Nigerian leadership styles and the future
By The Nation On May 27, 2021
By Samuel Oluwole Ogundele
Nigeria has a lot of lessons to learn from the current unprecedented imbroglios that stare us in the face. It is too easily forgotten, that good governance is the collective responsibility of both the leaders and the led. Therefore, an imbalance is created whenever this seemingly simple, but foundational principle is not respected by any system. This becomes very important when a leadership has almost completely lost its sacred essence due to a wide range of factors. Nigerian leaders across the board need some considerable amount of political education anchored to superb human management among other things. Both the political and academic leaders in the country are generally guilty of this poor attitude to life and living. While it is a truism, that leadership styles are sometimes situation-or time-bound because challenges, problems, and sensitivities of people, are not fixed once and for all, certain common features still run deep in all forms of good governance.
I submit here, that frowning upon any expression of feeling by the follower or fuming with righteous indignation whenever he (the follower) legitimately complains, is at variance with democratic and/or instrumental leadership. Such an attitude reflects a low standard of morality cum spirituality. A good leader has to be humble, honest, firm, and intellectually sound. In other words, he must genuinely be an embodiment of self-confidence and personal integrity. In saner climes and cultures, governance is not located in the domain of lies and deception. But in today's Nigeria, one has to be a notorious liar to play politics. This poor attitude bordering on maximum spiritual deficiency sends a wrong signal to our youths.
Nigerian rulers like to surround themselves with sycophants as they mismanage both human and natural resources in a brazen manner. The followers are often treated with disdain until when another round of elections is near. Currently, there is nothing suggestive of justice, equity, transparency, and democracy in the country. Demons are let loose upon the Nigerian space. We only have what can be called autocratic mode of administration or outright dictatorship in a disguised form. Only one arm of government practically exists to the detriment of democracy. Consequently, development on a sustainable scale remains a wild goose chase, as the political office holders run around like a headless chicken. The hastily promulgated "Hate Speech Law" to silence the thoroughly hungry, short-changed Nigerians, is a reflection of authoritarianism. The rulers see the ordinary Nigerians as enemies to be mowed down or silenced forever.
Many top Nigerian office holders need to learn a lot of things about pragmatism of good leadership. The recent condemnation of some of the resolutions of the southern governors in Asaba, Delta State by certain prominent members of the National Assembly, was a testament to a gross lack of knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of good/charismatic leadership. The comments of these lawmakers were blatantly unfair and disrespectful, not only to the affected governors but the people they represent. Contrary to the belief of these politicians, the southern governors were/are interested in the unity and progress of Nigeria.
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Therefore, political engineering as from 2023 has to be embedded in uncommon sophistication including unalloyed patriotism. This is how we can begin to experience a truly united, prosperous country. Today's Nigeria is much more divided than hitherto as rapid disintegration stares us in the face. No serious governor, as the chief security officer of his state, will out of fear of Abuja or personal aggrandisement continue to make empty, nauseating rhetoric as disguised Boko Haram members maim, kill and/or rape his people. The primary duties of a leader are security and welfare of the people. Given this scenario, the southern governors have taken a good decision at Asaba to help their people, who are bleeding profusely due to rudderless-ness. Salute to them! We shall be happy to see that these resolutions finally come to fruition as quickly as possible.
The entirety of the global village watches our political heavyweights as they dance shamelessly, stark nakedly in the market place. The conservative/reactionary mind-set of this government, is the reason for the current intensification of the struggles for self-determination by the Yoruba and Igbo among other ethnic groups. But despite the fact that Nigeria's numerous crises have gone from bad to worse under this administration, some of us still feel that we are better off as a united country, although within the sphere of regionalism, at least in the interim. Every region should be able to explore and exploit its natural resources to the full, without any form of hindrance. It is time for those who are still daydreaming about their fake rights to culturally colonise Nigeria willy-nilly, to do a rethink. We are no longer in the 19th century. Nigeria needs a central political figure with lots of personality to reclaim the country's lost glories in diverse ways.
There should be no space again for people with primordial religious/ethnic bigotry to contest, let alone win elections. Nigerians must not go through these current pains without learning one or two lessons. The masses and the political elite are not on a par at all. The ordinary people from Maiduguri to Makurdi, and as far afield as Enugu and Ibadan have common problems, challenges, and sensitivities. The search for a new political order has to begin now. We need a messianic leader to right the wrongs.
Many youths are desperately leaving the country even for Togo and Benin, due to monumental hardships from a high rate of unemployment and under-employment as well as insecurity. Ghana is now an El-Dorado or a mini-Britain where many Nigerian migrants are often held in contempt by the indigenes. This humiliation can be stopped by good governance in our country. Therefore, the followers cannot afford to be docile, as some Nigerian rulers are hell-bent on rocking the boat because of their hidden cultural colonisation agendas. It is unwise to hand over all the problems to God to solve for us, while just praying inside our churches, mosques, and homes. Heavens help those who help themselves. Nigerians have to hold their leaders accountable at all times. Where are the pressure groups? Where is the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)? Are they in a coma? Are they merely waiting for their turn to suck the remaining blood of ailing mother Nigeria? Why should we leave the struggles to redeem the soul of Nigeria, to only the Wole Soyinkas, Ayo Adebanjos, Banji Akintoyes, and Femi Falanas? Without mincing words and risking the charge of emotional persuasiveness, this country has fallen from grace. But despite this ugliness, all Nigerians with good conscience must not let the grass grow under their feet as our dear country is experiencing an unprecedented tempest in its chequered history.
Prof. Ogundele writes from University of Ibadan.
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