Speakers Decry Leadership Failure; List Ways Out of Nigeria’s Many Challenges
Speakers in Lagos on Tuesday decried what they called leadership failure lamenting the various challenges facing Nigeria.
They spoke at the Fourth Lecture series of the Freedom Online held in Lagos.
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi, former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, former Vice Presidential candidate Peter Obi all agreed that that Nigeria faces humongous problems.
Daniel, in his keynote address, Daniel lamented the political crisis and the economic hardships Nigerians are going through.
Other speakers include Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, an Economist Prof Akin Onigbinde, former boss of the Nigerian Maritime Administration Agency Dr. Dakuku Peterside.
They were speaking at the 4th annual lecture of an online publication, Freedom Online in Lagos with the theme: Nigeria’s Political Indices: Bright or Bleak Future.
The former Governor said with the right decisions and policies, Nigeria can change the narratives and state of the nation.
He said: “Indeed, I can say that the future of Nigeria is bright, as a leader; both in politics and other economic indicators, I cannot admit that our future will ever be bleak. I am an optimist and believe strongly that with the right decisions and policies, we can change the narratives and state of the nation currently to an enviable position within the shortest time possible.
“For Nigeria to reach its potential, it does not require prayers or fasting. God has done his own work for the country; it is left for us to work to ensure our potentials do not become a liability.”
He urged Nigerians “to stop dreaming of a better Nigeria and start working towards achieving one. It is not enough to have passion and vision. Without a roadmap dutifully followed, we will never leave the trenches.
“The only way we can leave the trenches is by putting into power individuals who are realists. We don’t need PowerPoint presentations and well-written manifestos that end up in the dustbin of history. We need leadership that, as they say in the mathematical parlance, show workings. Anybody can write and make promises, but we have to be intentional in ensuring that we elect those who know how to bring to life these visions.
“If someone promises to create television, don’t just clap; ask the person questions on how they intend to do that.
But again, we would have lost the morality to question our leaders properly if we continued to indulge the menace threatening our democracy: vote-buying.
“It is impossible to sell an item and still wish to dictate to the buyer how to use it.
“Nigerians have to realise that the only way to see a developed Nigeria is to ensure that they vote with their brain and not their stomach. A night with hunger is far better than four years of pain and struggle.
“The next election offers us an opportunity to rewrite the destiny of this country. The decision we make next year will be with us for arguably eight years. That’s long enough to make the country better or make it worse.” he added