HARDBALL, an opinion column of the Nation newspapers, on Friday May 17, 2013, took a swipe on Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State over alleged comments on succession to the office of the governor of the State. The Governor was said to have communicated his aversion to being succeeded by a professional politician to a group of religious leaders when they paid him a visit at the Governor’s Lodge at Amawbia.

At the onset of the present democratic dispensation, it was clear to the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party that the major challenge confronting our nation was the establishment of an enduring democratic platform with a sustainable legitimacy. We were also convinced that such platforms should possess credible internal capacity to produce leaders who will be committed to the public purpose and whose leadership will be informed by a common good and sustained by the popular will of all citizens.

Counterfeiting and faking of drugs and food substances have assumed a global industry status, so also are the worries and concerns over the development. Particularly for Nigeria, the challenge has been the impetus needed to frontally and aggressively confront the menace. To the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Nigeria’s health boosting agency, falls that responsibility. The efforts of the Dr. Paul B. Orhii-led agency, especially its deployment of cutting edge technologies to fight and win the anti-counterfeit drugs war, have gained global recognition

There are certain demographics that give a clear indication of a country’s development profile and some insights into its economic future. Literacy rate, access to health and potable water, state of infrastructure, housing, functional public utilities, transparency in governance and efficient service delivery by government agencies etc.

IT is leadership that defines a nation. Essentially, it builds or destroys a nation. General Charles de Gaulle relevantly stated that “nothing great can be done without great (leaders)”.