Some years ago, when Femi Fani Kayode was a freelance attacker of public figures in the opposition party, he said in one of his numerous politically charged statements that Goodluck Jonathan lacked balls. He was referring to the fact that the then President was more or less what many Nigerians would call “woman wrapper”. In other words, someone that is too timid to take necessary and courageous actions. Many Nigerians shared a similar opinion about Goodluck until they experienced the balls of Muhammadu Buhari. If you ask many who is the global leader with the biggest balls today, many will easily mention Vladimir Putin who recently invaded Ukraine. They would tell you how he has outsmarted the West. They would tell you how he has made Russia respectable and even placed then on the verge of being a superpower again. What they would try to ignore is how Putin’s Russia easily poison or imprison anyone that criticizes Vladimir Putin. What they would also try not to acknowledge is that Putin’s attack and annexing of his sovereign neighbour could happen to them with the corresponding martial consequences if they were nationals of countries bordering Russia or with a sizable Russian-speaking population. The question some of would want to ask is, how did Putin emerge as the dictator-general of the world?

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was born on the 7th of October 1952. He is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who is the current President of Russia. He has been serving in this position since 2012, and he previously held this office from 1999 until 2008. He was also the prime minister from 1999 to 2000, and again from 2008 to 2012. Putin is the second-longest current serving European president after Alexander Lukashenko according to Wikipedia. Putin graduated with a law degree at Leningrad State University in 1975. He worked as a KGB foreign intelligence officer for 16 years before resigning in 1991 to begin a political career. He later moved to Moscow in 1996 to join the administration of President Boris Yeltsin. He briefly served as director of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and secretary of the Security Council, before being appointed as prime minister in August 1999. Before this large-scale invasion of Ukraine, Putin has made similar and smaller invasions that have emboldened him to make this move. In the past and the present Winter Olympics in China, Russian athletes have been found guilty of state-sponsored doping without major punishments. Since Putin emerged as the present strongman of Russia, he has been testing the resolve of world leaders and he has come to the understanding that he can always get his ways if he plays his cards tight and right.

This narrative sounds like the narrative happening in many homes, institutions, and organizations. In homes where brats emerge, the tolerance of the excesses of these children encourages a mindset where they feel they can have their way, no matter what, even to the point of abusing the rights of others. This phenomenon is repeated in corporate and public settings. The world must stand together in pushing Putin and his troupes back into Russia. If the world fails in this very important and deadly test, Putin will have a bigger target next time and by then it might be too late, or the aftermath will cause more casualties. If you are a parent or leader know that your actions and inactions might be developing a Putin in your ward. Just like Europe and the world need to devise ways to permanently correct the excesses of Putin, we must all look around ourselves and start the process of correcting any Putin around us.

Ata Ukuta – Editor, Towncryyers