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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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Henry Ekwuruke
Henry Ekwuruke is Executive Director of the Development Generation Africa International.
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