Latest update April 3rd, 2025 7:45 PM
FEARLESS LEADERS
To say that life is difficult and it is not a walk in the park may be an understatement, but for the poor and the downtrodden in Guyana, it is a reality. Actually, life is probably more akin to a walk in a dense forest or a wooded area at night, because there are so many unknowns and so many aspects that can inspire hope in some, anxiety in many, and pain and suffering in others. Life can be very scary for the vulnerable. It can paralyze those who are powerless to make worthwhile and necessary adjustments. But even though life seems to be a very pleasant experience for those who are wealthy, almost everyone, including some of the world’s greatest leaders, faces life with some degree of fear.
Nelson Mandela faced fear when he fought apartheid against the powerful all-white government of South Africa. He stood-up against the perpetrators of racial inequality and the flawed political system of his day that oppressed blacks. He was jailed for 27 years and placed in solitary confinement. Even after his release, he faced immense fear while becoming the first black President of his country. It was a tremendous responsibility. Throughout his life, he endured fearful moments, but he survived them all and fulfilled his purpose to man and country with dignity.
Fear rested heavily on the mind of President John Kennedy when in 1961, he asked all Americans to pray for the success of U.S. astronauts landing on the moon. It would be the first time the U.S. would be undertaking such a risky journey to fly men into space, land them on the moon and return them safely to earth. Six years after his death in November 1963, his vision became the nation’s reality, in 1969.
Beginning with the bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had feared for his life and those of his loved ones. His fight against racism, injustice and segregation of blacks in America led to countless death threats and assassination attempts against him. His house was bombed and he was spat on, pelted with rocks and was beaten. No one but him knew the fear that gripped his heart as he stepped out of his house each day. No one knew the amount of fear that riveted his mind each time he stood up at a public event to speak against racial injustices and condemn its perpetrators. In spite of the fears, time and again, Dr. King spoke out for what he believed in. Mandela, Kennedy and King were fearless leaders.
Leaders ought to be fearless, but the word “fearless” in this context does not mean an absence of fear, rather, it assumes the presence of fear but recognizes that its paralyzing effects can be resisted and overcome. One of the common characteristics found in most leaders is their profound ability to face and resist the fear of the unknown with resoluteness and confidence. King, Kennedy and Mandela knew what they wanted to accomplish, yet they had no crystal ball to show them the path, but they confidently and bravely advanced their vision, even if it could cost them their lives.
We need fearless leaders in Guyana; leaders who will stand up against conglomerates like ExxonMobil and put Guyana first without wavering or shirking their responsibility. There will be fear, but they must not allow it to paralyze them or break their willpower. They must face challenges head-on, not only with speeches, but by actions that would prevent the rape and pauperization of Guyana and its people, and put the country first.
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