FELIX Nwaneri writes on the latest submission by the Catholic bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, that almost all Nigerian leaders discovered themselves in energy by chance, which has triggered debate on the management recruitment course of
If there’s a main problem Nigeria has confronted in over 60 a long time as an impartial nation, it’s inept management. This, maybe, explains why the nation has continued to lag behind in an rising world order that emphasises visionary management.
With a couple of exceptions, the nation has witnessed an array of leaders, who’ve frequently ran it aground, whereas much less endowed nations that gained independence the identical time it did, have continued to make progress.
Maybe, it was in opposition to this backdrop that literary large, Prof. Chinua Achebe in his e book “The Bother with Nigeria,” posited that bane of the nation’s growth is management failure. His phrases: “The difficulty with Nigeria is just and squarely failure of management. There may be nothing principally flawed with the Nigerian character.
The Nigerian downside is the unwillingness or lack of ability of its leaders to rise to the accountability, to the problem of non-public instance, that are the hallmarks of true management.”
Whereas Achebe was lampooned by these in authorities at the moment, there isn’t any doubt that the management query he raised manner again in 1984, when the e book was revealed, is but to be addressed given that almost all Nigerian leaders, who have been both railroaded to energy or thrown up by circumstances, did not display visionary management, which is the principal factor that ensures that authorities serves as a car for the attainment of socio-economic aspirations of the residents.
Kukah’s submission on unintended leaders rekindles debate
Whereas most stakeholders have persistently referred to as for a evaluate of the nation’s management recruitment course of, the Catholic bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, rekindled debate on the problem just lately, following his description of President Bola Tinubu, his predecessor, Muhammdu Buhari, and different earlier heads of state as leaders, who discovered themselves in energy by chance.
Kukah is a spiritual chief, whose interventions in politics are spurred by his quest to make a distinction not like a few of his colleagues, who select to advertise prejudice.
He isn’t just an erudite scholar however social crusader. Maybe, his uncompromising stand on nationwide points, explains some essential assignments he has been a part of prior to now.
Amongst such nationwide assignments, embrace serving as Secretary to the Nationwide Human Rights Violations Investigation Fee, popularly known as Oputa Panel, and membership of the Nationwide Political Reforms Convention; Ogoni/Shell Mediation Initiative and Electoral Reform Committee.
Kukah’s contributions to those committees prompted many to specific the worry that the nation would lose his providers, when he was elevated to the place of bishop in 2011. A former head of state, Basic Muhammadu Buhari (who was later elected president) captured the sensation, when he acknowledged in his congratulatory message that the cleric may now not be accessible for public engagements. Kukah, nevertheless, allayed his fears, saying: “No have to worry, Basic.
The Church has solely given us an even bigger platform. So long as injustice and starvation stalk this land, we will proceed with the battle. We will go to the place the Lord sends us.
Since God is in all places, I shall contemplate myself a bishop with out borders A person of his phrases, Kukah has not wavered on this promise given the truth that he has repeatedly spoken fact to energy and his latest submission on the nation’s management recruitment, wherein he submitted that it’s evident that none of Nigeria’s previous leaders have been absolutely ready earlier than assuming workplace, particularly in a world the place the calls for of management are quickly evolving, isn’t one to be brushed apart.
The cleric, who famous that the elemental factor lacking in Nigerian management is information, additionally expressed concern that democracy seems to be malfunctioning beneath successive administrations.
His phrases: “If we’re to start out from the start, you will discover that nearly each chief, who got here to energy in Nigeria did so because of one accident or one other. President Tinubu, who stated he was ready for the function, is struggling. We’re nonetheless attempting to get off the bottom. He took over from Buhari, who had already given up.
“Buhari succeeded Jonathan, who thought he would retire after being deputy governor, however circumstances thrust him into energy. Jonathan succeeded Yar’Adua, who had deliberate to return to educating at Ahmadu Bello University after his governorship.
“Yar’Adua, in flip, succeeded Obasanjo, who was unexpectedly launched from jail to turn into president. Obasanjo took over after Abacha, who was being positioned by 5 political events to rule indefinitely till nature intervened. “Abacha succeeded Shonekan, who was a enterprise govt at UAC earlier than being referred to as to function Head of State.
We will go on and on, however the basic problem in governance is information. Leaders want a deep understanding of their atmosphere.”
Kukah, who maintained that this cycle of unprepared management has endured, undermining Nigeria’s governance, stated: “The basic factor in governance is information. It’s essential to have a deep understanding of your atmosphere. The world has modified, however the expectations of management stay the identical.”
If we’re to start out from the start, you will discover that nearly each chief, who got here to energy in Nigeria did so because of one accident or one other
Presidency faults reference to Tinubu
The Particular Adviser to the President on Info and Technique, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, who reacted to Bishop Kukah’s submission, notably his categorization of President Tinubu as one of many nation’s unintended leaders, stated his principal was ready for the nation’s high job earlier than he assumed workplace.
“He isn’t an unintended chief; he’s doing his finest to make sure that we’ve a turnaround on this nation,” Onanuga stated, including: “Does he appear to be one in any respect? Tinubu isn’t an unintended chief; he was ready for this workplace.
“He even stated that he ready for it and that he’s doing his finest to make sure that this nation is lifted larger than he met it; he’s doing his finest.
As a result of he ready himself for the workplace, he’s doing a variety of reform, touching each space and attempting to ensure that this nation is turned-around.”
Onanuga maintained that President Tinubu has proven a reformer’s angle, noting: “Reforms are usually not executed in fast fixes; it takes time so that you can flip issues round, and he’s doing it.”
He added: “He’s doing reforms, and he’s the primary to acknowledge that folks can be affected, and he’s doing the whole lot doable to make sure that those that are affected are additionally helped, in order that they won’t be left behind.
“He’s reforming a variety of issues in Nigeria, you might be speaking about taxation, you might be speaking concerning the oil sector, so many reforms the person is finishing up.”
Chequered historical past of leaders’ emergence
There isn’t any doubt that Nigeria has been hit by a string of unintended leaders since independence. Within the First Republic, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa, emerged as prime minister courtesy of an association that he ought to maintain forth for Sir Ahmadu Bello), who was chief of the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC).
Six years after, the 5 military majors led by late Chukwuma Nzeogwu, who drew the blueprint for the primary navy coup that sacked the First Republic on January 15, 1966, ended up in jail, whereas the then Chief of Army Staff, Main Basic Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi, turned the shock beneficiary of the putsch.
Ironsi was nonetheless grappling with the challenges of the dangerous blood over the coup, when a counter-coup claimed his life in July 1966 (six months after he assumed workplace) and Basic Yakubu Gowon (then a Lt. Colonel), who was not actively concerned in occasions till that time, was named head of state.
The chief of the counter-coup, Basic Murtala Muhammed, later overthrew and succeeded Gowon. Basic Olusegun Obasanjo, who took over from Muhammed, following his assassination in a botched coup in 1976, additionally didn’t see himself being entrusted with management and he gave very graphic particulars of his lack of readiness in his e book “Not My Will.” It was the identical story when he emerged as a civilian president in 1999.
Obasanjo was barely out of jail over alleged involvement in a plot to overthrow the then regime of Basic Sani Abacha, when he was drafted by some Northern political leaders to hitch the presidential race.
He, nevertheless, demonstrated that he learnt some management classes after he stepped down as a navy ruler given the way in which he ran affairs of the nation between 1999 and 2007, he was in workplace beneath a democratic setting.
For Alhaji Shehu Shagari, the primary govt president of Nigeria, he solely needed a seat within the Senate earlier than he was drafted to run for the presidency in 1979. What performed out, particularly his lack of ability to regulate some ministers in his cupboard proved that he was unwell ready for the job.
Main Basic Muhammadu Buhari, who was head of state between 1983 and 1985, was by no means within the image of the coup that truncated the Second Republic. Arrowheads of the putsch like Basic Ibrahim Babangida, later toppled him in a palace coup.
Babangida, who rule for eight years, capped his reign with annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election gained by enterprise mogul, Chief MKO Abiola. Huge unfold protests over the botched Third Republic compelled Babangida to resign on August 26, 1993.
He, nevertheless, signed a decree establishing the Interim Nationwide Authorities (ING) led by Chief Ernest Shonekan. The ING was ousted three months later (November) by the then Minister of Defence, Basic Sani Abacha. Like most navy leaders, Basic Abdulsalami Abubakar’s emergence as Abacha’s successor was additionally by likelihood.
The identical goes for President Umar Yar‘Adua, who many believed was handpicked in 2007 by then President Obasanjo and as his successor. Obasanjo opted for the then governor of Katsina State as an alternative of the likes of Peter Odili (then governor of Rivers State), who confirmed curiosity. It was the identical case for Goodluck Jonathan, who succeeded Yar’Adua.
He was set to contest the governorship election of his house state (Bayelsa) earlier than Obasanjo handpicked him as Yar’Adua’s working mate.
And as destiny would have it, Jonathan turned president three years into their fouryear tenure, following Yar’Adua’s dying in Could 2010. Jonathan introduced himself for reelection in 2011. He was in style within the build-up to that election that he received a pan Nigeria mandate.
However the euphoria that heralded his victory waned shortly after his inauguration over what most Nigerians described as his authorities’s lack of imaginative and prescient.
This, partly defined his defeat in 2015. Basic Buhari, a former navy ruler, who gained the 2015 presidential election made historical past as the primary to defeat an incumbent president in Nigeria’s political historical past.
He additionally turned Nigeria’s second former navy ruler after Obasanjo to return to the presidency by means of the poll. Sadly, not a lot modified throughout the eight years Buhari was in energy. Nigeria’s decline turned extra profound than earlier than, whereas Insecurity and poverty ravaged the nation beneath his watch.
Below President Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, who succeeded Buhari in 2023, the story of despair and frustration has assumed an alarming dimension, notably over high-cost of dwelling thereby portray one other image of one other, who was not ready for management as Kukah posited.
Tinubu isn’t an unintended chief; he was ready for this workplace… As a result of he ready himself for the workplace, he’s doing a variety of reform and attempting to ensure that this nation is turned-around
Views of stakeholders
Some stakeholders, who spoke on Nigeria’s management recruitment course of, not solely described it as flawed, however insisted that attainment of socio-economic aspirations of the individuals will stay a mirage till the management query is addressed.
A chieftain of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Chekwas Okorie, who described Kukah’s submission as a press release that reemphasised the clamour by some stakeholders for a evaluate of Nigeria’s management recruitment course of, nevertheless famous that it is going to be completely appropriate to say that each one Nigeria’s leaders didn’t put together for governance.
His phrases: “Merely put, Bishop Kukah used his selection of phrases (unintended leaders) to lift the problem of our flawed management recruitment course of, which most of us have been hammering on for years.
Nonetheless, to say that each one our leaders didn’t come to energy ready will not be actually be appropriate. The principle problem is that the system we function, Nigeria’s haven’t been given the chance to decide on their leaders.
“Our electoral course of ought to be strengthened to make sure that votes depend, in order that leaders can be accountable to the individuals. Because of this the digital voting system ought to be adopted with the intention to curb all kinds of manipulations which have continued to hinder the individuals from having the form of management they deserve.
Chairman of Civil Society Coverage Discussion board (CSPF), Mr. Olufemi Aduwo, who posited that the management Nigeria has produced prior to now 25 years leaves a lot to be desired, stated: “Nigeria has suffered for years and will proceed to undergo except it rids itself of ill-equipped management.”
He added: “The management Nigeria has produced prior to now 25 years leaves a lot to be desired. Management cuts throughout the political events and arms of presidency, and never restricted to the president.
Trendy governments are advanced human organisations and subsequently require women and men succesful not solely of mental penetration but additionally exhibit belief.
“Some individuals imagine that it’ll take solely leaders with the worry of God to take Nigeria out of the woods however don’t forget that we’ve no combination perceptions of what worry of God is all about.
A few of the most tyrannous human beings, who’ve inflicted ache, sorrow and tears on humanity, have had no issues presenting themselves as God-fearing.
“Good governance should entail responsiveness, humanness, and human rights, pursuit of insurance policies that tackle the considerations and the pursuits of the bulk with out trampling on the minority.”
Given the truth that management isn’t a tea-party, the consensus is that what the nation wants on the numerous ranges of presidency are leaders with integrity and distinctive organisational abilities, who will carry out as an alternative of simply pronounce; give experience and competence as an alternative of title and place; provoke daring developmental programmes as an alternative of looking for hand-outs; respect and honour the individuals as an alternative of dictatorship, management and abuse, and who will depart legendary optimistic impacts as an alternative of excuses for failure.
