The Search for Exemplary Leaders in Nigeria Continues

The present administration in Nigeria insists that it anchors its policies on transparency, integrity and honesty.

 Millions of Nigerians argue that this is far from the reality in public offices across the country. 

 For several years, successive administrations in the country have failed to incorporate the aforementioned into national life. 

 Rather, activities and actions have been channeled towards stagnancy, retardation and underdevelopment. 

 At the inauguration of boards and parastatals in Oyo state, on 24 June 1999, the then-Governor of Oyo state, Alhaji Lam Adesina, of blessed memory, stated : ”We take our time in ensuring that men and women of integrity and probity are chosen among innumerably qualified men and women. "We don’t like being proved wrong and this is why we implore you to rise up to the challenge and improve a lot in your workplace.'' ”We are very serious when we promise our people that probity and public accountability will be our watchword. Most of the areas you have been posted to are affected and already grounded by financial impropriety and squandermania. "We, as a company, have made a covenant with our people, and we shall not renege on it”, Alhaji Adesina concluded.

 Indeed, Nigerians are still wondering if the present crop of political appointees at both the Federal and State levels would make probity and public accountability their watchword, considering the rot in the system. 

 In 2009, the Day Star Christian Center organized a conference, ”Excellence in Leadership”. In attendance was the then Governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Fashola, who is now the Minister of Works and Housing. Fashola emphasized the need for Nigerians to embrace the basic values of good conduct. 

 ”By sowing for an early crop, the capacity to ‘lead’ particularly in our youth, we can guarantee this nation a harvest of exemplary leaders that our people so dearly expect and indeed deserve”. 

 Without doubt, the country is in dire need of principled and visionary leaders.

 However, the absence of people with good leadership qualities has for long served as a major impediment towards achieving developmental goals. 

 A sizable number of today's leaders at all levels of government are obviously unfit to hold such positions and, unfortunately, have become negative role models to young people. 

 But the existence of principled and visionary leaders seems to be a mirage, when confronted with the fact that most power brokers end up managing wayward children. 

 Young people in public offices now defend lawlessness and criminality, since the criminals who they look up to disrespect and disregard their elders.

 In the political scene, the Father continues to contend with issues of governance, while the Mother runs around to boost the fortunes of her pet project. 

 At the end of it all, the children grow up without parental care, with their behavior similar to that of their nannies and teachers.

 The ”World is yours” becomes their creed, while the state and its resources are at their beck and call. Indeed, transparency, integrity and honesty are not yet within reachable distance.

The Adventures of the Powerful

The action and inaction of state governors in Nigeria have for long been trailed by a plethora of promises.

Even though a number of them are not foundation members of the parties in question, they were given the opportunity to ascend the exalted position.

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Sadly, they have destroyed these political parties.

The results of the ward, Local Government and State Primaries were manipulated to satisfy the self-centered interests of these State Governors. Interestingly, consensus has replaced election, to the chagrin of the people.

This abnormality revolves around greed.

Indeed, in the present time, the party leadership is now vested in the affected state Governors while the party Chairmen have since become ceremonial heads.

These state governors are now in full control of the structures at the national, state, local government and ward levels. Most of the political parties have been decapitated, while delegates who elected candidates for various political offices were strictly the choice of the powerful.

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Nigerians have continued to fall victims of criminals, who dispossess them of their landed properties in connivance with certain corrupt officials in the Executive and the Judiciary.

The Elusive Naira notes

Governments guided by accountability, responsibility and transparency have always been constant never to retain card-carrying party members who aspired to political positions but failed to emerge victorious in sensitive positions. Such party members, if allowed to continue in such public offices, would bring to bear their partisanship. Sadly, high standards have been eroded. Interestingly, the expectation of Nigerians is that the newly redesigned 200, 500 and 1,000 Naira notes will be made available for everyone through the banking system. Although the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) has insisted that the new naira notes are in abundant supply to the commercial banks, the experience of Nigerians in banking halls, ATM machine points and P.O.S shops has proved the contrary. Much as the commercial banks would wish to comply with the directive of the apex bank to make the new notes available, the old notes have been, up till this moment, still being dispensed. Indeed, if there is no hidden motive in fixing the deadline for the withdrawal of the old notes, which is 31st January, the reasonable and rational step to take ought to be for the old notes to circulate side by side with the new ones, until the former is withdrawn. However, the desperation and hurried actions of the apex bank to withdraw the old notes suggests that there is more to it than meets the eyes. Unfolding events in urban, and most especially rural areas indicate that the CBN would have not option but to extend the deadline; only if it is sensitive to the plight of Nigerians. 2023 and Beyond The daily occurrence of violent crimes, the sorry state of electricity supply and the lingering fuel scarcity in Nigeria are enough advice for the electorate to determine the next crop of leaders in 2023 and beyond. Perhaps

Standing Aloof and Stewardship

Any focused government with vision ought to put machinery in place that will assess and evaluate the levels of performance and service delivery of political appointees. The only exception to the above-mentioned, is a government that has a lot to hide. Contract inflation, money laundering and misappropriation of funds are shadows of several political appointees, although cover-ups are not strange in these days of political campaigns. Indeed, futile attempts have been made to mend fences after the damage has been done. Political ambitions have scuttled such attempts.A leader must be decisive and not stand aloof. Interestingly, some elements in government are out for full-scale destruction based on the fierce pursuit of self-interest. Sadly, the apex bank and commercial banks in the country have been caught in the web of intrigues, manoeuvres and sabotage and Nigerians are at the receiving end. Of worry, is the non-committal stance of Those-in-Authority, which most believe is an ominous sign for Nigeria and DEMOCRACY. Note- Lawlessness, crime and all forms of criminality continue unabated while an unspecifed number of men and officers of the law enforcement agency relentlessely undermine law enforcement.

Leadership and Governance by Prof. Sabitu Olagoke

Organization and professional ethics are important elements of governance or corporate governance. The elite now trample upon the Fundamental Human Rights of the impoverished masses, who have become mere pawns in their(elite) hands for the ease of manipulation to win elections. The present dividends of democracy include insecurity, poverty aggravation due to unemployment and high prices of commodities beyond the reach of the teeming population, avarice and greed exemplified through the blood of Timocracy running through the system of our politicians driving them crazy into Kleptocrarcy and deceptive plea bargaining; increasing the fold of cabal, cartel and the vicious cycle of the corrupt people's clubs in Nigeria. In all processes involving governance, leadership by appointment, promotion or election, the effective participation of the people matters at all levels of identification, selection, and electoral processes involving voters' registration and the collection of the Permanent Voters Cards(PVC), party manifesto, campaign training and the voting exercise and monitoring, election results, collation of results and the declaration of results. The aftermath of this continues to call for effective participation of people in keeping the environment of peace for ease of governance. Leaders must be above the parochial sentiments of statism, ethnicity, tribalism, ego-centeredness, materialism, but be spiritually rejuvenated in due process without religious bigotry in dispensing power and service.

Governance and leadership cuts across all systems for idea and product generation for the purpose of enhancing productivity and sustainable development. Whatever your professional discipline- religion, politics, media practice, broadcasting, business or entrepreneurship, entertainment, medicine, engineering etc. We must all be skillful as professionals for us to be able to serve with ethical guidance that will eventually give competence in leadership and credence to due process in governance. This will equally enhance effective participation of people for a better society. Leaders must be prepared and trained through the agents of socialization-the home, school, vocation and right empowerment. Our educational orientation must be geared towards realizing this for leaders with all authority and confidence to be on the field when challenged to assume office and with outstanding and credible performance. However, when we take for granted leadership training needs by allowing people to assume leadership duties, roles and responsibilities, they will lack the ethics and procedures of due process to end up disappointing the people in the discharge of his or her duties, as would be evident in the lack of the rudiment of Management, Administration and Governance. Corporate governance under democratic norms is, therefore, recommended since it will instill discipline to enhance efficiency in productivity with high goodwill of peace and sustainable development in an environment that is safe and secured where nobody is denied of his/her right of access and right of justice.