It
sounds impressive reading reports that the president of the Gambia National
Olympic Committee (GNOC) has stated that he would not contest in the upcoming
GNOC election slated for 5 November 2016, even though he is still qualified to
contest after serving two terms of four years each.
“I
want to retire gracefully, and wish the candidates best of luck,” he told the
press.
This
stance by the GNOC president is quite noble, as such a culture of leaving such
top offices in Africa gracefully has been very rare.
Many
holders of top posts in the sports fraternity at the national, regional and
international realm always try to cling on to their positions, until they go
out in disgrace.
And,
in most instances, their tenures are marred by serious corruption that brings
them and the sports fraternity into serious disrepute.
It
is not too good to cling on to power for far too long, because it is difficult
avoiding slipping into maladministration or mismanagement of affairs.
This
is more so when a leader gets more powerful on the throne, with the passing of
time!
Power,
they say, corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
This
could be one of the realizations of Fifa and now Caf in introducing a term
limit in their positions of presidency.
It
has been pronounced by Caf’s media spokesman that come March 2017, at their
next election, the president and even members of the Executive Committee, will
be limited to three terms in office.
This
has now been declared on the backdrop that Caf’s incumbent president Issa
Hayatou has been at the helm of affairs for 28 years.
World
football governing body Fifa, in February this year, also limited its presidency
to three terms in office to recuperate from an ailment of corruption crisis it
went through recently.
The
action by the GNOC president is also good for the present group of GNOC
presidential aspirants.
While
he has wished the candidates best of luck in their presidential aspirations,
the incumbent president said: “At the
same time, I want all of them to put the interest of the country first, and run
their campaign with maturity, discipline and a sporting agenda that would
attract the voters.”
This
is a show of heroic character by the GNOC boss, which must be applauded and
emulated by those intending to take up the mantle after him.
“Become
the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily; even if you had no
title or position.”
Brian
Tracy