Written by:
Paul thomas
Ireland


Leadership: The Woe of a Nation (Part 4)

The sophistry of our leaders staggers belief. The fire brigade approach to national issues is the reason Nigeria is still amongst the least developed countries of the world. Right from independence the country’s leadership have had to grapple with national issues from the stand point of a novice. Leadership immaturity and antiquated ideology are some of the reasons the nation oscillates in constant imbroglio within our national boundaries and international precincts. Sadly the same players that brought Nigeria into her current quagmire are still very much around and for those that have exited their ghost linger through political cronies and god-fatherism. The many sided problems confronting the Nigerian state gives credence to the reality of leadership apathy or outright incompetence. The dynamism of leadership is the capacity to take national issues in strides and with utmost confidence in the pursuit of answers and solutions no matter how daunting or Herculean it may appe
ar; as evident in other parts of the world where leaders confront issues with pragmatic fervour until solutions are proffered.

No nation under heaven has the capacity to tackle problems in the magnitude and complexity with which they appear in Africa, successive leadership failure over the years has seen the complete devastation and disintegration of both our social and economic structures. The many years of negligence and decadence of our infrastructure and the lack of political and economic will have seen the near collapse of the Nigerian state. Each of the major sectors of the Nigerian state requires many years of dedication and commitment before we can begin to see any tangible result. The seven point agenda of the Yar’Adua government is simply an escapist contraption of the reality of the enormity of the decadence that exists in the seven point pursuit of this administration. The incumbent government is either in denial of the extent of the rot of the existing infrastructure or has no real intention of tackling these menace that brazenly stares all of us in the face. To intend to sanitise Niger
ia within four years with a seven point agenda in which two of the four years is already gone and nothing of note can be alluded to as a major accomplishment of the seven point proposal; is to me nothing but grand scale deception.

If this administration wants to truly change status-quo the first major step should be the alignment of the various political players existing within the Nigerian political terrain. Only on this platform can the resuscitation of the vital organs of state begin to have a semblance of life. It is a truism that every facet of national life is directly in connection with the vibrancy of the political structure. That is, economic buoyancy and social cohesion can only be achieved on the platform of political expertise. A country’s progress is measured by the political tolerance and inclusion extended by the leaders. Nations where ethnic preponderance and tribal propensity take centre stage are always bedevilled with uprising, inequality and impoverishment of the citizens.

The reign of mindless leaders that have occupied our political space for most part of our independent life has seen a major disconnect between the successive political leaders and their followers. The ruthlessness of our civil leaders was felt the most during the emperor’s rule; The Most Honourable Obasanjo, whose proclamation of ‘not being in government to provide employment or roads or security but to hold the nation together’ is the height of political folly. National unity is predicated upon the provision of these amenities and failure to make these facilities available is the reason the country is on a collision course of some sort.

The unabated plundering and pilfering of national resources is taking its toil on the people, vast number of Nigerians are pauperised and scarred by the strangulating effect of poverty. Majority have lost their self confidence and comportment, as we all know dignity and sobriety takes the back stage when the pang of hunger bites. The most devastating effect of leadership failure is the perception of Nigerian about Nigeria, the complete loss of confidence and disconnection that has become intrinsic in the psyche of the Nigerian. A Nigerian sees no qualms in denying his citizenship to take up another country’s identity, a proof of how insignificant Nigeria has become to these fellows and the fear that their future is not secured as long as they carry the Nigerian identity. Everyday virtually all the embassies in Nigeria (even embassies of some countries that are not better off or even worse than Nigeria) are bombarded by thousands of Nigerian seeking the Golden-Fleece.

These Nigerians have lost hope in the entity called Nigeria; to them their sense of citizenship has become convoluted, in the ideal world citizenship is about protection, safety, employment, access to social infrastructure, active participation in the governing process, provision of amenities, education, etc, all of which must be guaranteed and provided by leadership; followership in turn becomes loyal, law abiding, cooperative and committed to national stability and nation building. It is absolutely callous to demand patriotism from followers when leaders do not give a hoot about the survival or well-being of the majority. Dynamic and vibrant Leadership is urgently needed to bring Nigeria out of the woods. The massive wealth depleted by these guys in government on a daily basis can be better channelled to improve the lot of the people. Millions of Nigerians await the responsiveness of leadership to their never ending plight.

The stench of leadership failure unfortunately sticks to every Nigerian. Nigerians who do business abroad know exactly what it means to be stigmatised because of the country you come from. Foreigners doing business with Nigerians are always very meticulous and cautious; they put all of their security systems in place to ensure that any hanky-panky is quickly detected. This is simply because of the level of mistrust the name Nigeria exudes. Nigeria’s image transcends re-branding; Nigeria needs to be completely over-hauled from top-to-bottom. Nigeria needs a change from the anachronistic style of leadership to a more pro-active and inclusive system of government. The people should govern themselves through their leaders; it is not the leaders forcing themselves on the people. The old recycled politicians right from independence need to take a bow and rest their weary brow with the ill gotten wealth that will diminish just as it came. The contributions of these men have not move
d Nigeria in any positive direction. Nigeria is more polarised now than before, these leaders have succeeded in dividing Nigerians along ethnic, cultural and religious dogma. Now we have more Northerners in strategic positions in the country simply because Yar’Adua is from the North. This country will never move forward as long as we have tribalism and nepotism at the heart of governance. These people’s philosophy of democracy is government of a few by a few and for a few.

While our so called leaders celebrate 10 years of uninterrupted ‘demoncracry’ with all pomp and pageantry; with millions of dollars released to celebrate the ‘hypocrisy of democracy’. The majority of Nigerians live in abject despair waiting to reap the benefit of democracy. While our so called leaders tell Nigerians to be patient for the dividend of democracy they feed themselves fat. They tell us that it will take time before the full benefit will be realised, meanwhile the problems of the masses persist. How can a hungry man be patient? How can a sick man be calm? How can a homeless man wait for the full dividend of democracy while sleeping rough? 10 years on the people are still told to be patient. Scores have died waiting for the benefit of democracy. While we wait for democracy to benefit us, our leaders loot the treasury dry. They tell us to be patient while they impatiently siphon our collective resources for their personal gain. If after 10 years the people cannot se
e a modicum of democratic benefit then something is terribly wrong with that democracy. If after 10 years poverty and despair still pervades the nooks and crannies of the country, then we need to redefine our own kind of democracy. What will a helpless father tell his hungry family or his sick child, that their sickness or hunger would have to wait for the dividend of democracy? What will a mother tell her daughter when she’s forced to the street to sell rather than go to school, that they have to be patient until the tree of democracy grows before they can pluck the fruit? While our merciless merchants told us to wait for the fruit of democracy to ripen, they and their children are flown abroad for the slightest headache, while they told us to wait they take holidays in exotic places with our money, while we are still waiting their children are in Harvard, Princeton and Yale.

The report card of our democracy is not anywhere close to average. The greatest shame of Nigeria’s democracy is the speed at which Ghana has emerged as a formidable force within the region; both as a democratic entity and a global phenomenon. Our shameless leaders are quick to celebrate Ghana has a success while they remain clueless about revamping the Nigerian entity. Many of them now see Ghana as a safe haven to send their children to school or invest in real estate while they cripple Nigeria. The atrocities of our leaders against the Nigerian state are unpardonable. How can anyone make sense of this parody called Nigeria; can anyone explain this illogicality? To think that some years ago Ghanaians sought economic solace in Nigeria and now Nigerians are seeking political, economic and social security in Ghana staggers belief.

To be continued

Shalom

Paul Thomas
Ireland

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