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The word Accountability is derived from accountable which itself is an adjective derivable from the noun, account. According the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, the word account means a written or spoken report; description, story, consideration, a record or statement of money received and paid out, a statement of money owed. Going also into the Chambers English Dictionary to beatify the word, account I could not be more but its statement that account means to reckon, to judge, value; to give a reason or explanation; to give a statement of money dealings; to answer as one responsible.
From the foregoing, it follows that to be accountable is to have the duty or responsibility of having to give an explanation, an account or even a narrative hint. It is therefore a misnomer for people to think of giving account to only deals with figures and money. This is especially the case in Nigeria where money has become the only thing that matters. It has turned itself or rather Nigerians have allowed money to be the only motivator that exists in this land. In fact, money has become the only one thing that counts in Nigeria. It is now the magic that turns its possessors into a Chief, King, Giant, Governor, the person that matters etc., even if the people are lollipop, a dunce; crook, armed robber or fraudster. Fundamentally every aspect of human endevour requires some form of stock taking.
It follows therefore that accountability is a basic requirement in all positions of responsibility, be it in the family, at school, in government and in our various religious groups. The parable of the talents as recorded in Matthew illustrates this, the man that hid his talent in the ground was punished not because he stole but because he was guilty of displaying lack of ingenuity. He refused to make judicious use of what was given to him. What could be more offending than stealing from what was given to you or mismanaging some resources allocated to you for a certain purpose, particularly for the betterment of others.
Chief Anthony Ani, a former Finance Minister of Nigeria, delivering a lecture in 1997 said that accountability is the requirement that government explains and justifies its actions to the people. He goes on to say that accountability ensures that governments are responsible for their actions; that ‘rulers’ at all levels report to the ‘ruled’. A government that consistently informs the people about its actions, that is accountable, generates confidence in the polity, and through this way, a favourable and condulsive environment for the implementation of its programmes. Thus accountability is the soul of good governance; it indeed defines good governance to the core.
On the other hand, leadership requires an individual or a group of people to direct, guide, cause, induce and motivate other to greater achievements. Writing in 2001, Dr. Festus Iyayi, defines Leadership as the process of energizing a group of followers to define and realize a desired future in which the expectations, needs and objectives of both the leader and the followers are fulfilled at increasingly higher levels in competition or collaboration with other leaders and groups all of whom depend largely upon the same resource environment for the attainment of the desired future. From the foregoing, we see a leader as a servant that dictates, guider, visionary, pacesetter, initiator and protector of the interest of those he is leading. A good leader must be morally acclaimed and possess honest intentions. Must be transparent and should be selfless in her service to the extent of placing the interest of those he is leading before her own personal interest and whims.
A leader cares about the people’s welfare and thinks of their living and security always while exercising his rulership. The hallmark of a leader is to be able to command the trust and respect of those they are representing and leading. This is the case in most developed countries of the world, but far from it in our developing countries.
Accountability is necessary for good governance to thrive and for the proper coduct of public affairs. The inability of leaders in Nigeria to become accountable to the populace is the major factor for their colossal failure over the years. The result is that in our over forty years as an independent entity, Nigeria has moved from one stage of corruption to another with leaders who have only served themselves and not the people. Imagine the North say that they had only ruled Nigeria for once, even at almost 80 percent of representation from the region in the political arena of Nigeria.
It is even more shocking when revelations are made on the level of deep – seated corruption and dishonesty that prevail among our leaders and in the public service. The case of the National Bank of Nigeria is a classical example of the lick dishonesty can play in a nation. Established to serve the need of the poor in the society, the Bank did not leave up to this expectation. Writing in the Newswatch Magazine in April 1991, Soji Akinrinade lamented that, nobody can say with any degree of certainty how exactly the bank spent over N130.92 million naira since it went into operation in October 1989.
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Henry Ekwuruke
Henry Ekwuruke is Executive Director of the Development Generation Africa International.
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