Nigeria: Leadership not by example

Leadership in all societies allover the world plays the most important aspect of shaping, directing and guiding them to the path of achieving development. Most Nigerians hold the view that what Nigeria lack is good leadership. They also have the opinion that whenever the country is lucky to be lead by dedicated and resourceful leaders, the lives of Nigerians will not only improve for better, but also the country will play its supposed role in international communities.

Leadership failure in Nigeria is spread in all facets of life been it political, social, economy, religiously and traditionally. Our leaders in all aspects mostly do not lead by example. Majority of them are selfish, greedy and uncaring on anything that does not affect them directly.

Most unfortunate for Nigerians is that large numbers of its leaders do not view leadership as sacrifice and service to humanity. To most of them leadership is all about self-enrichment, pomposity and satisfying personal ego. When seeking for any position of leadership , many Nigerians are carried away by the huge resources they will be in charge to distribute which they will use their position to harness the highest share of it into their personal coffer.

While others when in position of authority are pre-occupied with the concern that everybody must worship them notwithstanding their inability to provide what enshrined as their main functions and duties in regard to the office they occupied. Due to such attitudes of most of our leaders, bootlicking, yes-men and sycophants normally have their field day after they have cut-off such leaders from the actual realities on ground.

The most irresponsible leaders in the eyes of many Nigerians are politicians occupying elected or appointed public offices. Due to the way and manner most of them conduct themselves, they are viewed as opportunist, selfish , ungodly, corrupt and undedicated to those they govern or represents. Abuse of public funds, corruption, nepotism, crude use of force and primitive looting have now become one of the features of political and public office holders in Nigeria. Been godly, truthful and sincere is hard to them to imbibe which have made the conduction of elections by them to be massively rigged and citizen not believing whatever they inform them.

Our traditional and religious leaders, who normally play guidance and advisory roles for the betterment of the country, are now mostly been selective in rendering their services. Most of them channel their guidance and advice to the citizens without rendering same to the leaders. They always preached to us to be law abiding without preaching to the leaders to rule with justice, equity and selfless service. If they have done their roles without fear and favour our leaders could not have been what they are perceived as of today.

In all societies that have excelled in the comity of nations, they are lucky to be lead by leaders who are exemplary and selfless for their nations to be great. Such great leaders sacrifice their worldly comforts for the benefit of humanity. Nelson Mandela, Chairman Mao, Ayatollah Khomeini, Mahatma Gandhi , Fidel Castro, to mention some few are among such leaders that every nation will hope to have.

The problem with Nigeria is that we are not lucky to have leaders that led by example and are merciful, God-fearing, dedicated e.t.c. We have leaders that are shameless and wicked. Leaders that find delight in lying and deceiving their subjects. Leadership that is selfish and greedy. If not, why should a leader be comfortable, his wards attending exclusive schools within and outside the country while those of his subjects are sitting at home or studying in overcrowded classes or under trees sitting on the floor.

We have leaders that will not only collect their own huge salaries and allowances at the right time excluding the goodies attached to such offices. But while those they lead collect peanuts as salaries and the unlucky ones among them spend months without salaries. Though large numbers of other Nigerians do not have any means of living hood.

Leaders that jets out frequently to just have their health checked and their subjects left to die just because they cannot afford to pay what they are charged at both government owned and private hospitals.

Is Nigeria for all Nigerians or some few selected individuals with their families and cronies? Do we have any other country of our own more than Nigeria? Will we all escape the consequences of irresponsible, selfish and unpatriotic leadership? And when will we stop grumbling and complaining to sincerely desire for the change we want in getting the right leaders?

Our leaders must change from been deceitful, greedy and corrupt. And this can only happen if all Nigerians have the zeal of patriotism and will be fearless to speak against injustice, tyranny and oppression of our leaders. We must compel our leaders to conduct a free and fair election. We must compel our leaders to rule with justice and equity. We must compel our leaders to fulfill the promises they made to us. We must compel our leaders to rule according to the constitution of our country which they promise to rule according to its dictates and protect what it enshrined for the benefit of all Nigerians.

If we continue to be careless on how we are govern by our leaders the consequences will continue to increase. It is the failure of leadership that has made Nigerians to continue to live in fear, penury and untimely death. By remaining quiet our leaders will assume whatever they are doing is right and legitimate. We have to make sacrifices for our younger ones, the old and unborn generation of Nigerians.

No Nigerian is safe because no matter your status, you can be killed by assassins, robbed, kidnap , loose your job without notice, loose your life on our roads due to their conditions or even be seen as a strange creature when in foreign countries. We must all help our leaders not to be corrupt by demanding them to do the right things.

And on the part of our leaders they must work extra hard to win back the confidence of Nigerians. Also, they should imbibe the teachings of the religion they profess as they all know one day they will be no more and they must account for all their deeds. So also, here on earth history will do justice forever on how they lead their people.

Shehu Mustapha Chaji

shehuchaji@yahoo.com