioma indicates a different ethnic identity which is of the Anioma people. This expectedly infuriated the Igbo especially as the group further voiced that “the Anioma have never realized their hopes and aspiration within the context of Ndigbo perception as recent and past experiences show.”

Emma Okocha blames this developmental lethargy which led to the fast embarrassment of the Igbo on Easterners. He had this to say:

“Having said this, the Easterners are to be blamed for our lethargy in embracing them fast. Have they told us what happened to Nzeogwu? Have they condoled us on the massacre of our people? Have they tried to rehabilitate the aging officers who fought for their Biafra? The Western Ibos were not in the Biafra map. The II divisions made of mainly Ika Ibos never surrendered and under Colonel Nwawo defended Nnewi the only major Biafran city that never fell until the end. Has Ojukwu or anybody bothered to ask after his health or other senior officers of the Midwestern Command since the end of the war? Right now Colonel S. Nwajei (Ibusa) is suffering from stroke, Colonel Trimmel is dead (Abor) and the Commander of Biafran Navy Anukwu (Agbor) is dead and his house in Boji-Boji burnt! These officers have never been paid anything…pension nothing and nobody from the East bothered.

They are not the same as Biafran officers…who agreed and declared Biafra. These people were Nigerian soldiers. Why have the state Eastern governors abandoned the Ika Ibos? During Okpara era, Midwest was funded by Enugu and our people gave them loyalty which led to the war solidarity. Now Enugu dismisses our civil servants, teachers, etc. Delta would never reabsorb them. To rub it in governors of the East have (sic) been appointing non-Igbo Deltas, Yorubas, and Urhobos into their cabinet. Our position remains that we must move in volumes otherwise you would be limited playing the "Politics of the Hermit"  

If the statement of one Gabriel Nwanze titled “Issues in the Creation of Anioma State” Wednesday March 8th 2006 in an article published on the internet is given proper consideration, then the Igbo at loss on whether to back the Anioma people in their much cherished agitation for the creation of Anioma State.

He wrote thus:

“The current proposal by interested parties for the creation of  Anioma State from the one state allocation  being handled by Ohanaeze Ndiigbo is commendable, as it shows without doubt the ever-ready and undying quest by the Anioma people to discover their true identities and maximize their potentials by having their own destiny in their own hands.

However, there are some issues I feel should first be ironed out properly before this desire gains acceptable recognition and full support by every party concerned.

No doubt, I am a strong supporter and admirer of the Anioma people, but the issues I speak of must first be addressed properly lest the state creation becomes a vehicle for derailing the progress of  Anioma people and, by extension, Ndigbo in general…”

He continued thus:

“How will the dynamic Ndiigbo from Anioma be in a position to place the interest of the Igbo on the table of the South-South forum if they are carved into the Southeast? This, of course, will imply that Ndiigbo will further be squeezed  into the already crowded Southeast and be in a more vulnerable position to receive persecution and neglect by those who want to see to the extinction of the Igbo race. This, perhaps, is one of the reasons why Ohanaeze is more inclined towards creating a new Igbo state in the Southeast from the existing five states in the region, so as to not only ensure a larger representation of Ndiigbo in the social and political arena but also to spread the gains of nationhood across a wider range of Ndiigbo. Here, I want to point out that if an additional state is created from a state in the Southeast, then the Igbo still are at an advantage because, from all indications, the evolution of Anioma State is imminent and will soon come to reality, going by the agitations of the people of Anioma for their own state even before the allocation for a new state was announced by Ohanaeze. Since the near future of Anioma State is almost certain, with or without this present allocation of a new state to Ndiigbo, then won’t it be wiser for the Igbo to use this present slot to create a new state that is less likely to be created without an official state creation allocation to them?”

Comments like this have fuelled the Anioma people fears on whether the Igbo can adequately advocate and protect their interests as a group of people, and it is as a result of this that while the Igbo of the South-eastern region have furthered their claims of Igboness of Anioma people, the Anioma people have disclaimed this claim. Funnily, anyone may be amazed on the reasons for these claims and counter claims.

The Anioma Youths obviously in search of identity as reported in this Day Nov 16, 2004, congregated Ogbe Eke Public Square in Asaba, Delta State in an aggressive rural campaign to redress the total neglect of their area as it concerns fair distribution of amenities, appointment into juicy ministries and employment. In each of the kingdoms and villages visited, the battle cry is emancipation. They cried that Anioma deserve a leader. They stated that Arewa Consultative Forum, Afenifere and Ohaneze remain shining example of what leadership should be but Anioma is lacking in this.

From the above we deduct that clearly Anioma youths have overtly and covertly disassociated themselves (Anioma) from Igbo leadership as they crave for their own, again the group identifies Anioma as an ethnic group without leadership, a major reason other ethnic groups have cheated on them. Lack of leadership becomes the first problem confronting the Anioma people as presented here by the youths of the region.

"We intend to adopt Anioma instead of Igbo because whenever anything is shared, the Igbo will not consider us as they will claim it's for South east, when it is for South south where we supposedly belong, we are least considered. So once this is achieved then we would have solved the question of identity. We hope to put a stop to a situation whereby a multiplicity of groups pretend to be speaking for us because the need to come together as a people is now. And we need to organise ourselves in such a way after which a leader would emerge. This would be found in all fields," he posited. He particularly picked holes on what he described as lopsided distribution of amenities and offices in the state.”

From the above, it is also clear that search for identity is in the agenda of the Anioma people but basically the group having referred to itself as a nation has also rejected Igbo, has not decided on whether the Anioma is in South-south or Southeast geographical region of Nigeria. They could however still be won over by the Igbo upon the creation of Anioma State and with proper political arrangement made to be in Southeastern region.

“Their subtle approach THISDAY checks reveal, is already attracting dividend as its momentum picked penultimate week at Asaba, during a forum organised to sensitize local governments and wards' co-ordinators. At the event that was held at the main square (Ogbe Eke) there were some notable Anioma citizens with thought provoking lectures. One of such was, Austin Uwandulu, CEO, Strategic Management Center Lekki, Lagos State, who was special assistant to Shehu Musa in his stint as the Secretary to the federal government during the second republic. In his paper titled 'Leadership In Anioma - A New appraoch' he harped on the need for leaders in Anioma to begin by determining effort to reach out to one another, seek out where they are by attempting to know whom they are, while carving an identity for themselves.

According to him, "When an invitation was extended to me to address this forum by Chief Izagbo, the Ideh of Ibusa, I developed a mixture of feelings I could not explain. On the one hand I felt challenged by the enormity of a task inherent in talking to a highly knowledgeable and articulate body of persons, Anioma is blessed with. On the other hand, I felt opportune to share my views on leadership with the present and future leaders of Anioma, of Delta State of Nigeria and of the global community. In doing so, permit me to make some categorical statements, perhaps well known to some of you here. I am not a politician and so cannot aspire to become a political leader. I am also not a chief and accordingly cannot become a traditional leader in Anioma. I am not sure of a claim to being a thinker and an analyst. But this is the category of persons I aspire to belong."

Finally, I make bold to state that Anioma has some of the greatest human resources deposits in the world today and leadership and identity discovery will enable the group to find its place in the wave of developed peoples of Nigeria

The inauguration is over, appointments are agreed upon, our nation’s capitol returns to itself and millions of Americans watch to see President Obama lead this country toward his vision for the United States of America.  It will take his embodying that vision for the country and the congress to agree and follow the strategic plans supporting that vision. That is the stature of leadership needed. Our new president is not alone in this important undertaking.

Along with government leaders, thousands of business owners, some small, some employing many, but all fundamentally vital to the welfare of their communities, state or nation, will be re-assessing their business mission and vision statements to determine their place in the new economy. As our new President says, we are all involved and needed; everyone is key!  Now is the time for all, big or small, government or commercial, local or international, to lead with a sense of vision rather than with a sense of desperation.

Peter Senge in The Dance of Change says “In today’s organizations, the idealization of great leadership leads to an endless search for heroic figures that can come in to rescue the rest of us from recalcitrant, non-competitive institutions.  But might this very thinking be a key reason such institutions prevail?  Might not the continual search for the hero-leader be a critical factor in itself, diverting our attention away from building institutions that, by their very nature, continually adapt and reinvent themselves, with leadership coming from many people in many places, not just from the top?”

Both institutional organizations and businesses of all sizes are full of leaders where initiative and creativity are plentiful.  The role of the leader is to harness and direct the activity.  Modern leadership is adaptive and aware; responsive, not reactive.

Our new leader, President Obama, must enlist the existing pool of leaders within our government institutions and many industries to truly reinvent themselves.  The change that is needed should occur as a result of new visions by both government and business.  It is a leader’s responsibility to implement this vision driven change.  The bottom line – what our government institutions and business communities need right now is visionary leadership – not just coming from President Obama, but coming from many people in many places; and these people must be committed to living the vision.

Need help with your leadership practices?  Go to www.missionvisionstatement.com/leadership now!