By Braeyi Ekiye

Simply put, leadership is the action of leading a group of people or a state, a nation and organization. A functional leadership, therefore, should be accountable, visionary, pragmatic, selfless and modest. That leadership must have the fear of God and his time-honoured principles and precepts for good and enduring governance capable of bringing succour and self-sustainability to the governed.

This is where the inward beliefs and motivations for behaviours of leadership are called to question, as to whether such beliefs and motivations are for the good of the people and their environment.  This question is more germane to toddling developing countries because their lack of regulatory behavioural patterns, displayed outwardly stand on the very head of widely shared and accepted principles and precepts of sound leadership. The inability of leadership to effectively communicate these shared values for the good of society have made nation states stunted in meaningful growth and development.

This has led to citizens’ continued biting poverty and penury in the midst of plenty. They suffocate under despicable environmental conditions; lack of potable water, paucity in motorable roads, poor water and land transportation services, non-existent and epileptic electricity power supply, sub-standard educational facilities, destitute medical health-care delivery services, very poor agrarian programs and projects which are unable to tap into the food supply value chain for food security, dwindled industrial growth and development and many more unpardonable anti-development conditions Nigerian citizens have to contend with. All these factors have helped in no small measure to promote and propagate insecurity and the consequent loss of lives and properties.

Nigeria is no exception in the sad scenario painted here. This is why Nigeria, like other African countries, should reappraise the criteria for the choice of political office holders. Essential determining factors in this regard should include capacity, integrity of character, zero tolerance for itchy fingers at the public treasury and unblemished commitment to international best practices in governance. These, I think, are catalysts to the enthronement of a system of administration that truly cares for the people’s welfare and security which is the prime duty of government.

Taking Nigeria as an example, particularly the past 8 years of the Muhammadu Buhari 8-year tenure in office, one can safely say that governance in this country has never been as unimaginative, lack-lustre and to a great extent, clueless.

For instance, speaking recently at the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, indomitable Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser stated, among other things, and I quote: “Yes, we are facing budgetary constraints. It is important for you to know that we have inherited a very difficult situation, literally a bankrupt country, no money to a point where we can say that all the money we are getting now, we are paying back what was taken. It is serious”, he told a bewildered congregation of veteran journalists. That, certainly is an indictment of the previous APC government, which they, the present shakers and movers of the Tinubu administration were a part of.

The purpose of this article, therefore, is to sensitize the conscience of the Tinubu administration with a view to making it see reason to do things differently from his predecessor’s unimpressive 8-year rule, as attested to by most enlightened Nigerians and critical mass of the international community. A clear and unambiguous paradigm shift in governance is the way to go if President Tinubu is serious about restoring the much-needed good governance in his administration with the intent of revitalizing the leadership decay in the country.

It is therefore the hope of Nigerians for the present administration to take the country out of this dire financial and economic difficulty by running an austere administration to recoup budgetary and financial losses and restore good governance hinged on probity and accountability, selfless service, zero tolerance for corruption and all that portend ostentatious living in government.

It therefore behoves the Tinubu administration to have a listening ear even as well-meaning Nigerians and critical stakeholders have had cause to dissect the administration’s past few months in office, and not the least, the recent sectoral budgetary allocations in the president’s 27.5 trillion naira proposed budget now before the National Assembly.

For instance, Atedo Peterside, economist and banker of repute, astute economic and financial analyst, Bismarck Jemide Rewane, MD/CEO, Financial Derivatives Co. Ltd and Mr Peter Obi,  Labour  Party (LP)  presidential candidate, and others have had cause to comment on the budget, all with a view to assisting the present administration’s drive for fast economic and financial recovery and to set the Nigerian State on the course of meaningful socio-economic growth and development and unprecedented infrastructural transformation.

For want of space, let’s take titbits of Peter Obi’s reflections on the budget which places emphasis on misplaced priorities of the Tinubu administration. Obi wondered why it is difficult to put our priorities right, questioning the commitment of the administration to the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians, most of who have fallen into multi-dimensional poverty.

He also described as reckless the large entourage of government to the COP28 conference in Dubai. Yet another area of concern was the huge sum allocated for renovation and building of fresh office for the vice president at a time Nigerians have been forced to tighten their belts! These observations, amongst others, certainly lend credence to a government that is yet to come to grips with the stark realities of the dire economic and financial situation Nigeria finds herself.

It is for this reason that the National Assembly should stand up to its calling for judicious and untainted surgical operation of the 27.5 trillion-naira national budget before them. It is expected that the budget would be critically interrogated by both houses and areas that need to be pruned down or expunged effected in the interest of the country and her suffering masses. This therefore, calls for the practical demonstration of the separation of powers as enshrined in our Constitution, for the National Assembly to be taken seriously.

President Tinubu’s government is made up of Nigerians who, we believe, are also feeling the pains of Nigerians due to the economic down-turn in the country. Tinubu should therefore do everything possible to save disoriented Nigerians and restore their confidence in his government to deliver the country from this vicious circle of poverty and want.

Let it be gloriously noised abroad that but for Tinubu, the dogged fighter for equity and justice, democracy and its sound ethos, Nigeria would have remained enslaved and in the throes of worst economic and financial pain. The time to restore Nigeria’s lost glory and revitalise her leadership decay is now!

Braeyi Ekiye, Publisher, EnvironmentWatch writes from Yenagoa