By Chukwudi Nweje
Questions relating to Nigeria’s perennial leadership challenges and the expectations of the citizenry from their elected leaders took centre stage recently at the 5th Annual Lecture of Freedom Online Media held in Lagos under the theme: 2023 -2027: Nigerians, Elected Leaders, and Expectations. For the umpteenth time, the leadership question in Nigeria continues to reecho among politicians and public intellectuals.
There is no gainsaying that Nigeria has a history of leadership challenges that date back to independence, a problem that in several ways resulted in the military coup of January 15, 1966, six years after independence, and the other subsequent military interventions.
It is not surprising that the nation spent almost half of its 63 years of independence under military regimes that cited the failure of leadership as the reason for intervening even against their kind.
But what indeed is leadership?
According to Wikipedia, “leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to ‘lead’, ‘influence’ or ‘guide’ other individuals, teams, or entire organisations.
Management Study Guide (MSG) on the other hand defined leadership as “a process by which an executive can direct, guide and influence the behaviour and work of others towards accomplishment of specific goals in a given situation.” It adds that “leadership is the ability of a manager to induce the subordinates to work with confidence and zeal.”
In Nigeria, the elected leaders could be likened to the ‘executive’ or ‘manager’ while the citizens are the ‘subordinates’. So, the question is, how much confidence have the elected officials inspired the citizenry? How have the elected officials ‘influenced ‘or ‘guided the population? The answer is open to debate.
Why we are here
Setting the tone for the discussion, Managing Director of Freedom Online, Gabriel Akinadewo, said the lecture was organised to brainstorm on what Nigerians want from the leaders between now and 2027 when another general election would be conducted.
He said: “This democratic journey started in 1999 and 24 years later, can we rightly say Nigerians are satisfied with the situation today? In essence, what should the elected leaders do to earn the trust of Nigerians? When do we draw a line between politics and governance? Expectations of Nigerians between now and 2027 are very clear and simple. We cannot be doing the same thing repeatedly and expect a different result.”
He suggested some areas that the country could tinker with to make governance more responsive to the needs of the citizenry. These include the devolution of power to the states by moving some of the items on the Exclusive Legislative list to the Residual list.
He added, “The constitution should be reworked in such a way as to make the centre unattractive. The 68 items in the Constitution must be tinkered with to favour states and councils.
“Nigeria’s problems are localised, so the Federal Government cannot continue to use a central method to tackle local challenges.
“Another urgent matter Nigerians want to be tackled is state police. It is not possible for somebody who was born in Zamfara to police Owerri effectively or somebody who has spent a better part of his life in Abeokuta to police Yenagoa very well.
“An intelligence-driven police force, working with security bodies at the state level, will ensure insecurity becomes history in Nigeria. So, Nigerians want state police.”
The government and the people
In Nigeria, the relationship between the elected officials and the people is very complicated. It is common for elected officials to see themselves as ‘lords’ who must be obeyed, and they only come around the masses during electioneering campaign periods.
This is not what democracy anticipated, and certainly not what the extant laws in Nigeria, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria said.
Section 14(2) constitution provides as follows: “It is hereby, accordingly, declared that – Sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom the government through this Constitution derives all its powers and authority; the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government; and the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.”
Sixty Three years after Nigeria’s independence, the citizenry cannot boldly say that they had wielded any sort of influence over the elected officials. Many would also agree that the security and welfare of the citizenry have not been given priority in the scheme of things. Rather than provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, and for young people to achieve their potential, the political class use the youth population as political thugs to advance their self-aggrandisement.
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, a special guest at the lecture, who was represented by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Daniel Alabrah, shares this view and lamented that Nigeria has failed to attain its potential 63 years after independence. He also called on politicians to empower youths and desist from using them for political violence.
He said, “I find that, too often, as politicians, we tend to fractionalise and put ourselves in enclaves to advance our parochial interests…
“I wish to make this passionate appeal to all political actors, let us empower the voices of our younger generation, they should not be pawns to be used in political games.
“Rather, they are the very lifeblood of our future; they merit appreciation, respect, and an active role in shaping the trajectory of our democracy. Also, they are not there to be used as drug-induced thugs for mayhem, electoral violence, and thuggery…
“Over 60 years after our independence, it is fair to say Nigeria has failed to rise to the fullness of its humongous possibilities, nor does its current circumstance match the robust promise its founding fathers projected. Our lived reality is a pale imitation of the glorious picture our future portrayed.
“It is my candid consideration that our lack of sustained progress as a country is due to the absence of a corporate vision for Nigeria. Vision plays a crucial role in driving progress and achieving success in various aspects of life, whether it be personal, professional, or societal…”.
Power belongs to the people
Another special guest, the governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information in the state, Declan Emelumba, agreed that power ideally belongs to the people.
He noted, “When we trace the meaning of democracy to its Greek origin, we will agree that the system is all about the people. Democracy is derived from the Greek word “demos” meaning — people and “Kratos”, meaning — the power of the will of the people. We can, therefore, rightly conclude that democracy is about upholding the will of the people.
“Because the will of the people is supreme in a democracy, leaders are elected periodically by the people to represent them in either executive or legislative capacity. This process entails that the elected leaders are accountable to the people. This is why people have the latitude to change or retain them after a defined period. These unique features have contributed to making multi-party democracy the preferred method of choosing leaders around the world.”
Nigeria’s unique case
Gov Uzodimma believes that Nigeria’s heterogeneous nature often makes it difficult for the citizens to exercise their power.
He said, “Every country has its peculiarities, history, culture and even geography which shape its people and define who they are. Nigeria is a unique country because the peculiarities that define her citizenry are strikingly different. With a population of 221 million, Nigeria has more than 500 ethnic groups. Unlike other countries, some of which are bigger than Nigeria in land mass and population, Nigeria is the only one without a single dominant Language, culture, or ethnic group. Her largest Hausa/Fulani ethnic group is only 29 per cent of the population. This is closely followed by the Yoruba with 21 per cent, the Igbo, 18 per cent and Ibibios, 10 per cent. Thus, none of these tribes can be said to enjoy a commanding majority in the country…
“What is unique about our Ngerianness, therefore, is that there is no pervading culture or language to bind the people together. Consequently, communication between politicians and the electorate at the national level becomes more of a herculean task. Political messages or promises may not permeate to the grassroots as far as necessary for impacts. This makes the task of holding elected leaders accountable near intractable…”
This he said is being observed in several instances where the ethnic group of leaders perceive any attempt to hold them accountable as an attack on the larger group. The trend is sometimes also noticed during elections where a sizable number vote along tribal and religious sentiments.
Conditions for good governance
According to Uzodimma, some of the condition precedents for democracy to flourish and bear the expected fruits include free and fair elections, unhindered participation of the citizenry in politics and civic life, effective enforcement of rights of citizens, the supremacy of the rule of law, a vibrant and independent media, and an independent and incorruptible judiciary.
Uzodimma said Nigeria’s electoral process is still a work in progress but would mature with time.
“I must admit that it is still a work in progress. We cannot pretend that we have reached the standards of the electoral process that we desire, which guarantees unfettered free, fair, and credible elections… Nigeria’s democracy is still in its infancy; like every infant, there are always teething challenges to contend with. And our history books tell us that the developed countries of the West whose electoral process we admire today also passed through these stages to achieve the admirable democracy they practice today.
“I believe that the kind of free, fair and credible electoral process which we all desire in Nigeria will require the collective will, determination and sacrifice of everyone — including the media, the leaders and the electorate”, he said.
The Media
The event also highlighted the role of the media in sustaining democracy and holding elected leaders accountable.
Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution says: “The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people.”
Participants also agreed on the need for good governance. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States of America, “The legitimate object of government is to do for the people what needs to be done but which they cannot, by individual effort, do at all, or do so well, for themselves.”
Uzodimma agrees with that assertion and states that despite the tribal and religious sentiments that sometimes polarise Nigerians, they share a common desire ─ good governance.
He said, “The good news is that there is a common language Nigerians, irrespective of tribe or tongue or religion, do understand perfectly. That language is good governance. All Nigerians know that when good governance is in town, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity will take flight, in their place will be an economic boom, abundant empowerment opportunities, good health care delivery, good quality and affordable education, abundant infrastructure provisions and the security of lives and property. With these, Nigerians would boast of an improved quality of life and a higher average life expectancy.
“This is a common language that does not need to be spoken yet can be heard clearly. Once Nigerians see these, they will know that the country is working and that their expectations are being met. What Nigerians expect is for the country to work. That is what they need and that is what they desire.”
Indicators of good governance
For Uzodimma, The World Bank 1992 report definition of good governance as “how power is exercised in the management of a country’s economic and social resources for development” and The United Nations definition of governance as “the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented)” could be used as a guide to attaining good leadership and governance.
He listed eight attributes good governance must have including participation, rule of law, consensus-driven, equity and inclusiveness, effectiveness and efficiency, accountability, transparency, and responsiveness.
Views of hope and pessimism
Others who shared their views include a former military administrator of Bayelsa State and former Minister of Special Duties, Navy Captain Omoniyi Caleb Olubolade, who is optimistic that Nigeria will overcome its challenges, and former Managing Director of Daily Times, High Chief Tola Adeniyi as well as veteran journalist and lawyer, Richard Akinnola, both of whom showed less optimism.
In his remarks, Olubolade urged all the stakeholders in the Nigerian project, the leaders as well as the citizenry to collaborate and make Nigeria work.
He said, “There is work to be done in Nigeria and we must do the work. A government that wants to succeed cannot be an island, it must unite the people. Elected Leaders must focus on knowing the job; Nigerians expect law and order, reduced insecurity, and the government must fight oil theft.”
For High Chief Adeniyi, the present crop of leaders cannot take Nigeria out of the predicament the country is in.
He said, “You can only give what you have. The greatest tragedy of Nigeria is the crop of politicians we have. When you talk of honesty and integrity, Nigerian politicians don’t have them. Nigeria first died in 1966 when the military abolished regionalism and introduced the unified structure we have now; Nigeria died a second death in 1979 when we adopted the corrupt presidential system we practice.”
Akinnola on his part noted that all the politicians are the same irrespective of their political party.
He particularly took a swipe at the National Assembly members for the huge furniture and vehicle allowances they approved for themselves at a time he said Nigerians are living in abject poverty.
Last line
In the event, it was agreed that Nigeria is a federation in name but a unitary system in practice as in a federal system of government, the component units are semi-autonomous and can drive the development of their areas at their pace.
Gov Uzodimma’s observation that the heterogeneous nature of Nigeria and its huge population is a major drawback, it is not an acceptable excuse for Nigeria to standstill.
As Akinadewo noted, “Nigeria has 36 states with a population of about 200 million, 42 Ministers are appointed and some people are still crying of marginalisation but the United States (U.S.) is 50 states with a population of 331.9 million, and 15 Secretaries (ministers) and nobody makes an issue out of it because the centre has been made unattractive.
This suggests that the craze for political power, especially at the centre and the cries of marginalisation is not basically for inclusion but for acquisition.
In the words of Akinadewo, “Nigeria’s problems are localised, so the Federal Government cannot continue to use a central method to tackle local challenges.”
According to Akinadewo, “In many countries, development starts from the grassroots but we have a situation in this country in which states and local governments – entities that should drive this development – are denied their basic needs by the Federal Government. With enabling laws, state governments can ensure the development of this country.”