Some have called him a 'Giant of History'. To others he was a colossus who bestrode the political landscape of his country. To some others he was an enigma with a larger than life personality, perhaps, descended from the gods themselves. But to me, Lee was simply a leader.
Here was a leader who saw the poor state of his country and felt the urge to transform it from a tiny colonial outpost that it was at independence to a thriving, global economic center. He saw the poverty among his people and was moved to introduce social welfare programmes in addition to pursuing aggressively a policy of job creation. His campaign for a clean and green environment transformed the slums in Singapore, full of dirty, smelling communities and shanties to modern centers with high-rise apartments, well-paved roads and efficient means of transportation. Singapore has no mineral resources, but she still has some of the best refineries in the world. Her international airport is consistently rated the best in the world. She has only a population of about 5million people, yet generates thousands of gigawatts of electricity! Her educational and healthcare systems are the envy of the world. She lacks potable water which she imports from neighbouring Malaysia yet her citizens are guaranteed safe drinking water. This list is by no means exhaustive!
Today, the world joins Singaporeans in paying tribute to this great leader who rose above party, ethnic divisions and religious rivalries which held sway in his time to bequeath his people with a modern, developed state. Singapore to many is a MIRACLE, but Lee Kuan Yew explains: If there is one formula for our success, it was that we were constantly studying how to make things work, or how to make them work better.
Adieu, Lee Kuan Yew, great reformer and leader. You will continue to stand tall amongst the world's greatest leaders.
(First published on my Facebook wall, 23rd March, 2015).
The father of modern day China. Exactly what we need in Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteYeah, he was truly a transformative leader. How can we nurture minds like this in Nigeria?
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