After receiving the Excellence in Leadership award from the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation (AAF), the Managing Director/CEO of May & Baker Nigeria Plc, Pharm Patrick Ajah, in this interview with CHIMA NWOKOJI, reveals his leadership style, hinged on the principle of “Leave no colleague behind.” He also delves into recent developments in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry and warns that If companies keep collapsing, the country will not be making meaningful progress. Excerpts:
You are being recognised for your leadership role as the Managing Director of May & Baker Nigeria, what is your assessment of leadership, especially as it relates to Nigeria today?
I appreciate the recognition being given to May & Baker by the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation (AAF). The company is a significant part of why this platform has been offered to me. It is not about friendship. All of us are challenged by the situation of the country today. Nigeria has faced major challenges before, but each time there is a need to point to the kind of leaders the country needs.
Leadership is the fact that a set of people have agreed on a destination and chosen somebody they believe can lead them there. If you cannot lead people to achieve an objective, there is no point in calling you a leader. In organisations like this, and many others where I have worked, leadership positions are not handed out casually. You go through proper screening. It is merit-based. Before I took this position, they asked searching questions going back to my university days. The reason is simple: they do not want us to mislead people.
When you step into the position, you see the essence of that. People are looking up to you and depending on you. The greatest part of leadership is understanding that it is not about you or what you can get for yourself. It is about…
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