FOLLOWERSHIP

FOLLOWERSHIP

Followership: A follower is a person who takes to the instruction of a leader. Followership means a group of people who accept the leadership and authority of a person or group of persons. A call to leadership is a call to service while the followers must/should also pledge their support for their leader(s).

However, in all organisations, followers are far more than leaders. It takes affective followers to have effective leaders and vice versa. Therefore, there is need for both groups to do their jobs to achieve their goals.

Qualities of good followers

1. Obedience to rules and regulation of their organisations and leaders.
2. They must respect and cooperate with their leader(s) – i.e. loyalty
3. They must be committed to the goal of their organisation and society.
4. They must be honest, courageous and trustworthy/dependable.
5. They must carry out their obligation and duties dutifully.
6. They must be knowledgeable hardworking and disciplined
7. They should always correct their leader(s) in love but not criticism that would lead to the own fall of their leaders.
8. They must be punctual at meeting.

Function of Followers

1. Obeying the laws of their organisation and society
2. Contributing towards the progress and development of their organisation and society.
3. Loyalty to their leaders and society in general.
4. They must be hard working and discipline.
5. Defending the truth and interest of the society.

How leaders are controlled

1. Elections: Leader who fail to perform very well during their governance may not get reelected in another term.
2. Civil Unrest/Disobedience: Strikes, violence demonstration/protest may be used by people (followers) to control, check their leader. This protest could be peaceful or violent.

Example of this method has been adopted in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya respectively. The demonstration used this to express their discontentment about their leaders. So also protest are being adopted in Nigeria when the prices of petroleum are indiscriminately increased or when workers are protesting for increasing in pay/salaries.

3. Oath of Office: Winning government are often made to take an oath of office to pledge their promises to serve their people in truth and honesty.
4. Banishment/Dethronement: When a traditional leader did not do well he could be banished (sent away), punished or removed from the throne based on his/her wrong doings which is against the tradition of their community.
5. Constitution: The law book of the country also helps to control the excesses of the leaders based on the limitations checks (on their powers and functions) as provided in the condition.
6. The hierarchical structure of social institutions and the government help to control our leaders.

Those below the hierarchy obey those over and above them. For example, Local government chairmen obey the governors and the governors obey the president of the country. At the traditional level, lesser chiefs obey the senior ones and the youths obey their elders.

Evaluation

1. Define followership
2. State five qualities of followership
3. Mention three (3) functions of a follower