Politics
Africa’s Leadership Question: ‘Most Countries Need Revolution Of Thought’
The President, Nations Leadership Institute (NLS) Mr Akogun Oyedepo, says most African countries need revolution of thought to breed future leaders in their countries.
Oyedepo, a lawyer and political scientist made this known on Monday while speaking at the official unveiling of the institute in Ilorin.
Our source reports that the unveiling of the institute was performed by the Speaker, Kwara House of Assembly, Mr Salihu Danladi.
Oyedepo declared that successive leaders in most African countries had nothing to learn from the past apart from corruption, tribalism and nepotism.
“We now have a better governance environment in some African countries where we have in place governments that even jailed members of their ruling elites.
“This, I consider a remarkable feat in the fight against corruption in the system.
“Otherwise, the hitherto norm was to protect the ruling oligarchy by shielding members of the class from justice,” Oyedepo said.
He said it was as a result of the turmoil in political landscape that NLI was born.
“We are of the view that as at today in Africa, there is an acute leadership deficiency,” he added.
According to the NLI president, leadership is exerting special influence within a group, community or even the country to move toward permanent beneficial goals that fulfil the group’s real needs.
“A leader therefore must be one that will use his or her informal power, authority and influence to direct and control other people in the pursuit of common goal.
“Leadership is not greed, selfish ambition, showmanship, nepotism, hat sectionalism, tribalism. Leaders that exhibit all these tendencies in position of authority are mere pretenders and they are not leaders properly so called,” Oyedepo said.
He explained that the institute was born to correct all the misconceptions and wrong perception of leadership in a world heading for disaster.
“What we need in most African countries is revolution of thought; thought that will change our perceptions about true meaning of political power and authority.
“We need body thoughts and actions that will not make our leaders enemies of themselves.
“When leaders embark on primitive accumulation of wealth and throw several people in penury; they jeoperdise their own security.
“If the poor must live, they must do so by visiting violence on the rich (incidences of kidnapping, ritual killings, internet fraud and even violent religious extremism are instructive here).
“Corrupt leaders create their own nemesis as their life style and their selfish belief system create material condition for violence,” Oyedepo added.
He called on African leaders to emulate Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, who through personal charisma and well informed selfless leadership moved the country from the third world to the first world within a space of 50 years, adding that President Yew achieved the feat without fighting any internal war.
“Therefore, we need not fight wars before many countries in Africa change from the present primitivity to modernity.
“And sometimes war and violence in the attainment of a political power can lead to a new progressive direction or it could also lead to stagnancy and backwardness in all facets of life,” Oyedepo said.
He however commended President Paul Kagame of Rwanda for creating out of from a war torn country, a stable, unified and reconciled country.
“Rwanda has been a success story of a country that moved from violence to posterity, yet the story of South Africa is different.
“From the developing trends in that country, the post-Apartheid South Africa is different from the expected outcome.
“It is not only that the inequalities of the Apartheid years are sustained, the xenophobic attacks on non-South Africans living in the country have put to question years of Mandela’s struggles.
“Perhaps there is the need for another way of social justice in that country or a revolution of thought,” Oyedepo stressed
Oyedepo said NLI was for revolution of thought that would re-direct what he considered as perishing nations.
“There is the need for altruistic leaders that will be honest, bold, knowledgeable and compassionate.
“There is the need for leaders of integrity and character. Leaders that will not promote an ethnic, sectional agenda or a preferred section of their country to be number one in a multi-ethnic society,” he added.
Oyedepo said Nigerians need a country where corruption was no more a norm, where crimes were loathed and leaders that would be nationalistic and patriotic so much that they would know the real needs of the people.
NAN reports that NLI has six schools made up of School of Party Organisation and Campaign Management, School of Legislative Training and Consultancy Service, and School of NGO Training and Operation.
Ohers are the School of Tourism and Hospitality, School of Entrepreneurship and Skill Development, and School of Leadership Values.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by members of Kwara House of Assembly, academics and politicians, while the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Kayode Alabi, was represented by Alhaji Femi Yusuf. (NAN)
Governor Douye Diri has set a target of at least one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in Bayelsa State in the 2027 presidential election, while charging the newly inaugurated All Progressives Congress (APC) State Campaign Council to prioritise reconciliation, party unity and collective electoral mobilisation.
Governor Diri gave the charge at the inauguration of the 20-member campaign council at the APC secretariat in Yenagoa, where he warned that internal divisions could undermine the party’s efforts to secure victory for President Tinubu and other candidates at the federal and state levels.
Governor Diri urged party members who were not appointed to the council to support its activities by taking the APC’s message to communities, wards and polling units across the state.
He specifically charged the campaign team to mobilise at least one million votes for President Tinubu, arguing that Bayelsa’s voting strength had increased and should be reflected in the 2027 election results.
“I give you a target that in Bayelsa, we must not bring less than one million votes for Mr President. You are going to campaign, and you have a lot to talk about the President. He has done so much for our people,” the governor said.
He listed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the second phase of the Nembe-Brass Road, interventions in the power sector, federal appointments for Bayelsa indigenes and the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy among the achievements the campaign should present to voters.
The governor particularly praised President Tinubu for the coastal highway project, arguing that it reflected federal attention to the development needs of coastal communities.
“No president, alive or dead, has remembered the coastal people and coastal states to say let us do this signature project from Lagos to Calabar. The first president to think about it is Bola Tinubu, and those were the demands of the Ijaw people,” he said.
Governor Diri also expressed hope that a second term for President Tinubu would provide an opportunity to advance demands for fiscal federalism, greater resource control and state policing, which he described as longstanding aspirations of the Niger Delta.
He said the President had shown indications of addressing some of the demands of younger Nigerians and argued that re-election would allow the administration to consolidate its reforms.
The governor further cautioned campaigners against personal attacks and abusive exchanges with political opponents, insisting that the APC should focus its campaign on issues, policies and achievements.
The governor’s mobilisation directive comes amid criticism from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has questioned his commitment to President Tinubu’s re-election campaign, alleging that APC campaign billboards erected across Yenagoa promote other party candidates without featuring the President.
The PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Mr Ikaebimo Mark, said the billboards showed Governor Diri urging voters to support APC candidates for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections without identifying President Tinubu as the party’s presidential candidate.
Mr Mark described the omission as an indication that the governor was not fully aligned with the APC’s national leadership.
“When we said that the governor, Senator Douye Diri, is not supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we knew exactly what we were saying. Now Governor Douye Diri has erected APC campaign billboards across Bayelsa State without Tinubu’s picture. He is even afraid to associate himself with the photograph of the presidential candidate of his own party. How can this governor claim to be supporting President Tinubu?” he said.
The PDP, however, maintained that the governor’s public campaign posture raised questions about his commitment to the President’s re-election bid. Its allegation over the billboards now places the issue of the relationship between the state APC leadership and the party’s national campaign among the political questions likely to feature in Bayelsa’s preparations for 2027.
The PDP’s allegation has introduced a fresh political dimension to the APC’s preparations in Bayelsa, even as Governor Diri publicly called on party leaders and members to close ranks and mobilise support for all its candidates.
“Every person picked as a member of this campaign council was carefully scrutinised. I want to tell you that our campaign team is loaded. We parade the best candidates among all the parties in Bayelsa State, and there is no doubt about that,” he said.
He urged members to remain focused and united, warning that political opponents could exploit any divisions within the party.
“Our unity is very important because they would want to feast on our disunity. We will not give them that opportunity. Please, as you carry out this assignment, do not take your eyes off the target,” Hon. Ogoriba said.
SP Edafe explained that during the meeting, the organisers were briefed on the identified security threats and advised against embarking on an open-road procession.
Instead, the police reportedly recommended that the political activities be conducted at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
However, the Command alleged that the organisers disregarded the security advice and proceeded with the road procession.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Government has condemned the political violence that erupted in Asaba, the state capital, on Saturday, confirming that one person was killed while four others sustained serious injuries.
The government described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable, warning political parties and their supporters against actions capable of threatening public peace, security and democratic participation in the state.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, the government reiterated its zero tolerance for political violence, intimidation and other forms of political misconduct.
Mr Aniagwu said the government had repeatedly cautioned political parties against engaging in activities capable of disrupting the peace, insisting that the incident could have been avoided if the organisers had followed security advice.
According to him, the police had advised the organisers to cancel the proposed street march and instead conduct their political campaign at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
He expressed concern that the advice was allegedly disregarded, resulting in a confrontation that claimed one life and left four other people seriously injured.
The government subsequently called on the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the violence and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
Mr Aniagwu further warned that the state government would not tolerate politically motivated attacks against any individual, regardless of political affiliation.
He maintained that Delta State remained safe for residents and visitors, stressing that the government would not allow the actions of individuals or groups to undermine the prevailing peace and security in the state.
The government also urged political parties, their leaders and supporters to conduct their political activities within the confines of the law and demonstrate respect for human life, public order and the rights of other citizens.
The latest development follows an attack on supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) during a political procession in Asaba, which reportedly left several participants injured and campaign vehicles vandalised.
The government’s condemnation comes amid growing concerns over political violence and the safety of opposition supporters as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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