SHOULD CGPA HINDER ONE’S DESIRE TO LEAD?

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In Nigeria’s mainstream democracy, the question of CGPA would not even arise. But in this intellectual setting, these questions are not surprising. Elections campaigns are in full geer both at the Students’ Union level and the faculties. At the Students’ Union level, the 3.0 CGPA requirement is fully in operation and some that would have loved to contest positions cannot because their CGPA does not meet the required standard. The case is different with faculties. Some faculties are have upholded the 3.0 standard, while some have not. But that is not the question here. Should CGPA hinder one’s leadership aspirations?

This debate has especially been a hot one in this dear Faculty of Arts. The previous weeks have witnessed back and forths over setting 3.0 as the academic standard for contesting executive positions. This generated a lot of controversy as well as propaganda. It should be noted that the faculty’s initial decision to raise the CGPA bar was not the aftermath of a good night sleep or sumptuous dinner. It was a decision made by the University Management, down to the Student Affairs, and then to the faculties. The decision has, in fact, been in operation since the beginning of the Akeju Olusegun-led Students’ Union administration. Many faculities had just not woken up to that reality at the time.

A person with a 3.0 CGPA is apparently book smart, at least to an extent. Even if they ‘crammed’ their way into it, some level of smartness is still required to do that cramming. Therefore, such a person is not a dullard, which exactly is the point of the school management in ensuring that the school raises (academically) sound leaders. However, book smartness does not automatically make one a good leader. If it is placed over such quaties, like integy, fairness, emotional intelligence and other important leadership qualities, then maybe such person is not worthy of being called a leader. This is not untrue because qualities that make for good and effective leadership are not taught within the walls of a class room , neither are they learnt in the pages if a textbook. This firmly establishes that a true leader is not always determined by CGPA.

While this argument is valid, it should be noted that great leaders in the world are not unintelligent it deficient in book smart. Again, it takes some level of intelligence to be book smart. And intelligence is one quality a leader cannot afford to be deficient in. No matter how emotionally intelligent they are, if they are below the bar in the Intelligence Quotient, they will only be like the multitude of leaders in Nigeria’s mainstream politics.

A sound CGPA does not always translate to effective leadership, yes but what would anyone say that a leader within an academic community is lacking in scholarship. What then is the point of the academic excellence that is expected in academic setting?

The same way a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)cannot be a Vice Chancellor in an academic benvironment with many Professors, is the same way a student lacking in book smartness cannot be allowed to lead in an academic setting with many scholars. One odd outweighs the other.

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