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.
Between 1990 and 1996 over N20 billion of depositors money was lost in banks that got distressed due to the dishonesty of banks and directors in the affected banks. Many customers of these Banks lost their sanity and some even their lives due to the shock. Some families were left without breadwinners, many business outfits collapsed as a result of the closure of these banks. This high rate of bank distress was caused by the mismanagement of bank deposits by the officials of the banks.
The rot in our tertiary institutions is so bad that even the blind can see it! Our university teachers today collect money from students so as to pass them. some of them compromise their positions by having illicit affairs with the female students. The menace of cultism in our higher institutions illustrates that Nigerians will rather be leaders in things that are negative than positive?
Between 1995 and 1996, over N100 million was allegedly embezzled in OMPADEC (the predecessor of NDDC). The case of the Nigerian Airways is a can of worms that has refused to be closed. That several billions of naira (cf. Newswatch Feb. 28, 2000 and April 15. 1991) has been invested by the government in this airline and that the Nigerian planes have refused to fly in a country that plays host to several other national carriers (Air France, Swiss Air, KLM British Airways etc.) and some private airlines (Sosoliso, Albarka, Kabo, Bellview etc.) is but a high – school drama.
In 1996, Nigeria budgeted a total of N340 billion, nearly ten years after, this country does not seem to me to have spent that much in its services and development programmes. Yet we have 42 other year of our federal budget still to talk about. The Leader Newspaper of February 8, 2004 reported that Abia State received N1.208 billion in December, 2003 and N1.877 billion in January 2004 from the Federal allocation after all the deductions. The question now is has the government in Abia State really spent the over N3 billion naira it received in only two months in this state? Your guess is as good as mine with retired workers gratuities and pensions as well as workers salaries still being owed in arrears.
A discourse on the Abacha and Babangida era as well as the innuendoes of the Shagari administration is a topic for another day. All in all, the conduct of our leaders in public offices leaves a lot to be desired. Top and middle rank civil servants have today turned themselves into high – class contractors who milk the Nigerian system dry with their enterprises of doom. The resultant effect is even more highlightened as the little resources left by the rulers for the running of the system is then sucked by this class of workers. Therefore, nothing is left for the provision of the needs of the common people. Taps are dry, roads are in despair, food no available, hospitals are death-beds ready made, power supply is almost non – existent, the economy is in bad shape with the wolves entering the mainstream and our public schools are ill equipped with our homes demolished.
In our families and rural communities, our leaders are also found wanting in various responsibilities. The head of the family that earns enough but fails to pay the children’s fees is but a failure. The student who concocts lies in order to extort money from the parents or guardian is not being accountable and transparent. The mother who inflates the domestic bill in order to extract money from father is but a great cheat and role model to the children!
The resultant consequences of lack of accountability on the part of our leaders in Nigeria cannot be far-fetched. They are many and varied and have contributed greatly to the backwardness of Nigeria, our vast materials and human resources notwithstanding. They range from:
1. Loss of confidence and trust in leaders of Nigeria
2. De-motivation of the generality of the people who are not in anyway encouraged to contribute meaningfully to the development of the country
3. Honest and good people are scared from leadership positions since they try to avoid being tainted by the action of others
4. Denies good governance in Nigeria that will contribute to professionals and technocrats who may not want to be part of the band-wagon of bad leaders
5. The promotion of unpatriotism on the part of the general public who do not see any convincing reason why they should be committed to the interest of the nation when our leaders are seen to be serving themselves only
6. Leads to apathy or lack of interest on the part of the populace in major national activities like elections, census, Nations celebrations etc.
7. Results in the mismanagement and misappropriation of the country’s resources and treasury
8. Promotes underdevelopment in Nigeria since that which are meant for the development of the country are either mismanaged or embezzled.
9. Reduces the in-flow of foreign investments and aid into the country since investors and donors are not sure of safety of their investments and impacts of their resources.
10. Leads to political instability as can be seen in coups, counter – coups, internal strife and revolutions and more recently the purported Third Term Agenda of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The part to a greater Nigeria that will be respected in the comity of nations, is the selection of leaders who are honest, God fearing, Accountable, Selfless and highly driven by the urgent need to take the country to greater heights. We must also not forget that power lies with the people and not in the leadership and that public office holders are servants and not masters of the people and as such are accountable to the people for their conduct in government.
Dr. Nwafor Orizu, speaking in 1959 listed a number of criteria for selecting leaders in the Independent Nigeria. He stated emphatically that, ‘the leadership we want must show their faith in our youth’. No nation can grow beyond its enlightened populace. The youths of Nigeria to today are inevitably bound to become the leaders of tomorrow. Therefore, their right to exist, their right to proper education, their right to proper feeding, clothing and association must be jealously guarded. The potentials of our youth in this country that is richly blessed in human and material resources cannot be overemphasized.
But more essentially, our youths owe themselves and this country the resolve to say no more to dishonesty, fraud, mismanagement and our – right robbery that are today the order of the day in our dear nation. The youths should clearly define their goals and objectives and work hard to perfect them as well as becoming the slats of the earth and the light at which the world sees. Letting the light shine out before people, so that they will see the good in us. This concept implies, living by examples and not by precepts. The youth must not fear to change this prevailing order of things in Nigeria. To do this, we must bring out the potentials in us as in the parable of the talents and bring to bear on this nation some very positive qualities that is inherent in the human make – up.
It is pertinent to point out that the youths have a principal role to play in the eradication of election malpractices and the selection of any leader in our society. This is because Nigeria can never get good leaders if this evil continues in the name of elections. Election is one major way we can enthrone good leaders who will make accountability and transparency their watchwords.
An Italian historian, Pietro Coleta, once said that there are two judges of human action: Conscience and history. The point made is that the conscience of our leaders will surely judge them but the final and most crushing verdict will be delivered by history. The judgment of Jerry Rawlings and some past Ghanaian leaders is still fresh in our memories. Also an Italian Prime Minister, Benito Craxi served 8 years in jail for his role in the collapse of Banco Ambrosiano in 1982, the trial of Charles Taylor on charges against humanity; and impeachment of Alams. D.S.P of Bayelsa State for corruption is still recent and bad leaders are experiencing bad times, it become a time to sound beware to the Nigerian leaders.
The rating of Nigeria by TI as one of the most corrupt countries in the world is still at attention and worth noting as the Police and the PHCN formally NEPA had been termed the most corrupt agencies by ICPC. This is due to the activities of these Public officials who collect 10-100 % and eat up and that of our noble 20 naira brothers called “Nigerian Police” who block the highways collecting a responsible but no accountable N20 without shame. The Youth have to see these things as a play by the moonlight and take their own search lights on their way and should be different by taking their right path to greatness.
I round up this article by hitting a warning that until the youths take up this challenge of changing things for the better now, Nigeria will continue to boil in this cauldron that may annihilate the entire nation. This is a clarion call from a citizen that care for his nations with a message to wake up to the call now!
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