Opinion
Imbibing Leadership Qualities Of Pope Francis
The world emptied at the Vatican City, Rome, Italy last week for the burial of late Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church worldwide who died on April 21. Foreign delegates from 164 countries attended the funeral. Among them were the President of the Nigeria’s Senate, Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Hassan Kuka and other politicians, who were there on behalf of President Bola Tinubu and the entire nation.
Right from the day the Pontiff passed on, through the days preceding his burial, till the day his corpse was laid to rest and uptill now, a lot has been spoken about his great leadership qualities which stood him out among many other leaders in the world.
Some say that in a world increasingly defined by power struggles, materialism, and political division, Pope Francis stood as a rare symbol of humility and selflessness. Since his election in 2013, he redefined what it meant to lead not just a church, but a global moral community. More than just a spiritual figure, Pope Francis was a powerful voice for the voiceless, championing compassion, justice, and mercy.
Others say that from the very beginning of his papacy, Jorge Mario Bergoglio—Pope Francis—made clear that he intended to chart a different course. Choosing to live in the modest Vatican guesthouse rather than the opulent Apostolic Palace, he signaled that his papacy would not be about grandeur. He traded the red papal shoes for simple black ones, and when he was introduced to the world, he asked the crowd to pray for him before offering his own blessing. These symbolic acts spoke volumes about the kind of leader he aspired to be.
Perhaps, the most talked about quality of the cherished leader was his humility. In him, humility was not theoretical but practical. He repeatedly called for a “poor Church for the poor,” aligning the Catholic Church more closely with the needs of the marginalized. Whether washing the feet of prisoners on Holy Thursday or visiting refugee camps, Pope Francis embodied a theology that demands solidarity with the suffering.
Equally mentioned was his selflessness in the face of complex global challenges. He did not shy away from controversial topics—climate change, economic inequality, migration, and even internal Church reform. His encyclical Laudato Si’ challenged both political and economic leaders to treat the planet with reverence, not exploitation. He advocated for inclusive dialogue, calling on governments to welcome migrants as fellow human beings, not burdens.
The passing of Pope Francis indeed marked the end of an era defined by humility, moral clarity, and an unwavering commitment to justice.
nd the question for Nigerian leaders both those present at his funeral and those that couldn’t be there, both political, religious and traditional leaders and indeed all Nigerians is, what lessons can the country learn from the life of the Pontiff? How can we embrace his lifestyle to transform our national fabric?
Pope Francis showed the world that true leadership is rooted in service, not in pomp or power. He declined the luxuries of the papal palace and chose to live among the people. Our leaders, notorious for their obsession with opulence and entitlement, must learn that leadership is not about status symbols—convoys, sirens, and security details—but about responding to the needs of the people with empathy and action.
In a country where public officials often equate success with extravagance, the lifestyle of Pope Francis should teach us that simplicity does not diminish influence. He wore modest clothing, drove a humble car, and redirected attention away from himself and toward the marginalized. Even at death, his coffin was made of simple wood. If our leaders, contractors, heads of institutions and others can practice such simplicity, certainly more resources will be available for education, health, and infrastructure. Nigerians will stop dying of hunger because there will be enough money to invest in farming and other agricultural activities.
Pope Francis was a champion of the poor, migrants, and the forgotten. He spoke boldly against exclusion, even within the Church. As a matter of fact, many Catholics, particularly the divorced and the civilly remarried who could not receive communion, started receiving communion. A close childhood friend of mine belongs to this group. After her first marriage crashed, she remarried but could no longer receive communion until Pope Francis’s Amoris Laettia (The Joy of Love) document of April 8, 2016, began to reshape in our local parishes.
Ours is a deeply divided nation—ethnically, religiously, and politically. Our leaders must rise above sectional interests to promote inclusion, heal old wounds, and govern with the common good in mind. The practice of one law for one tribe or a particular section of the country and other for others should be jettisoned.
Expectedly, Pope Francis’s papacy was not without challenges. Scandals within the Church, resistance from conservative factions, and geopolitical tensions tested his resolve. Some critics even said that his positions were too progressive, even disruptive. Yet even in the face of criticism, he maintains a posture of listening, forgiveness, and dialogue. He did not back down from calling out injustice, environmental degradation, or corruption.
Nigerian leaders should stop prioritizing personal survival over national progress. Currently there is a defection wave going on in the country. Political leaders are dumping the political parties under which they were elected by the people to join other political parties. How do their actions benefit the people that elected them? Some Nigerians for tribal reasons and political profiteering will choose to keep mum in the face of injustice against their fellow citizens. Just as Pope Francis, speaking and acting against injustice—no matter the cost—should be the standard, not the exception if Nigeria must move forward as a united entity.
Another striking attribute of Pope Francis was his ability to listen, dialogue and foster peace. He was a bridge-builder. He engaged atheists, Muslims, and people of all cultures in meaningful dialogue all geared towards peace in the world. In a country as diverse as Nigeria, listening to opposing views and working toward peaceful coexistence should be second nature to our leaders, not an afterthought.
Nigeria will be a better, more progressive country if both the leaders and the led realize that everybody cannot be on the same side of a bargain. Dissenting voices must always be there. Diverse opinions must exist. The ability to tolerate these views and accommodate the opponents is one of the great qualities of a good leader. That, too, is a form of humility—not weakness, but the strength to lead with openness and grace.
Francis never forgot that he was accountable not just to the Church, but to God and humanity. Nigerian leaders, especially those who publicly profess faith, must internalize the idea that leadership is a sacred trust. Governance should reflect conscience and character, not just calculation and convenience.
Pope Francis’s message was simple yet radical: to be truly great, one must serve. In this, he channeled not only the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, whose name he bore, but also the core teachings of the Gospel. He brought the Catholic Church closer to the people—not by changing doctrine, but by changing tone. His humility was not performative; it was deeply woven into his actions, his words, and his witness.
In honoring the legacy of Pope Francis, Nigerians—leaders and citizens alike—must embrace a new kind of leadership: one marked by humility, sacrifice, and service to others. His life reminds us that change doesn’t begin with policies alone; it begins with character.
Adieu Humble Holy Father
By; Calista Ezeaku
The line that separates betrayal and corruption is very thin. Betrayal and corruption are two sides of the same coin. Like the snail and its shell they are almost inseparable. They go hand-in-globe. Betrayal and corruption are instinctive in humans and they are birthed by people with inordinate ambition – people without principles, without regard for ethical standards and values. Looking back to the days of Jesus Christ, one of his high profile disciples-the treasurer, was a betrayer. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus Christ for just 30 pieces of silver. One of the characteristics of betrayers is greed.
So, when on resumption from his imposed suspension, the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminilayi Fubara threatened to bring permanent secretaries who were found complicit in “defrauding” the State during the days of Locust and Caterpillar regime, he did not only decry a loot of the Treasury but the emotional trauma of betrayal perpetrated by those who swore to uphold the ethics of the civil service. Governor Siminilayi Fubara had least expected that those who feigned loyalty to his administration would soon become co-travellers with an alien administration whose activities were repugnant to the “Rivers First” mantra of his administration. The saying that if you want to prove the genuineness of a person’s love and loyalty feign death, finds consummate expression in the Governor Fubara and some of the key members of the State engine room
Some of those who professed love for Governor Siminilayi Fubara and Rivers State could not resist the lure and enticement of office in the dark days of Rivers State, like Judas Iscariot. Rather, they chose to identify with the locusts and the caterpillars for their selfish interest. Julius Caesar did not die from the stab of Brutus but by his emotional attachment to him, hence he exclaimed in utter disappointment, “Even you Brutus”. The wound of betrayal never heals and the scar is indelible. Unfortunately, today, because of gross moral turpitude and declension in ethical standards and values, betrayal and corruption are celebrated and rewarded. Corruption, a bane of civil/public service is sublime in betrayal. The quest to get more at the expense of the people is the root of betrayal and sabotage.
This explains why Nigeria at 65 is the World’s capital of poverty.
Nigeria is not a poor country, yet, millions are living in hunger, abject poverty and avoidable misery. What an irony. Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest economies and most populous nation is naturally endowed with 44 mineral resources, found in 500 geographical locations in commercial quantity across the country. According to Nigeria’s former Minister for Mines and Steel Development, Olamiekan Adegbite, the mineral resources include: baryte, kaolin, gymsium, feldspar, limestone, coal, bitumen, lignite, uranium, gold, cassiterite, columbite, iron ore, lead, zinc, copper, granite, laterite, sapphire, tourmaline, emerald, topaz, amethyst, gamer, etc. Nigeria has a vast uncultivated arable land even as its geographical area is approximately 923, 769 sq km (356,669 sq ml).
“This clearly demonstrates the wide mineral spectrum we are endowed with, which offers limitless opportunities along the value-chain, for job creation, revenue growth. Nigeria provides one of the highest rates of return because its minerals are closer to the suffer”, Adegbite said. Therefore, poverty in Nigeria is not the consequences of lack of resources and manpower but inequality, misappropriation, outright embezzlement, barefaced corruption that is systemic and normative in leaders and public institutions. According to the World Poverty Clock 2023, Nigeria has the awful distinction of being the world capital of poverty with about 84 million people living in extreme poverty today.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data also revealed that a total of 133 million people in Nigeria are classed as multi-dimensionally poor. Unemployment is a major challenge in the country. About 33 percent of the labour force are unable to find a job at the prevailing wage rate. About 63 percent of the population are poor because of lack of access to health, education, employment, and security. Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) speculated that unemployment rate will increase to 37 percent in 2023. The implications, therefore, is increase in unemployment will translate to increase in the poverty rate. The World Bank, a Washington-based and a multi-lateral development institution, in its macro-poverty outlook for Nigeria for April 2023 projected that 13 million Nigerians will fall below the National Poverty line by 2025.
It further stated that the removal of subsidy on petroleum products without palliatives will result to 101 million people being poor in Nigeria. Statistics also show that “in 2023 nearly 12 percent of the world population of extreme poverty lived in Nigeria, considering poverty threshold at 1.90 US dollars a day”.Taking a cursory look at the Nigerian Development Update (NDU), the World Bank said “four million Nigerians were pushed into poverty between January and June 2023 and 7.1 million more will join if the removal of subsidy is not adequately managed.” These startling revelations paint a grim and bleak future for the social-economic life of the people.The alarming poverty in the country is a conspiracy of several factors, including corruption. In January, 2023 the global anti-corruption watchdog, Transparency International, in its annual corruption prospect index which ranks the perceived level of public sector corruption across 180 countries in the world says Nigeria ranked 150 among 180 in the index. Conversely, Nigeria is the 30th most corrupt nation in the ranking. It is also the capital of unemployment in the world.
Truth be told: a Government that is corruption-ridden lacks the capacity to build a vibrant economy that will provide employment for the teeming unemployed population. So crime and criminality become inevitable. No wonder, the incessant cases of violent crimes and delinquency among young people. Corruption seems to be the second nature of Nigeria as a nation . At the root of Nigerians’ poverty is the corruption cankerworm.How the nation got to this sordid economic and social precipice is the accumulation of years of corrupt practices with impunity by successive administrations. But the hardship Nigerians are experiencing gathered momentum between 2015 and 2023 and reached the climax few days after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who assumed power as president of Nigeria, removed the controversial petroleum subsidy. Since then, there is astronomical increase in transport fares, and prices of commodities. Living standard of most Nigerians is abysmally low, essential commodities are out of reach of the poor masses who barely eat once a day.
The Dollar to Naira exchange rate ratio at one dollar to N1,000, is the most economy-unfriendly in the annals of the history of Nigeria. The prohibitive prices of petroleum products with the attendant multi-dimensional challenges following the removal of the subsidy, has posed a nightmare better to be imagined than experienced. Inflation, has been on the increase, negatively affecting the purchasing power of low income Nigerians. Contributing to the poverty scourge is the low private investment due to.unfriendly business environment and lack of power supply, as well as low social development outcomes resulting in low productivity. The developed economies of the world are private sector-driven. So the inadequate involvement of the private sector in Nigeria’s economy, is a leading cause of unemployment which inevitably translates to poverty.
Igbiki Benibo
In today’s fast-paced, hyper-competitive world, the pursuit of success and growth has become an all-consuming force. Individuals, organisations, and nations alike, are locked in a perpetual struggle to achieve more, earn more, and surpass their rivals. Yet, beneath this relentless drive for progress lies a silent danger—the risk of self-destruction. This perilous pattern, which I call the self-destruct trajectory, describes the path taken when ambition and growth are pursued without restraint, awareness, or moral balance. The self-destruct trajectory is fueled by an insatiable hunger for more—a mindset that glorifies endless expansion while disregarding the boundaries of ethics, sustainability, and human well-being. At first glance, it may appear to promise prosperity and achievement. After all, ambition has long been celebrated as a virtue. But when growth becomes the only goal, it mutates into obsession.
Individuals burn out, organisations lose their soul, and societies begin to fracture under the weight of their own excesses. The consequences are everywhere. People pushed beyond their limits face anxiety, exhaustion, and disconnection. Companies sacrifice employee welfare and social responsibility on the altar of profit. The entire ecosystems suffer as forests are cleared, oceans polluted, and air poisoned in the name of economic progress. The collapse of financial systems, widening income inequality, and global environmental crises are all symptoms of this same relentless, self-consuming pursuit. To understand this dynamic, one can turn to literature—and to Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. In one of the novel’s most haunting scenes, young Oliver, starving in the workhouse, dares to utter the words: “Please, sir, I want some more.” This simple plea encapsulates the essence of human desire—the urge for more. But it also mirrors the perilous craving that drives the self-destruct trajectory. Like Oliver, society keeps asking for “more”—more wealth, more power, more success—without considering the consequences of endless wanting.
The workhouse itself symbolises the system of constraints and boundaries that ambition often seeks to defy. Oliver’s courage to ask for more represents the daring spirit of human aspiration—but it also exposes the risk of defying limits without reflection. Mr. Bumble, the cruel overseer, obsessed with authority and control, embodies the darker forces that sustain this destructive cycle: greed, pride, and the illusion of dominance. Through this lens, Dickens’ tale becomes a timeless metaphor for the modern condition—a warning about what happens when ambition blinds compassion and growth eclipses humanity. Avoiding the self-destruct trajectory requires a radical rethinking about success. True progress should not be measured solely by accumulation, but by balance—by how growth serves people, planet, and purpose.
This calls for a more holistic approach to achievement, one that values sustainability, empathy, and integrity alongside innovation and expansion
Individuals must learn to pace their pursuit of goals, embracing rest, reflection, and meaningful relationships as part of a full life. The discipline of “enough”—knowing when to stop striving and start appreciating—can restore both mental well-being and moral clarity. Organisations, on their part, must reimagine what it means to succeed: prioritising employee welfare, practising environmental stewardship, and embedding social responsibility in the core of their mission. Governments and policymakers also play a vital role. They can champion sustainable development through laws and incentives that reward ethical practices and environmental responsibility. By investing in education, renewable energy, and equitable economic systems, they help ensure that ambition is channeled toward collective benefit rather than collective ruin.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) provides a tangible pathway for this transformation. When businesses take ownership of their social and environmental impact—reducing carbon footprints, supporting local communities, and promoting fair labour—they not only strengthen society but also secure their own long-term stability. Sustainable profit is, after all, the only kind that endures. Ultimately, avoiding the self-destruct trajectory is not about rejecting ambition—it is about redefining it. Ambition must evolve from a self-centred hunger for more into a shared pursuit of the better. We must shift from growth at all costs to growth with conscience. The future will belong not to those who expand endlessly, but to those who expand wisely. By embracing restraint, compassion, and sustainability, we can break free from the cycle of self-destruction and create a new narrative—one where success uplifts rather than consumes, and where progress builds rather than burns.
In the end, the question is not whether we can grow, but whether we can grow without losing ourselves. The choice is ours: to continue along the self-destruct trajectory, or to chart a more balanced, humane, and enduring path toward greatness.
Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi
