[Nigeria @65] Bad leadership: A curse from the pit of hell 

Generally acknowledged as Nigeria’s albatross, the icy leadership challenge does not appear to be about to thaw, judging by signals from all sides of the political spectrum 

By Clifford Ndujihe, Politics Editor

IN 1983, late literary icon, Professor Chinua Achebe, pointedly fingered poor leadership as the cause of Nigeria’s under-development.

In a book titled: ‘The Trouble With Nigeria,” Achebe said: “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership… The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility.”

According to Achebe, “Nigerians are what they are only because their leaders are not what they should be;” and “One of the commonest manifestations of under-development is a tendency among the ruling elite to live in a world of make-believe and unrealistic expectations.”

Achebe asserted that Nigeria had been plagued by selfish, corrupt, and visionless leaders, who prioritise personal gain over national interest, adding that no matter how rich a country is in resources or how diverse and vibrant its culture, it cannot succeed without honest, visionary, and competent leaders.

Forty-two years after Achebe’s observations and proffering of solutions, his words remain brutally relevant in 2025 – 65 years after independence.

Indeed, as Nigeria marks 65 years of independence, the country remains a paradox: rich in human and natural resources, yet perpetually underdeveloped. Roads are bad, power supply remains epileptic. Hospitals remain “mere consulting clinics”, while our leaders continually troop out to foreign countries for basic medication.

Origins of bad leadership

The leadership crisis dates back to the early post-independence years. Though founding fathers like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and Sir Ahmadu Bello had a vision of greatness for the country, their legacies were weakened by rising tribalism, political rivalry, and weak institutions.

The January 1966 coup, the counter-coup, and the Civil War (1967–1970) were early warning signs of fragile leadership. Then came decades of military rule marked by corruption, authoritarianism, and centralised power.

Instead of building on independence, Nigeria slid into a pattern of elite selfishness, institutional decay, and abandoned potential that stunted its socio-economic development.

Signs of bad leadership

Over time, a host of Nigeria’s political class continued to exhibit signs of poor leadership such as corruption, nepotism, lack of vision, broken promises, weakening of  institutions, disregard for rule of law, and poor service delivery.

The end-products of these include, but are not limited to the looting of public funds with impunity; appointments are based on ethnicity, not merit; policies are reactive, not strategic; campaign manifestos vanish after elections; the judiciary, legislature, and law enforcement are politicised; selective justice takes centre stage; and education, health, and infrastructures are on a free fall.

Consequences of bad leadership

Currently, there is a disconnect between leaders and citizens, and bad leadership has robbed Nigeria of her potential. While countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea, all peers in the 1960s, have surged ahead, Nigeria stagnated.

In 1960, Nigeria and Malaysia had similar GDPs. Today, Malaysia’s GDP per capita is over $11,000, while Nigeria’s is below $2,000. Dubai in the United Arab Emirates was a desert when Nigeria struck oil. Today, it’s a global hub while Nigeria is still mired in energy crises.

Despite earning over $1 trillion from oil since the 1970s, much of it was squandered. Infrastructure is decaying; refineries don’t work; and power supply remains epileptic.

Currently, over 133 million Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty; youth unemployment hovers around 40%; Nigeria borrows to service debt, not build infrastructure; terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping flourish as leaders negotiate with bandits; doctors, engineers, and graduates flee the country in what is now known as Japa; and Nigeria ranks 161 out of 191 countries on the Human Development Index, HDI.

Concerns

Speaking on the issue recently, former Anambra State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi, blamed leadership for Nigeria’s backwardness, saying: “Bad leadership is responsible for hunger, poverty, insecurity, and corruption in the country.”

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo shared the same feelings: “Nigeria is not short of resources, but we are short of good leadership. Until we get it right, nothing will change.”

Former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida at a time confessed: “We all failed this country. We didn’t do enough.”

From elder statesmen to youths in the street, the verdict is unanimous: leadership has failed.

Way out

To halt the slide into this leadership abyss and the attendant under-development, Nigeria must get its leadership selection process right and ensure that the will of the people via the ballot box stands. In essence, Nigerians must do more than change leaders by changing the system that produces bad leaders.

How?

The county must build strong institutions – the judiciary, INEC, the police, and anti-corruption agencies must be truly independent; appointments and promotions must be based on competence, not ethnic or religious bias; restructure the political system to reduce the cost of governance, and make elections transparent, free from vote-buying and manipulation.

Citizens must stop celebrating corrupt leaders. Voter education, civic awareness, and accountability are vital. There is a need to groom future leaders through education, mentorship, and exposure not money politics; and devolving power to the states and local governments.

Citizens must take charge because no country develops by accident and leadership is not magic.  Nigerians must demand better, vote smarter, and hold leaders accountable.

As Achebe wrote: “You do not need to look far to know whether a country is well run. Just look at the quality of its leadership.”

Until bad leadership is rejected at the ballot box and punished by law, the cycle will continue and the search for the right leadership – visionary, accountable, and inclusive – will continue.

Whether or not Nigerians will rise and break the cycle is a question of time.

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