Opinion

Opinion: As Nigerians Head to the Polls

Published

7 years ago

February 16, 2019

Eric

By Nkannebe Raymond

Once again, Nigeria is at a critical juncture in her democratic history while the rest of the world looks on with bated breath to see whether Africa’s largest democracy will sink or swim. As millions of Nigerians troop out to go and vote on Saturday, February 16th, it would be the sixth time they’ll be doing that in succession since democracy returned to the country in 1999. As with every general election, Nigerians will be voting in a new president as it’s constitution allows for only a four-year renewable tenure. The last time Nigerians went to the polls in 2015, they ended up with a new president, in the person of Muhammadu Buhari. He defeated his closest rival, the then incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan in a historical election that saw the first transition of power from an incumbent President to an opposition candidate. It was a golden moment for Nigerian democracy for too many reasons. Here and now again, the incumbent president is also on the ballot seeking re-election for what he says will allow him “consolidate on some of the achievements of his administration”. In clearly unmistakable terms, the president and his political party say a re-election for them will fossilize in their taking Nigeria to the “Next Level”.

Whereas numerous other candidates have indicated interest in the nation’s top political office namely Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Progressive Party (YPP); Fela Durotoye of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN); and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC) to keep the list short, political realists are of the view that Saturday’s presidential contest is a two-horse race between incumbent president Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar─ the Waziri of Adamawa, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Strikingly, both men share a lot in common: they belong to the old political class; they are septuagenarians and are also moslems of the Fulani stock. For a country with one of the largest youth population in the world, estimated at a staggering 60%, it rather leaves a sad taste in the mouth that the two leading contenders for her topmost political office are way above the average life expectancy of 52 years, and in a sense closer to their graves. “That is the contradiction of Nigeria, nay African politics”, a politically exposed friend tells me.

While a deluge of younger candidates averaging 40 years of age have also squared up to occupy the seat of the president, their campaigns have gained little or no traction among Nigerians in the corners of the country who constitute the highest voting bloc. Beyond their effective use of the social media to push their message, their campaigns have been less terrestrial. It appears these younger generation of Nigerian leaders will need a little more than a local legislation that pegs down the constitutional age to seek various elective office, to unseat the old leadership class. Jude Feranmi, a rising youth leader, tells me it will take a robust coalition of ‘mushroom’ political parties over time, to upset the current political apple cart in the country. But he’s pessimistic they’ll be able to do this.

For the candidate of the PDP Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, this is arguably his last opportunity to lead the country; a lifelong ambition which first came to national consciousness in 1992. At 72, it is inconceivable that he’ll be indicating any further interest in the sinecure by the next election cycle in 2023 when he’d have been 76, should he lose out on Saturday. With several attempts that came to nought in 2006; 2011 and 2015, he has never been in a good position to achieve this life long ambition as he is now, from what one can gather from the permutations here and there. He says he wants to get Nigeria Working Again. And will do that with the aid of a policy document he calls the “Atiku Plan”.

As a successful businessman and industrialist, the economy means a lot to him. He believes that with a performing economy, Nigerians can well again be on the path of prosperity. He wants to create jobs, and have cited the successes in his numerous business as the smoking gun of his capacity to do so for Nigeria’s teeming youth population as well as lift as many persons as possible out of poverty; of which Nigeria has since become it’s global capital as far as the findings of the Brooks Institution can be relied upon. But more importantly, he wants to restructure the country.

His campaigns have gained a lot of momentum with the outing in Kano, a perceived stronghold of candidate Muhammadu Buhari, last Sunday, sending shockwaves into the opposition camps. He’s however dogged by allegations of corruption around his person. His critics believe the source of his stupendous wealth are suspect and cannot be unconnected to appropriation of national assets in his capacity as the head of the National Economic Council while he served as vice president to former president Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007. However, for all the allegations, no court of law has found him guilty neither has he been charged for any corrupt practices.

On the other side of the coin is incumbent president Muhammadu Buhari. In the period leading to the 2015 elections, he and his new party at the time had campaigned on a mantra of “Change”. It was a magical word that resonated with many Nigerians and which ended up in a victory for the party. Three and a half years down the line however, the fine details of the change has remained elusive to most Nigerians. Change was supposed to be felt in the fight against Corruption, a total turn around of the economy and improved national security. But his government has not quite delivered optimally on any of these fronts.

The much vaunted fight against Corruption has been dubbed by critics as one sided and without any coherence. Many believe the government deploys media trials and propaganda to push it’s avowed fight against corruption hence why it has not achieved any meaningful gain in that respect. It will appear that Nigeria’s performance in the recently released Global Corruption Perception Index corroborates these sentiments of the critics of the administration. While he has been able to guide the economy through recession, the economic numbers show that all is not well with the economy. With unemployment rate at its all time high as well as a ballooned debt profile rising to a whopping 22 Trillion Naira, the Nigerian economy it could be said is on autopilot. While the administration has tried to explain away these disturbing statistics and countering them with what they believe to be bold efforts at rejigging the Nigerian economy in a number of areas, the word on the street is that many Nigerians are not faring better than they did pre-2015.

The administration has also been caught flat footed in the security corridor. Shorn of the “technical defeat” of Boko Haram, little or nothing has been done to contain the war in the North East. Not long ago, a large number of school girls were ferried from their school in Dapchi, Borno State by the insurgents in a repeat of what happened in 2014 in Chibok. While most of the girls were released, one of the girls, Leah Sharibu remains in captivity. Late last year two relief workers of an international relief agency were beheaded by the splinter cell of the fundamentalists and in all, the administration has only issued statements reassuring decimation of the militants. Few days ago, the convoy of the Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima was attacked by the insurgents leading to the death of at least three persons.

Analysts are also of the view that quite apart from the fight against Boko Haram, the administration have also failed in the handling of security breaches elsewhere in the middle belt and North West where armed banditry has reached alarming proportions. Through and through, the security score card of the administration has been anything but impressive.
Outside the security front, critics of the administration believe that it has not been able to foster national unity and cohesion citing the administration’s somewhat strategic alienation of a section of the country in a skewed manner of political appointments that favour only the president’s kinsmen. The hierarchy of the legal community are of the view that this attitude of the president is far in excess of the Country’s Federal Character Principle sanctioned by the Constitution. Buhari counters this narrative however and says his appointment of persons to key governmental positions is informed by the appointee’s character and competence. A columnist of a leading newspaper tells me that no administration has polarized and divided the country along ethnic lines more than the Buhari administration.

A former military dictator, it has been difficult for the president to shed his military toga. His administration is characterised with a record of flouting court orders and disrespect for the rule of law. Last September, he told a conclave of lawyers in Abuja that the “rule of law must be subject to national security” and has blamed the rule of law for the slow pace of his anticorruption fight at different fora. Only recently, he sent the head of the judicial arm of government packing, through subterranean means against the grain of constitutionalism and rule of law.

His administration has however made some appreciable impact in improving the infrastructure deficit of the country and providing social welfare for the poorest of the poor through policies such as the School Feeding Programme, the N-power Scheme, the Growth Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), and recently, the Trader-Money Scheme.

Critics however say these policies will achieve little or nothing in lifting people out of poverty, and have described the Trader-money scheme as a disguised way of voters’ inducement. These criticisms notwithstanding, the administration believes it is still popular and will win a landslide victory on Saturday.

Electoral violence and disruption of voting unfortunately has been a standard feature of Nigerian elections. The Electoral umpire, INEC has however reiterated that it will deliver a world class election this time. With about 84 million registered voters with the largest chunk of them in Lagos and Kano states, the commission says it is prepared to ensure a free, fair and transparent election in so far as other stakeholders in the process such as the political parties and the security agencies, play in accordance with the rules laid down by the law. Despite suffering some set backs in the last two weeks with fire outbreaks in three of its local offices in Abia, Anambra and Plateau states which destroyed election materials such as uncollected Permanent Voter Cards, the commission has remained unfazed and as at the time of this writing, already reprinted the burnt PVCs and inviting their owners to come get them. The chairman of the commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu has never left anyone in doubt of the commission’s determination to midwife a rancour free election, and at a press conference last week in Abuja reiterated the commission’s resolve to be neutral and aloof throughout the process of the election and beyond. It remains however to be seen whether these words will be matched with actions.

Another sore feature of Nigerian elections is the extent of neutrality displayed by the security agencies at the various polling units. Nigeria is a unitary federal state where all federal government agencies including the security institutions have a tendency of subservience to the head of the federal arm who doubles as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. Pundits believe that members of these security agencies have at various times been used by the ruling party to intimidate voters and supporters of opposition parties to enhance their chances at the ballot. At the recently held Ekiti and Osun gubernatorial elections, this ugly situation reared its ugly head. Both elections are today subjects of litigation at various courts.

Under the former Police Chief, Idris Kpotum; believed by many to be one of the most compromised officer to ever occupy the office, the conduct of the police, was anything but complimentary. However, there is a new sheriff in town, namely Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, who has told Nigerians that men and officers of the force will display the highest sense of professionalism and discharge their duties within the ambits set by the electoral law under his watch. Some 300,000 police men have been detailed to cover the exercise across the 119, 973 polling units comprised in the Country with support from the military, air force and other civil security outfit. There are concerns in some quaters however that this number is insufficient and might not be able to provide enough cover especially in the event of outbreak of violence. Already, flashpoint states such as Adamawa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Kano, Kaduna and other parts of the North East have been isolated. These are states notorious for pre and post-election violence and thus would be needing more security cover to contain any outbreak of violence. One expects that the capacity of the security agencies won’t be stretched as they go into this important exercise.

Nigeria is an interesting country in many respects. 49 years after her civil war, she has always found a way to emerge from every political storm without bruises. In the lead up to the last 2015 polls, western interests had predicted that the country will engulf in a political crisis that might lead to its disintegration. Somehow, the country emerged from the elections even more united thanks to the statesmanship shown by the former president, Goodluck Jonathan. Nearly four years after that episode, she is once again at that critical juncture. Few days ago, a National Peace Committee headed by a former military Head of State and top cleric brought the two leading contenders as well as other presidential aspirants together to sign a peace accord where they made commitments to accept the result of the elections. In 2015, the committee played a very instrumental role in ensuring the presidential election was largely peaceful. Yet, whether this round of elections will derail or consolidate Nigeria’s gains on her democratic journey must bide the outcome of the polls.

For many Nigerians, what they want are the basic things of life: good drinking water; affordable healthcare and housing; good roads; improved security and a stable and productive economy. Saturday polls to a large extent will be a referendum on how the incumbent administration has performed in some, if not all of these critical indices.

Raymond Nkannebe is a Legal Practitioner

Opinion

The Synergy Imperative: Integrating Transformative Leadership and Strategic Management for Africa’s Ascent

Published

4 days ago

December 20, 2025

Eric

By Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD

“The bridge from Africa’s potential to its preeminence is built with the twin pillars of visionary leadership, which dares to imagine the impossible, and disciplined management, which masters the possible” – Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD

Africa’s journey from a continent brimming with untapped potential to a unified global powerhouse is arguably the defining narrative of our century. This transformation, however, hinges on a critical catalyst: a new paradigm of leadership. To dismantle the persistent architecture of poverty and transcend the historical cycle of mediocrity, African nations require more than administrators; they need visionary architects and master builders. This necessitates a powerful fusion of transformative leadership—which sets the daring direction—and strategic, execution-focused management—which paves the road to get there. The synergy between these two forces is non-negotiable for unlocking the innovative capacity needed to deliver tangible possibilities for Africa’s people, its dynamic corporations, and its sovereign nations.

I. The Essence of Transformative Leadership: Architecting a New Continental Consciousness

True transformative leadership moves beyond maintaining the status quo. It is an audacious practice of reimagining futures, challenging deeply embedded narratives, and mobilizing collective will toward a shared, audacious horizon.

1. Crafting a Unifying and Aspirational Narrative: The transformative leader’s first task is to be a master storyteller for the future. This involves articulating a vision that moves past diagnoses of poverty to paint a vivid, compelling picture of continental success—a Africa renowned for its innovation, quality, and strategic influence. This narrative must replace a mindset of scarcity with one of boundless opportunity, fostering a new identity where “Made in Africa” signifies excellence, reliability, and cutting-edge solutions. It is about making the idea of a continental giant not a distant dream, but an inevitable destination in the public imagination.

2. Demonstrating Unshakeable Ethical Fortitude: The battle against mediocrity is fundamentally a battle for integrity. Transformative leaders must embody and enforce an ironclad commitment to governance that is transparent, accountable, and institutionally robust. This requires the political courage to depersonalize state institutions, empowering independent judiciary, audit authorities, and anti-corruption commissions not just on paper but in practice. By becoming the chief guardian of institutional integrity, a leader builds the essential currency of trust—without which long-term investment and social cohesion are impossible.

3. Championing Radical Inclusivity: No single entity holds a monopoly on innovative ideas. Transformative leaders actively dismantle top-down governance silos to create participatory ecosystems. They facilitate sustained dialogues that bring together the pragmatic insights of the private sector, the grassroots realities understood by civil society, the foresight of academia, and the voices of marginalized communities. This inclusive approach does more than improve policy; it fosters a profound sense of collective ownership over the continent’s destiny, building a resilient coalition for sustained change.

II. The Discipline of Strategic Management: Building the Engine of Execution

A vision without a rigorous mechanism for implementation remains a mere hallucination. Transformative leadership must be operationalized through management systems characterized by precision, adaptability, and results.

1. Engineering a Performance-Obsessed Public Sector: The public administration must be fundamentally redesigned into a lean, data-driven delivery machine. This demands:

o Integrated Outcome Frameworks: Adopting systems like the Balanced Scorecard to cascade the national vision into clear departmental objectives, measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and individual accountability metrics for civil servants.

o Evidence-Based Policy Orchestration: Investing in robust data analytics units and real-time monitoring dashboards. Resource allocation and program adjustments must be driven by hard evidence of what works, moving policymaking from political intuition to strategic science.

o Relentless Process Innovation: Launching comprehensive digital governance initiatives to automate and streamline bureaucratic processes—from business licensing to customs clearance. This eliminates friction, reduces opportunities for graft, and dramatically improves the user experience for citizens and investors alike.

2. Cultivating Dynamic Innovation Ecosystems: Management’s role is to create the fertile ground where creativity and enterprise can flourish. This is a deliberate, managerial function:

o Establishing Agile Policy Laboratories: Creating regulatory sandboxes in key sectors like fintech, renewable energy, and logistics allows startups to test breakthrough ideas in a controlled environment with temporary regulatory relief, fostering innovation without compromising systemic stability.

o Orchestrating Strategic Alliances: Building structured platforms for public-private-research collaboration. Government can de-risk pioneering R&D in areas like vaccine manufacturing or artificial intelligence for agriculture, with clear pathways for commercialization led by the private sector and fueled by academic research.

o Safeguarding Intellectual Creation: Modernizing and rigorously enforcing intellectual property regimes managed by efficient, trustworthy institutions. This protects African innovators, attracts R&D investment, and ensures that breakthroughs conceived on the continent yield prosperity for its people.

3. Mastering Capital: Human and Financial:

o Strategic Human Capital Development: Aligning national education and vocational training curricula with the future skills demanded by the continental transformation agenda requires active management through a permanent skills council, ensuring a seamless pipeline of talent for the industries of tomorrow.

o Pioneering Financial Architecture: Beyond domestic revenue mobilization, management excellence is key to structuring and accessing innovative finance. This includes developing bankable project pipelines for green bonds, diaspora investment instruments, and blended finance models to fund the massive infrastructure required for integration, all while maintaining impeccable sovereign debt management.

III. The Tangible Dividend: Delivering Expanded Possibilities for All

The ultimate metric for this leadership-management model is the tangible impact on the ground.

· For Africa’s Citizens: The outcome is expanded human agency and dignity. This manifests as access to meaningful, future-oriented employment; quality, affordable healthcare and education delivered efficiently; and social protections that empower rather than create dependency. Citizens experience a state that is a capable partner in their aspirations.

· For Africa’s Enterprises: The outcome is a predictable, enabling, and competitive operating environment. Corporations and entrepreneurs benefit from reliable infrastructure, seamless administrative processes, access to capital, and a fair, transparent market. This enables them to scale, innovate, and compete confidently on regional and global stages.

· For Africa’s Nations and Continental Body: The outcome is sovereign capability and collective strategic influence. Individually, nations evolve into resilient, adaptive economies. Collectively, a strategically managed and integrated Africa transforms into a formidable negotiating bloc, capable of shaping global rules on trade, climate, and digital governance, and moving from being a subject of global dynamics to a definitive shaper of the world order.

Conclusion: The Imperative of Synergy

The path from poverty to preeminence is paved by the dual forces of transformative leadership and strategic management. Leaders must provide the spark of vision, the moral compass, and the political will to embark on an audacious journey. The management apparatus must provide the meticulous map, the engine, and the metrics to navigate it successfully. When these elements align in harmony—when the architect’s dream is matched by the engineer’s precision—Africa will ignite a self-sustaining cycle of innovation, inclusive growth, and shared prosperity. This is the pathway that turns the latent potential within its people, the ambition of its corporations, and the sovereignty of its nations into a manifested reality. It is how the continent will cease to be perpetually “rising” and will firmly stand, a realized giant, shaping the century ahead.

Dr. Tolulope Adeseye Adegoke is a distinguished scholar-practitioner specializing in the intersection of African security, governance, strategic leadership and effective management. His expertise is built on a robust academic foundation—with a PhD, MA, and BA in History and International Studies focused on West African conflicts, terrorism, and regional diplomacy—complemented by high-level professional credentials as a Distinguished Fellow Certified Management Consultant and a Fellow Certified Human Resource Management Professional.

Opinion

A Marriage That Changed History: Celebrating Mobolaji and Dele Momodu at 33

Published

4 days ago

December 20, 2025

Eric

By Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba

Some marriages are sustained by time, a few are tested by trials, but only the rarest are forged by destiny and proven by history. The union of Chief Dele Momodu and Chief Mobolaji Aderamaja Momodu belongs firmly in this extraordinary class, a marriage where love speaks with courage, partnership walks with purpose, and devotion quietly reshapes lives and legacies.

As Chief Dele and his remarkable wife Mobolaji Momodu mark 33 years of marital union, I am compelled to pause, not just to celebrate longevity, but to honour a love story that has survived trials, triumphed over tyranny, and blossomed into a partnership that continues to inspire generations.

I have always known them as love birds. It is almost impossible to engage Chief Dele Momodu in any meaningful conversation without the affectionate and respectful mention of his wife. He speaks of her not as an appendage to his success, but as its backbone, his confidant, his compass, and proudly, his “prayer warrior.” That alone speaks volumes in a world where gratitude within marriage is often whispered, if acknowledged at all.

Chief Mobolaji is kindness personified. Whenever I am privileged to be their guest whether at their warm Ikoyi home in Lagos or at public functions, her concern is constant and sincere. She will not sit comfortably until she is certain that everyone around her, especially her guests, is fine. That gentle strength, that instinctive compassion, defines her essence.

Yet, beyond her kindness lies courage. History will forever remember one defining moment on 25th July 1995 during the dark, oppressive days of General Sani Abacha’s dictatorship, a very heart-touching story. Strange, faceless men had come looking for Dele Momodu at their home. At the time, he was away in Ogun State. Without hesitation, His wife Mobolaji immediately sensed the danger coming when she suspected that those men could have been Abacha’s attack dogs. Highly cerebral young woman she was, she acted smartly by sneaking to trace the road the knew her husband was likely following to come back home. Luckily enough, she stopped him and raised the alarm. That single, decisive action changed the course of history.

Dele Momodu had already tasted detention for his pro-democracy stance where he was detained in Alagbon close. Now, he was being hunted again, this time in connection with the underground Radio Freedom, later renamed Radio Kudirat, in honour of the murdered activist Kudirat Abiola. Acting swiftly on his wife’s intuition and bravery, he disguised himself as a farmer and fled through the Seme border into Cotonou, Benin Republic. That escape marked the beginning of a three years exile in London, but also the preservation of a voice Nigeria could not afford to lose. That moment was not just the act of a wife, it was the intervention of destiny, executed through love.

In making that daring escape, Dele Momodu paid an enormous personal price. He left behind his only child in the care of his devoted wife and also his elderly mother in Ile-Ife, stepping into the uncertainty of exile with nothing but faith, conviction, and hope. That three years journey away from home would later prove transformative, culminating in the birth of Ovation International Magazine in London in April 1996, a global brand that would redefine African storytelling and project Nigerian excellence to the world. How Ovation emanated from Momodu’s rare bravery and risk taking is a another interesting story for another day.

Chief Dele Momodu has often shared that his earliest ambition was simple: to become a teacher, marry a teacher, and live happily thereafter . Fate, however, had grander plans. Their story began during their university days at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), where Dele earned a degree in Yoruba in 1982 and later a Master’s degree in English Literature in 1988. From humble beginnings in Ile-Ife, they embarked on a journey that would take them across mountains and valleys.

On their 30th wedding anniversary, Chief Dele Momodu described his wife as a “combination of brains and beauty”, a woman with whom he has “climbed mountains and descended valleys together.” Few statements capture the depth of partnership more profoundly.

Their marriage in December 1992, graciously bankrolled by the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, Dele Momodu’s adopted father was not merely a union of two souls, but the convergence of purpose, principle, and providence.

After 33 years today, their union stands as a testament to what marriage should be: friendship strengthened by faith, love fortified by sacrifice, and partnership tested, and proven by history.

Beyond the public milestones and historic moments lies a quieter but equally profound achievement, the family they built together. Blessed with four sons whom I refer to as “the Momodu’s 4 effects”, Chief Dele Momodu and Chief Mobolaji Momodu have raised a generation that reflects the values of discipline, faith, and excellence that define their home.

As they celebrate this remarkable milestone, Nigeria celebrates with them. Their story reminds us that behind every courageous man is often a discerning, fearless woman, and behind every lasting marriage is mutual respect, unwavering loyalty, and shared vision.

Happy 33rd Wedding Anniversary to Chief Dele Momodu and Chief Mobolaji Aderamaja Momodu, a couple whose love did not merely survive time, but shaped it.

May the years ahead be gentler, brighter, and filled with the same grace that has defined the journey so far, in good health, wealth, happiness, fulfillment and massive blessings.

Dr Baba writes from Kano, and can be reached via drssbaba@yahoo.com

Opinion

Rebuilding the Pillars: A Comprehensive Blueprint for Overcoming Nigeria’s Leadership Deficit

Published

2 weeks ago

December 13, 2025

Eric

By Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD

Systemic governance reform as the critical foundation for unlocking sustainable development and restoring national promise. “Nations are not built on resources, but on systems. Nigeria’s future rests not on changing leaders, but on transforming the very structures that create them” – Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD

Introduction: The Leadership Imperative

Nigeria, often described as the “Giant of Africa,” stands at a pivotal moment in its historical trajectory. Possessing unparalleled human capital, vast natural resources, and a dynamic, youthful population, the nation’s potential remains paradoxically constrained by deeply embedded structural deficiencies within its leadership architecture. These systemic flaws—evident across political, corporate, and civic institutions—have created profound cracks that undermine public trust, stifle economic innovation, and impede the delivery of fundamental social goods. This leadership deficit is not merely a political inconvenience; it is the central bottleneck to national progress.

Addressing this challenge requires moving beyond cyclical criticism of individuals and towards a deliberate, strategic reconstruction of the systems that produce, empower, and hold leaders accountable. This blog post presents a holistic, actionable blueprint designed to seal these cracks permanently. It offers a pathway to cultivate a leadership ecosystem that is transparent, accountable, performance-driven, and ethically grounded, thereby delivering tangible possibilities for Nigeria’s people, empowering its corporate sector, and restoring its stature on the global stage.

Section 1: Diagnosing the Structural Cracks—A Multilayered Analysis

A precise diagnosis is essential for effective treatment. Nigeria’s leadership challenges are multifaceted and mutually reinforcing, stemming from three core structural failures.

1. The Governance Architecture Failure

The current system suffers from a fundamental contradiction: a hyper-centralized federal model that stifles local innovation and accountability. Critical institutions, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the judiciary, and the civil service, frequently operate with compromised autonomy, inadequate technical capacity, and vulnerability to political interference. Furthermore, the intended checks and balances among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches have weakened, creating avenues for impunity and concentrated power that deviate from democratic principles.

2. The Leadership Pipeline Collapse

The mechanisms for recruiting and developing leaders are fundamentally broken. Political party structures too often prioritize patronage, loyalty, and financial muscle over competence, vision, and ethical fortitude. There exists no systematic, nationwide program for identifying, nurturing, and mentoring successive generations of public servants. This results in a recurring leadership vacuum and a deficiency of cognitive diversity at decision-making tables, limiting the range of solutions for national challenges.

3. The Integrity Infrastructure Erosion

Perhaps the most damaging crack is the erosion of public trust, fueled by opacity and impunity. Decision-making processes and public resource allocations are frequently shrouded in secrecy, while accountability mechanisms are rendered ineffective. The consistent weakness in enforcing ethical codes across sectors has allowed a culture of corruption to persist, which acts as a regressive tax on development, scuttles investor confidence, and demoralizes the citizenry.

Section 2: A Tripartite Framework for Sustainable Transformation

Lasting reform necessitates concurrent, mutually reinforcing interventions across three interconnected pillars.

Pillar I: Constitutional and Institutional Reformation

Implementing True Cooperative Federalism: It is imperative to undertake a constitutional review that clearly delineates responsibilities and revenue-generating authorities among federal, state, and local governments. This empowers subnational entities to become laboratories of development, tailored to local contexts, while fostering healthy competition in providing public services. Fiscal autonomy must be matched with enhanced capacity-building initiatives at the state and local government levels.

Fortifying Independent Institutions: Key democratic institutions require constitutional protection from executive and legislative overreach. This includes guaranteeing transparent, first-line funding from the Consolidated Revenue Fund and establishing rigorous, meritocratic panels for appointing their leadership. Strengthening bodies like the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Public Complaints Commission is equally vital.

Professionalizing the Political Space: Electoral reform must introduce systems like ranked-choice voting to encourage more issue-based, inclusive campaigning. Legislation should mandate demonstrable internal democracy within political parties, including transparent primaries and audited financial disclosures, to reduce the capture of parties by narrow interests.

Pillar II: Cultivating a Leadership Development Ecosystem

Establishing a Premier National School of Governance (NSG): Modeled on institutions like the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, a Nigerian NSG would serve as the apex institution for executive leadership training. Attendance for all senior civil servants, political appointees, and legislators should be mandatory, with curricula focused on strategic public administration, ethical leadership, complex project management, and national policy analysis.

Catalyzing a Corporate Governance Revolution: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) must enforce stricter codes requiring diverse, independent, and technically competent boards. The private sector should be incentivized—through tax credits or preferential procurement status—to establish leadership fellowship programs that place high-potential private-sector executives into public sector roles for fixed terms, fostering cross-pollination of skills and perspectives.

Instituting a Presidential Leadership Fellowship (PLF): This highly selective, merit-based program would identify Nigeria’s most promising young talents (aged 25-35) from all fields—technology, agriculture, law, the arts—and place them in intensive two-year rotations across critical government agencies, private sector giants, and civil society organizations. This creates a nurtured cohort of future leaders with a national network and a deep understanding of systemic interconnections.

Pillar III: Architecting Robust Accountability & Performance Systems

Deploying a Digital Transparency Platform: A mandatory, open-access National Integrated Governance Portal (NIGP) should display in real-time the status, budget, and contractor details of every major public project. Strategic use of blockchain technology can create immutable records for procurement contracts and resource distribution, significantly reducing opportunities for diversion.

Empowering Oversight and Consequence: Anti-corruption agencies require not only independence but also enhanced forensic capacity and international collaboration. Performance tracking must extend to the judiciary and legislature; publishing annual scorecards on case clearance rates, legislative productivity, and constituency impact can drive public accountability.

Embedding a Culture of Results: All government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) must operate under a National Key Results Framework (NKRF). This performance contract system would define clear, measurable quarterly deliverables tied to national development plans. Autonomy and discretionary funding should be increased for MDAs that consistently meet targets, while underperformance triggers mandatory restructuring and leadership review.

Section 3: The Indispensable Cultural Reorientation

Technocratic fixes will fail without a parallel cultural shift that venerates service and integrity.

Embedding Ethics from Foundation: A redesigned national curriculum, from primary through tertiary education, must integrate civic ethics, critical thinking, and Nigeria’s constitutional history to build an informed citizenry that values good governance.

Launching a “Service Nation” Campaign: A sustained, multi-platform national campaign, developed in partnership with respected cultural, religious, and traditional institutions, should celebrate role models of ethical leadership and reframe public service as the nation’s highest calling.

Enacting Ironclad Whistleblower Protections: Comprehensive legislation must be passed to protect whistleblowers from all forms of retaliation, including provisions for anonymous reporting, physical protection, and financial rewards, aligning with global best practices to encourage exposure of malfeasance.

Section 4: A Practical, Phased Implementation Roadmap (2025-2035)

Phase 1: The Foundation Phase (Years 1-3)

Convene a National Constitutional Dialogue involving all tiers of government, civil society, and professional bodies.

· Establish the Nigerian School of Governance (NSG) and inaugurate the first cohort of the Presidential Leadership Fellowship (PLF).

· Pilot the National Integrated Governance Portal (NIGP) in the Ministries of Health, Education, and Works.

Phase 2: The Integration & Scaling Phase (Years 4-7)

· Enact and begin implementation of the new constitutional framework on fiscal federalism.

· Graduate the first NSG cohorts and embed training as a prerequisite for promotions.

· Roll out the NKRF performance contracts across all federal MDAs and willing pilot states.

Phase 3: The Consolidation & Maturation Phase (Years 8-12)

· Conduct a comprehensive national review, assessing improvements in governance indices, citizen trust metrics, and economic competitiveness.

· Establish Nigeria as a regional hub for leadership training, offering NSG programmes to other African nations.

· Institutionalize a self-sustaining cycle where performance culture and ethical leadership are the unquestioned norms.

Conclusion: Forging a New Path of Leadership

The task of sealing the cracks in Nigeria’s leadership foundation is undeniably monumental, yet it is the most critical work of this generation. It demands a departure from transactional politics and short-term thinking toward a covenant of nation-building. The integrated blueprint outlined here—combining institutional redesign, leadership cultivation, technological accountability, and cultural renewal—provides a viable pathway.

This is not a call for perfection, but for systematic progress. By committing to this journey, Nigeria can transform its governance from its greatest liability into its most powerful asset. The outcome will be a nation where trust is restored, innovation flourishes, and every citizen has a fair opportunity to thrive. The resources, the intellect, and the spirit exist within Nigeria; it is now a matter of courageously building the structures to set them free.

Dr. Tolulope Adeseye Adegoke is a distinguished scholar-practitioner specializing in the intersection of African security, governance, and strategic leadership. His expertise is built on a robust academic foundation—with a PhD, MA, and BA in History and International Studies focused on West African conflicts, terrorism, and regional diplomacy—complemented by high-level professional credentials as a Distinguished Fellow Certified Management Consultant and a Fellow Certified Human Resource Management Professional.

A recognized thought leader, he is a Distinguished Ambassador for World Peace (AMBP-UN) and has been honoured with the African Leadership Par Excellence Award (2024) and the Nigerian Role Models Award (2024), alongside inclusion in the prestigious national compendium “Nigeria @65: Leaders of Distinction.”

Dr. Adegoke’s unique value lies in synthesizing deep historical analysis with practical management frameworks to diagnose systemic institutional failures and design actionable reforms. His work is dedicated to advancing ethical governance, strategic human capital development, and sustainable nation-building in Africa and the globe. He can be reached via: tolulopeadegoke01@gmail.com & globalstageimpacts@gmail.com