Leadership problem in Nigeria

Leadership problem is the number one problem facing Nigeria and Africa as a whole. This problem has given rise to other problems and sometimes I wonder if our leaders have conscience at all or if they are from another planet, because our problems stare them in the face yet, they refuse to do anything about them. Rather than find solutions to the nation’s problems , they busy themselves embezzling public funds.

Why are our leaders filled with evil thoughts and deeds? Why is the system filled with so much corruption, nepotism, bribery, favouritism and inefficient administration? Little wonder we are among the poorest countries in the world, while poverty has become the order of the day in our nation, but our leaders believe only a little percentage of Nigerians live on less than $1 per day.

If anything meaningful can be achieved, a new system must be put in place. The orientation of our leaders must change. First, there must be good governance. The institution through which authority is exercised, the process by which governments are elected, monitored and replaced must be flawless and transparent. Second, the leadership must be committed to tackling corruption and be seen to be living by example. Three, there should be no double standardand no sacred cows. Finally, the press must be free.

Shola Okogun,
Dept of Economics,
Obafemi Awolowo University,
Ile-Ife.
www.sholapundit.blogspot.com

AGF, NBA and EFCC

In the course of last week, there was an attempt by the Nigerian Bar Association to play a mediating role in the raging AGF and EFCC saga. The letter by NBA was only one of its numerous tools of affecting polity and policy in the country. But to my mind, this esteemed professional body is being used to play stunt on us or to rubbish our collective intelligence. In fact this latest letter of NBA is a classic version of playing the orchid. Rather than dousing the fire, as the officers of NBA would have us believe, they actually started the fire.

NBA national officers would desperately hope that the public forget their recent visit to the AGF office and more importantly, that it slips out of our memory what the outline of their “prayer” to the “Chief Law Officer” was. Of all the legal and judicial problems facing our beloved nation at the moment, the NBA officers in their unquestionable wisdom considered the castration of EFCC a top of the agenda request. Like all such visits, it is usually carried out in the comfort of darkness or behind iron doors. But what are usually not tamed, regrettably, are the consequences of such meetings. The AGF, like a loyal old boy, went to town with NBA request - although not without embedded personal agenda. The outcome is history now.

The AGF and EFCC saga should neither be put to bed yet nor wished away prematurely without intense debate on how we got here. Plugging from not too distant memory, many will recall the roles of NBA in the pre-election constitutional and judicial confusions. While individuals in their capacity are entitled to their own opinion, not so many will agree with the complete and barefaced misuse of NBA platform to foster hidden parochial interest. Many of the association’s letters or is it epistles are still in our consciousness. In my opinion, I considered the contributions of NBA then and now any but impartial. In fact, one is often left with only one conclusion; that the association is overtly partisan. To the extent that one could guess who are the likely paymasters. Many like me consider this behaviour as a major drift and largely diversionary for the association.

It is without doubt, as in all other civilised societies, that a professional body like NBA should be a pre-eminent source of clarity on legal issues when all other players have long lost their sense of proportion. Rather, the association elected to join the bandwagon and even championed clandestine push for hate-filled policy changes. Many commentators have lambasted the AGF on his brazen attempt to whittle down EFCC powers but I believe that is the least the Chief Law Officer could do with NBA behind him.

Matthew Odu,
Accountant,
United Kingdom.