‘Accept Self-Criticism Before Holding Leaders Accountable’

Award-winning Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Adichie, has told Nigerians to accept “self-criticism” before holding political leaders accountable.
Ms Adichie, who spoke at the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) held at the Eko Atlantic City, said that the people often demand transparency from the government while hiding their failure as citizens.
“My experience made me think there is something dead in us, in our society; a death of self-awareness and ability for self-criticism.
“There is a need for resurrection. We cannot avoid self-criticism but criticise the government. We cannot hide our own institutional failure while demanding transparency from the government,” she said on Monday.
According to Ms Adichie, inasmuch as Nigerians refused to untangle the knot of injustice, peace cannot thrive.
“If we don’t talk about it, we fail to hold leaders accountable and we turn what should be transparent systems into ugly opaque cults,” the writer said.
Critics have over the years attributed the nation’s biggest problems to leadership failure.
Speaking further, the renowned writer added that the nation is starved of heroes that could inspire its citizens, particularly the youths.
“We are starved of heroes. Our young people do not find people to look up to anymore,” she said.
The ongoing NBA conference with the theme ‘Bold Transitions’ attracted legal practitioners in the country including prominent Nigerians such as the presidential candidates of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar; Peter Obi of the LP, and vice-presidential candidate of the APC, Kashim Shettima.