Every human being possesses the instinct to desire greatness. The quest for greatness often motivates people to run for public office, invent a product, organize a business or non-profit.

To make this universally desirable instinct attainable and accessible to every human being, irrespective of literacy, race, religion, national origin, and social class, Jesus of Nazareth, in the Gospel of Matthew, unveiled the secret of true greatness hidden in plain sight for ages.

“But Jesus called them and said, ‘You know that the rulers… and their great ones exercise authority over them… Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.’”

According to Jesus, everyone can be great because everyone can serve.

Africa needs servant leaders. Africa is rich but most citizens of African nations are born, live and die in poverty, while most African politicians enter government to get rich, not to serve. Once in office, African presidents try to prove that they and they alone are the smartest and wisest. They alone must personally appoint everyone in government, even if all their three sons are to be appointed to top posts in violation of ethics and nepotism laws.

But win or lose, Weah and Boakai can attain greatness by becoming true disciples of Jesus or by simply following the examples of Ulysses S. Grant, the 17th president of the United States. A two-term president, Grant was initially dismissed as ineffective and weak.

Like Moses, he was quiet and soft-spoken but as a Union General, he inspired great bravery among thousands of soldiers and led America to victory in the American Civil War. His strategy not only won the war; he freed the slaves and saved America from collapse. His secret? Grant was a humble servant.

Although Grant didn’t have many ideas of his own, countless new ideas from citizens flourished during his tenure that unleashed productive capacities in American industry, many of which later powered America to the top as a world superpower.

One such idea was the Centennial International Exhibition of 1876, which was held in Philadelphia. The idea of an international exhibition of arts, manufacturing, and products of the soil and mine didn’t come from President Grant but an obscure professor of mathematics, John L. Campbell at Wabash College. The Exhibition was designed by Herman J. Schwarzmann, not Grant’s sons or cousins.

On May 10, 1876, American democracy was in full swing with ordinary citizens like Alexander Graham Bell showing up for the 100th-anniversary celebrations with his invention, the first telephone.

Remington came with his invention, the first modern typewriter. Then came Heinz with Heinz Ketchup! Wallace came with the Wallace-Farmer Electric Dynamo, Thomas Edison came with the electric light bulb, among others. The United States of America at 100 years was ready for takeoff, powered by ordinary citizens.

Compare that to Liberia at 170 years of age, with nothing to showcase because Liberian politicians want to be everything and do everything and take everything, leaving nothing for the people.

Democracy – government of the people, by the people and for the people – is powered by the people, not politicians. In participatory democracy or citizens initiatives, the lawmakers are not the only ones who make law – the people who hire lawmakers are empowered to propose laws without the permission or approval of politicians.

The lawmakers don’t set their own salaries and benefits – the people who elected the lawmakers set the salaries based on the cost of living index. The people who elected the officials also have the power to recall corrupt elected officers before their term expires.

The president doesn’t always need to send brown bags of cash to bribe lawmakers to make bad laws because the people who elected both the president and lawmakers also are empowered constitutionally to repeal bad laws that aren’t in the national interest.

So, does such a system exist? Yes, in Switzerland, a country with very little natural resources. Where else? The European Union and 24 states in the U.S., including California, the home of Hollywood and Silicon Valley and in Massachusetts, the birthplace of the American Revolution and the home of Harvard University and the Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Institute (By the way, Dr. Fuller was the first Black Psychiatrist in the USA and a native of Monrovia, Liberia).

Some may say this system can’t work in Africa because our people are illiterate. Wrong! The system does work in every Africa country. For example, it works in the markets and shops where the person who hires the worker sets their salaries and benefits as well as creates job descriptions.

Like computers, cell phones, radios, televisions, cars, and other gadgets not made in Africa, participatory democracy works in Africa for those who own it and turn it on! Own it and turn it on and you’ll see democracy at work successfully in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Kenya, Mali and Nigeria.

Thank God, the secret to greatness is not restricted to presidents, kings, and smart people. Anyone anywhere can be great because everyone can serve.

Liberians have a saying, “99 days for rogue but one day for the master.” Go to www.mastersday.com and sign up to join the Citizens Independence Movement (CIM).

Featured photo courtesy of Caleb Roenigk