Chioma Rosemary Onyekaba
Storms have always been the ultimate test of leadership. They strip away the glitter of titles and expose the very core of character. And in the fiercest of storms, when the ship is battered and breaking, the true test of a leader is revealed.
A captain with honour will give the hardest command of his career: “Abandon ship.”
Not because he is weak. Not because he has lost. But because he values lives above ego, people above position.
The crew leaps for safety. Some pray. Some weep. The vessel groans as the sea claims it. Yet the captain remains, not to cling to the ship, but to protect those he leads until the very last moment. Only when all are safe does he finally step away.
That is not just seamanship—it is leadership.
Because here’s the truth:
A sinking ship can, and should, be abandoned. A business model that no longer works. A toxic system. A project that drains without giving back. Not everything is worth going down with.
But there is one thing that must never be abandoned—honour.
Honour is what makes the difference between a leader and a tyrant. It is the anchor that holds when everything else falls apart. Ships can sink. Fortunes can fade. Titles can vanish. But once honour goes under, it rarely resurfaces.
So ask yourself: when the storms come—and they always do—will you cling to pride, or will you hold on to honour?
Because in the end, leadership is not about how well you steer the ship in calm waters. It is about whether you can keep your honour afloat when everything else is sinking.
“Storms may take your ship, but never let them take your honour.”
