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Our Ship Is Sinking; A New Leadership Response To Crisis Is Needed-Otabil

By Nathan Gadugah
General News Our Ship Is Sinking; A New Leadership Response To Crisis Is Needed-Otabil
AUG 15, 2014 LISTEN

Head Pastor of the International Central Gospel Church Dr Mensa Otabil has called for a new leadership response to crisis situation in Ghana.

In a short but thought provoking message at the festival of ideas, Dr Otabil said there is the need for a decisive leader who follows the rules and seizes the urgency of the moment to save a sinking situation.

He was convinced Ghana's boat was sinking and needed measures that were "intentional, decisive and methodical" in saving the sinking boat from choppy waters.

In a playback of the famous Titanic story, not the one of love and romance, played out in the 1997 movie or sang so soothingly by Celene Dion, Dr Otabil gave a chilling account of how three captains of three different ships, including the Titanic, reacted when Titanic was sinking.

According to him, the captain of Titanic, Smith who had a brilliant career and chosen to lead and captain the titanic on its maiden voyage could just not believe what he was seeing, moments after the ship had hit an iceberg.

He was over confident and believed in the power of the Titanic to overcome the storm but in the end he died together with other occupants.

The captain of the second ship -California- saw the signals from Titanic, and instead of moving to save lives he thought the Titanic was unsinkable and that if anything, the occupants were in the celebration mood. He looked on whilst people perished.

The third ship-Capethia - had its captain responding to the dying cries of the occupants in the Tatanic and moved in expeditiously to save the situation.

"He rescued about 700 people," Dr Otabil recounted, saying "on a night of great tragedy where several thousands died came a decisive leader who saved people."

He said Ghana is heading towards a crisis situation, and even if it is subjective, the general view is that "all is not well."

Comparing the cedi to a rickety car he bought, Dr Otabil said the "cedi has a mind of its own" and chooses to behave the way it likes.

He said given the historical analysis of Ghana it "appears we are on a permanent trajectory of deterioration."

"I find it difficult to see how things will get back to normal," he hinted and charged all to "always prepare for the worst."

"Instead of hoping everything will be alright it is time to face reality things will get worse," he warned but said there was the need for the leadership traits of the captain of California to be shown in this trying times.

"We may not be able to save everything but we will save something," he added.

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