By Abba Dukawa<\/p>\n
\u2018The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders
\nto rise to the responsibility and to the challenge of personal example
\nwhich are the hallmarks of true leadership.\u2019 late Prof. Chinua Achebe<\/p>\n
The country at 59 still battling with poor leadership, nepotism,
\ncorruption, mismanagement of resources,\u00a0 \u00a0insecurity of life and
\nproperty, lack of basic infrastructure and social amenities with a
\npoverty level of 75%\u00a0 Nigeria Poverty is rising in Nigeria with more
\nthan a 100 million people living on less than $1a day.\u00a0 While Nigeria
\ncontemporary\u2019s countries that gotten statehood are now developing
\ncountries in spite of its enormous wealth, Nigeria is among
\nunderdeveloped countries with a life expectancy of 48.8%.<\/p>\n
Interestingly at 59 independence problem with Nigeria has been
\nidentified by most analysts and social commentators as the absence of
\ntrue leadership. This I believe is just one aspect of the truth or
\nreality.\u00a0 The reality of the matter is simple Poor leadership in the
\ncontext of bad followership throughout the ages in every society that
\nhas evolved successfully, social reform and change is initiated by
\nfollowership and not necessarily the leadership.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0 \u00a0intend to depict the generally accepted position that the problem
\nwith Nigeria is squarely the problem of leadership but I argue that
\nNigeria, like any other country, is peopled by stakeholders who are both
\nleaders and followers. It then behooves on every Nigerian to rise to the
\noccasion of saving and securing Nigeria. Every Nigerian is a major
\nstakeholder and therefore owes it a duty to salvage Nigeria from the
\nquagmire of poor leadership. The success or otherwise of leadership will
\nnot be in isolation of followership. Both leaders and followers are
\nguilty in the event of failure of the state. The support given to
\nleaders in Nigeria, always allowing them to have their way in almost
\neverything is the guilt of the citizenry.<\/p>\n
At 59 independence yet we cannot always hold our leaders accountable.
\nAre the leaders in Nigeria coming from mars? Even at the most basic
\nlevels, do we demonstrate and model good followership by demanding good
\ngovernance. In the electoral process, do we ensure that individuals that
\nrightly won elections are supported through mass support in their
\nredress process? Do we participate in the legislative process or do the
\nfollowers have regard for the laws, norms customs and traditions? If we
\nsay that we belong to a political party from where leaders emerge we
\nshould be able to influence the leadership. It is only in Nigeria that
\nthe followership supports a candidate for reasons other than the
\npolitical ideology.<\/p>\n
It critical look at the role of followership It must be reiterated that
\nevery Nigerian is a major stakeholder and therefore owes it a duty to
\nsalvage Nigeria from the quagmire of poor leadership. The success or
\notherwise of leadership will not be in isolation of followership. Both
\nleaders and followers are guilty in the event of failure of the state.
\nThe support given to leaders in Nigeria, always allowing them to have
\ntheir way in almost everything is the guilt of the citizenry.<\/p>\n
At 59 independence Nigerians do fully well to swallow the pills
\nadministered to them by their leaders even when such pills are bitter.
\nThe leaders have perfected their manipulatory skills such that even
\ncivil society groups, professional bodies, and religious organizations
\nhave fallen to the spell of poor leadership as if they are no more
\nrational beings so to speaks\u00a0 \u00a0the guilt weighs more on the
\nfollowership, who have allowed them to be manipulated, deceived, abused,
\nused and dumped by the leaders who should be there to protect their
\ninterest.<\/p>\n
At 59 independence, we can either celebrate or sober reflections on
\nmajor problems bedeviled us as a people and nation like corruption,
\nNigerians are a living witness that in any address made by all serving
\nand ex-presidents, they claimed to fight against corruption. \u201cWe are
\ncommitted to transparency and accountability.\u201d But despite these
\npromises from the leaders, still, corruption has eaten deeply in the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
To understand how this cancer has eaten deeply in our society,
\nhonouring transparency and accountability is no longer fashionable, and
\ncorrupt people don\u2019t feel bad about their actions, because everybody
\nelse is doing it anyway. Those who choose not to do it are considered
\ncowards and becoming a laughing stock in the society. The surge of
\nkidnappings and killings by bandits, especially in the easr, coupled
\nwith the resurgence of a Boko Haram\u00a0 affiliated to the Islamic State
\ngroup are our greatest headaches.<\/p>\n
For more than two and half decade Nigeria never had such serious
\neconomy challenges like what we are now\u00a0 largely due to\u00a0 dependent on
\noil as\u00a0 government revenues, fluctuating prices leave the Nigeria
\nvulnerable. The World Bank has predicted sluggish growth this year
\ncoupled with unemployment at more than 20% and nearly half the
\npopulation living in extreme poverty.\u00a0 \u00a0 Infrastructure deficit: despite
\nthe billions of naira being pumped into numerous building projects by
\n2040, Nigeria\u2019s infrastructure deficit will hit $878bn making it hard
\nfor businesses to prosper.<\/p>\n
At 59 independence more than\u00a0 150 million Nigerians are languishing in
\npoverty in the country. Nigerians have been disappointed to the greater
\nlevel with the development shape pour country in almost six decades
\nwhere every sectors is decaying due to the lack of political will of our
\nleaders and proactive citizenry role. Our failure\u2019s to make concerted
\neffort by insisting that the right must be done and we citizen must rise
\nup and unite against misgovernment, corruption and nepotism if we really
\nwant to see the country move forward we have to be courageous to imbibe
\nthe culture of prudence, honesty and accountability.<\/p>\n
We must ensure people with proven honesty and accountability are elected
\nand the citizenry to adopt effective citizens role while those within
\nthe corridor of power must have courage to tell the leaders the truth
\nand not to be glorify praise singers.<\/p>\n
Nothing will change unless the leaders and led have country at heart.<\/p>\n