The greatest problem Nigeria is facing today is leadership.

The future of any country depends largely on the quality of governance it has at the local, state and national levels. The quality of governance its determined by both the specific individuals that are in government any particular time, and also the political system and processes through which they govern.
All the economic impediments Nigeria faces today stem from the way political power has been exercised and monopolized by a narrow or minute elite. Nigeria’s problems are man-made and must be solved by man as no problem of human destiny is beyond human beings.
It is an irony of fate that a country endowed with human and natural resources with the potential for massive industrialization as Nigeria can have its people so pauperized. In 2015, Nigerians elected a leader who was tested and proven incapable of ruling the country under a military regime. As if blind-folded, the same Nigerians have re-elected one who, for four years in office, had nothing to offer in terms of progress, economically and socially.
Nigeria requires a new deal that must start with a fresh examination of the leadership question in the country. Our founding fathers toiled to have Nigeria as an independent country and did so with very high expectations for greater opportunities and prosperity for our people. They had hoped that the latitude of liberty which comes with independence and democracy would herald socio-economic growth, limitless opportunities and all-round development and prosperity for the masses.
Their shared hopes of better life for the people was, however, actualized during pioneering administrations as their patriotism and focused leadership laid a solid foundation that brought about significant successes that launched the country into the status of the giant of Africa with economic prosperity and social well-being through which lots of foreign and local investments were established all over the country. The initiatives to prepare potential leaders and the electorate by our founding fathers could not be properly articulated by successive leaders who are unable to realize our immense national leadership potentials.
The potential leadership of Nigeria began to upend when the political process provided incentives for government officials and political office holders to be corrupt, which has brought about wide-spread corruption in government. Efforts by subsequent leaders, including the current ones, have failed due to the falling standards of governance and public ethics, which is as a result of lack of proper investment in the art of politics and potential leadership. The Nigeria of today is yet to get people who are prepared to lead and those prepared to make informed choices of leadership.
Many Nigerians are concerned and worried about the moral drift and degeneration in our society. There are tragic consequences of increased crime rates, the horror of violence, terrorism and wide-spread corruption in and out of government. Other topical issues of the day which are on the front burner are those that deal with the quality of leadership, democracy, electoral reforms, rule of law, respect for constitutional provisions, unemployment and good governance. All these are the bane of economic and socio-political growth of the country, and until the leadership addresses them squarely, any attempt or effort to realize our aspirations will be in futility.
In fact, the current state of affairs in Nigeria is a shadow of its glorious past. From being the giant of Africa, it has become the debased cornerstone of Africa-an undependable ally. From being the employers’ hub, Nigeria is now the unemployment capital of Africa and the world at large just as the country which used to be the most hospitable for investors is now a hot bed marred by insecurity, impunity and outright disrespect for the people by the political class.
Because of poor leadership, many people have been killed in Nigeria since 2002 while several companies have either closed down or moved out of the country to better governed and peaceful countries, and the rate of unemployment has risen astronomically between 2015 and 2018. Of every 10 persons in the streets of Nigeria, over six are underfed while some have no food at all to eat. Some established reports have rated the country as one with the poorest citizens in the world, all because of bad leadership and governance. Sea ports such as Port Harcourt, Onne and Calabar ports have been rendered useless with only Lagos port functioning.
It is amazing that the annual budget of the country has been on the increase without corresponding fiscal policies and development projects that impact on the citizenry. From the return of democracy in Nigeria, after years of military rule, the country has recorded the saddest testimonial in the past four years and has lost self-esteem economically, politically and socially. The happiness and wellbeing of Nigerian citizens have taken the back seat as most people are poor and homeless, the elderly are abandoned, youths are jobless while many children are out of school.
There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria has lost its rightful status in the comity of nations. It is a country that is abundantly rich in human and natural resources but a victim of leaders who have their eyes high up that they cannot see the ordinary people, the consequence of which has been traumatic on the people, as many are beginning to pick crumbs from the table of the few rich. The current leaderships’ downward trajectory has to change if we must recover our lost grounds.
President Muhammadu Buhari should put in place a people-oriented government that is anchored on the egalitarian principles of justice equity, peace and equal opportunities where no one is oppressed. We must uphold the Nigerian value of being our brothers’ keepers and the present second term of Buhari must get governance right, get the economy right and usher in a new era of prosperity and progress for our people as well as eradicate poverty, guarantee good health and education of the people and children. The government should also build critical infrastructure, ensure peace, security and justice in a safe environment, create employment and bring solution to the human problems plaguing our people for the past four years. The federal government should build a wealthy, prosperous, economically strong, politically democratic and socially secure nation where those who work hard succeed and the weak and old are protected and cared for.
The Buhari-led government must optimally utilize our God-given resources and huge labour force to create enormous wealth and learn to play politics of inclusion and tolerate one another with compassion. The government should have a vision that will improve governance with the goal to create a knowledge-based economy that will transform the country as well as make the nation the destination of choice to live, work, do business and promote tourism. Nigerians need to be empowered to decide the right direction of development and deployment of the nation’s resources.

Shedie Okpara