Investigating servant leadership and Ubuntu in Nigerian private sector enterprises: A parallel conceptual analysis

Abstract

This paper provides an analysis of the relationship between servant leadership as described in the contemporary literature and Ubuntu, which is generally described as a type of African leadership behavior. Previous studies of leadership and management in African enterprises have very often overlooked the significance of culture and indigenous philosophies like Ubuntu which underpin the practical application of certain behaviors in doing business and employee relations. In this paper, the analysis of data collected through the use of semi-structured interviews with business leaders working in a diverse range of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) within the Nigerian private sector, has revealed that the practice of Ubuntu is a unique form of African leadership behavior that does not equate to but incorporates some characteristics of servant leadership found in many other countries. The study of servant leadership in relation to the African concept of Ubuntu is particularly interesting because it draws attention to a number of philosophical, religious, mythical and mystical as well as cultural and managerial/organizational issues. Thus, it is expected to advance our understanding of leadership and management from an African perspective, bringing into dimension, the significance of indigenous philosophies and cultural values in leading and managing enterprises.