By Abiola Akintunde
Leadership give impetus to development, without leadership the state will be rudderless and possibly be like a semblance of the Hobbesian state of nature. John Maxwell, a leadership expert rightly posited that “everything raises and falls on leadership”.
The character of the leadership class of any country is an inevitable reflection of the character of the country. When you see a developed country, just know that the leadership class in such a country is forward-looking and when you also see a country that reflects all the indications of underdevelopment you don’t need to think twice to know that such a country has the problem of leadership deficit.
The NIGERIAN state has not been so fortunate to have leaders who epitomize the Ideals of leadership or it will be partially right to say that the NIGERIAN state resist leaders with the right intentions but what is obvious in the NIGERIAN state is the fact that the polity is drenched in the pool of ignominy and leadership deficit which has made the country move at a snail pace on the pedestal of development.
The leadership question is too complex for NIGERIANS to solve, we are desirous of good leadership but our disposition towards leadership gives credence to bad leadership.
We sermonize the gospel of good leadership in the NIGERIAN state but we operationalize everything that is inimical to good leadership.
Leaders reflect the common character in the society but leaders can also change the narrative but if the inherent character of the society is bad it will take a leader with an angelic character to use leadership clout to change the narrative in the society but most times, leaders give credence to the collective character in their society.
The leadership question is very delicate, it can’t be overlooked or underestimated, it is what propels the development of the polity. When the NIGERIAN state gets an answer to the existential leadership question in the country, the redemption of the country will come into fruition but if we continue to be crafty in answering the leadership question, the NIGERIAN state will continue facing the menace in the polity until we find a solution to the leadership question.
As we approach the 2023 elections, we should be more focused on the leadership question rather than watery leadership consideration, it is folly to continue with the same approach that has denied us of development in the NIGERIAN state. The leadership question is very critical to the development of NIGERIA and when we are more focused on answering the leadership question, we will not continue with the narrative of the past. We should vote for leaders who have a deep mastery of the existential challenges in the NIGERIAN state and also this with sound solutions to the challenges facing the Nigerian-state. If we keep avoiding the leadership question, we can’t avoid the consequences of avoidance.
We should be conscious of the fact that in a democratic or quasi democratic state, the office of the citizen is the highest office in the country which means the citizens have the ability to determine the outlook of the leadership composition in their political terrain. It also suggest that if leadership is bad, the collective is equally bad which gives validity to the point that the people get the quality of leaders they deserve. Leaders don’t make themselves, it is the people that gives legitimacy to leadership. When the people are prepared the right leaders will emerge.
When next you talk about bad leadership also remember to reflect your subtle or huge contribution to bad leadership. If you refuse to be responsive in your responsibility as a citizen of the country, you’re an enabler of bad leadership. If you overlook the shortcomings of leaders because of pecuniary gains, you are an enabler of bad leadership. If you don’t ask leaders the right questions but shout “Hosanna” all the time you’re an enabler of bad leadership. If your voting decision is based on sentiment and devoid of sound judgement, you are an enabler of bad leadership.
When we look at it objectively, our inability to proffer solution to the existential leadership question in NIGERIA is based on our collective contribution to bad leadership.
The Nigerian state can always and can be a better state among the comity of nations if we reconfigure our mental magnitude towards development. The leadership question is not too difficultto solve but without an attitudinal change, the simplicity of the question will become very complex to solve
