Dozie Tasks Entrepreneurs on Transformational Leadership Culture to Drive Economic Growth

Ugo Aliogo and Esther Ehoche

Chairman of MTN Nigeria, Dr. Paschal Dozie, has charged entrepreneurs to imbibe the culture of transformational leadership as a key strategy to grow businesses and promote excellence.

Dozie, who made the call in Lagos on Wednesday at the launch of a book titled: ‘Who Says You Can’t’ written by the Chairman of ABC Transport, Frank Nneji, noted that stated that entrepreneurs cannot not focus on applying the same principles and methods and yet expect great results.

Dozie also stated businesses must create value to speed up growth and not just focus on old methods of doing things if they must remain competitive in the market, pointing out that businesses that pay prior attention to profit making without creating value is a poor business.

“Most times, people are stocked doing the same thing. For instance, in the villages, if you find an individual doing business in one particular line of trade, before long others join the business; instead of thinking of how to add value to improve businesses and the society. People should be more concerned on how to structurally improve the economy, rather than doing what others are doing”, he mentored.

Speaking on the book, Dozie said that the author is an enterprise and an entrepreneur worthy of note; noting that writing of the book is value addition to the economy.

He added: “The author has imbibed the culture of transactional and transformational leadership. Today, is not a day for speeches, but exposing the values you have written in your book. This book is value addition to the economy. I want to thank you Frank for this effort and your family for the role they have played. I will try to propagate the message in this book by buying two copies.”

In his remarks, the keynote speaker, Prof. Pat Utomi, said Nneji has redefined the transport sub-sector and provided a template on how to improve the performance of the sector, adding that he has an understanding of transactional and transformation behaviour in business.

Utomi also stated the need to examine what Nneji has done to transform the sector through ABC Transport Company and take a cue from his strategies. “There is a need to look at what he has done and see how we can explore lessons from his successful stories”, he said.

Represented at the event by Nigeria’s First Certified Public Speaker, Ubong Essien, Utomi charged entrepreneurs on the need to stand out in businesses by applying the principles of transformational leadership.

He added: “From the start of this book, we will see a clear intention to inspire, challenge and motivate young entrepreneurs. This is a memoir that contains business experiences and lessons of Nneji who has seen it fit to share these experiences with us. This book contains important business stories. There are two types of entrepreneurs; the transactional entrepreneurs and the transformational entrepreneurs.

“Most of our lives and experiences today are focused more on the transactional entrepreneurs. He redefined the transport sector in Nigeria. He had a vision and he had a dream. He went for the uncommon by asking, ‘Why can’t we have aviation on land?’ He didn’t need to copy anything; he just asked questions and challenged circumstances. For up and coming entrepreneurs, this should be their focus. As a transformation entrepreneur, it is about seeking to change the world that you are in not seeking to be a part of it.”