“Nigeria began to lose it when we started to monetize and rig elections, seem to encourage bribery and corruption, jettisoned merit and embraced mediocrity, accepted nepotism and clannishness in appointments and national affairs, and general emasculation and destruction of the judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man.”
The Nigerian leadership structure, especially since the return to democratic rule in 1999, operates within a framework of a federal and presidential republic and a representative democracy. Within this framework, the president wields enormous executive powers at the centre, the governors at the states, and the chairmen of local governments at the local level. Legislative powers are held at the federal level by two chambers of the legislature, the Senate and the House of Representatives, led by the Senate president and speaker, respectively. At the state and local governments, Legislative powers are held by members of the house of the assembly and legislative councils, respectively.
Under a well-structured democratic system of government, the three arms – the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary are supposed to and expected to be independent. In Nigeria, this is not the case. While the legislature is seen as the rubber stamp, the judiciary, to a large extent, operates as an arm of the executive. Moreover, the presidential system of government, especially as presently constituted in Nigeria, is unwieldly and largely too expensive for a poor economy as we have in Nigeria.
With the return of Nigeria to democratic rule in 1999, General Olusegun Obasanjo miraculously emerged as the president of Nigeria. His administration exhibited a lot of vigour and saw a leap in the performance of the economy and the cancellation of Nigeria’s external debts. Obasanjo’s administration saw the emergence of round pegs in round holes in terms of political appointments. The major criticism of his administration was his attempt at a third term as president.
Then came President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who emerged as a sincere, patriotic, pragmatic, and humane leader. He enjoyed a lot of followership as a result of his sincere and humane disposition, but unfortunately, death cut him short.
Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan had leadership entrusted to him as the third president of Nigeria under a democratic dispensation. Dr Jonathan can be remembered as a president who believed and embraced the democratic ideals of free, fair, and credible elections. He grew the Nigerian economy to become the largest in Africa and overtook South Africa. He is one of the few African leaders to accept election results and gracefully guaranteed a peaceful handover.
After weeping severally on his defeat at the Presidential elections, Buhari finally won and took over from Dr Jonathan as president of Nigeria in 2015. Buhari’s government has been described as drab, myopic, clueless, and exceedingly corrupt.
Then came the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023. His announcement of the removal of subsidy at his inauguration ground as president and later other economic policies sparked off immediate high pressure on consumer spending due to spiral inflation and an unprecedented rise in prices of goods and services. The result is general untold hardship, suffering, and pain on the generality of Nigerians. Many describe the situation in Nigeria today as “Poverty amidst Plenty” whereby many languish in poverty and squalor, while very few,especially politicians live in opulence and splendour. In addition, in recent times, there have been unprecedented security challenges such as the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTS) attacks, militancy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom in most parts of the country
Although there appears to be a general world economic recession, Nigeria appears to be at the crossroads. Nigeria began to lose it when we started to monetize and rig elections, seem to encourage bribery and corruption, jettisoned merit and embraced mediocrity, accepted nepotism and clannishness in appointments and national affairs, and general emasculation and destruction of the judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man.
However, all hopes are not lost. Nigeria is lavishly endowed with uncommon natural, human, and material resources for accelerated development. What is critically needed is an effective patriotic and transformational leadership that can galvanize the nation’s endowments to bring about good life, welfare, and security for her citizens, which is the true test of good leadership.
We need transformational leaders who should be a product of free, fair, and credible elections. In this regard, the need for electoral reforms is compelling to produce leaders that should be a product of free, fair, and credible elections. In this regard, the need for electoral reforms is compelling, to produce leaders who truly love her people and their country and have a passion for development. Emphasis should be on production, and the agricultural sector is yawning for attention. We should jettison and kill corruption and clannishness before they kill Nigeria. In the short term, practical and tangible efforts should be made urgently to ameliorate the sufferings in the generality of the people who are hungry and angry. In all, the issue of insecurity and menacing activities of herdsmen must be realistically addressed.
Culled from Afrikanwatch Network, 2025 Memoir. Prof. Egbule was a former Vice Chancellor, University of Agriculture And Environmental Sciences, Imo State
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