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Opinions of Wednesday, 19 October 2022

Columnist: Anthony Obeng Afrane

Mahama - the most charismatic leader of our time

Former President John Dramani Mahama Former President John Dramani Mahama

Every leader worth his salt must have certain superlative leadership traits, and must be able to lead a culture of change. Key among these traits is charisma. Charismatic leadership is built on a foundation of strong communication skills, persuasiveness, interpersonal connections and perhaps a little bit of charm to influence others. They are powerful communicators who articulate their visions through insightful, lively and meaningful style. Charismatic leaders are determined, creative and confident. They are visionary and strategic planners. They possess the mental eye, and have the ability to see things long before others - they seem to see the future. Average thinkers think only about the present, and about immediate gratification. But visionary and charismatic leaders think about where they want to be in many years' time. Interestingly, only about 10% of people in the world have these kinds of abilities, and I believe President Mahama is one of them. He was resilient in his effort to change lives and transform Ghana in spite of challenges. He is matchless, and his strategic infrastructure projects dotted all over the country, and other critical interventions are enough justifications. With these achievements, it came as no surprise when he was honoured by the Diasporan Association For Good Governance (DAGG) for being the best President Ghana has ever had since the days of Nkrumah some years ago at the organisation's 10th annual gathering where they honoured world leaders who have helped or are involved in making Africa a model continent. President Mahama's political mettle and charisma make him unique, and will continue to be a totem to many in Ghana and beyond. He is breathtakingly phenomenon!