THERE is something about the new Central Bank Governor, Lamido Sanusi, that reminds me of the former Chairman of the EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu. First there is that physical resemblance, a lanky, almost austere frame. They both look fragile and do not cut the burly picture of your typical Nigerian executive.

THERE are few qualities to define a purposeful, goal-oriented leadership as clear-thinking, careful planning and execution. The amount of these qualities a leader and/or government possesses should at most times be indicative of their/its preparedness or otherwise for leadership

By this I mean Nigerians from the North-West and North-East of this country. What I must now call a lazy way of explaining this apparently well-organised and outer-directed violence, is to attribute it to joblessness, poverty or any of those social vices and disjunctions we are too quick to identify as being at the root of the violence. Poverty or joblessness is not peculiar to the North.

The number of political murders has reduced, and the culture of following due process in the resolution of political and other conflicts is being nurtured. Still, it is doubtful if all the election petitions in the world, assuming they are credibly conducted, can shovel up all the mess dumped on us in 2007.

Various sectors of the economy are on strike or about to start one; people are hungry and angry. How does this government propose to lead Nigeria out of this state of unrelieving pain? It says one thing today and another tomorrow, ambles forward an inch and engages the reverse gear for a mile, almost in the same breath.