I don’t believe Nigeria has a leadership problem​. Here’s what I believe it has.

 Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

I don’t believe Nigeria has a leadership problem. I believe it has a people problem.

I don’t believe Nigeria has a leadership problem. I believe it has a people problem.

If truly the problem is leadership, then the first set of leaders that have come and gone would have gone with the problem.

But since its independence, Nigeria has been replacing its leaders - drawn from among the people - yet the problem persists to this day. 

One caveat: The leaders are elected officials, e.g. presidents, governors, members of parliament, chairmen of councils, etc. Those not part of these are the people: the followers if you prefer to call it.

Someone may say, “hang on a second: we’ve had wonderful & scandal-free people that assumed leadership positions but were later ruffled by corruption." 

O.K. I get it!

But what about the answer to this question: 

The seed of corruption that stained them, where did it come from?

If, from the onset, the people are corrupt-free but become smudged when they lay hold of power, then it follows that that which corrupts sits somewhere around the offices: on trees, chairs, etc and possesses (or robs off on) the people as soon as they become leaders. I will not buy this.

To want me to buy this is like trying to convince me into believing that non-living things can influence the behaviour of living human beings. Haba Jama'a.

If not, people can take the seed into the govt offices. The office then provides them with the opportunity to showcase their capacity to be vile and vicious even as they abuse power.

The leadership problem - which is a symptom of the people's problem - will be solved if the people's problem is solved! In other words, if the governed changed, the govt. will change.

Some of the country's current leaders, deemed to be riven with misrules & misgivings, where were they 30 years ago? They were still among the people as ordinary citizens. Not yet in power.

If by all standards, a leader is not ill-influenced by power, the leader has only validated the fact that s/he was never corrupt.

If people change. Leadership will change. 

If people change, 

There will be,

• no one among the people to collect bribes from [and vote into power] politicians with questionable integrity. 
• no bureaucrat to guide (and collude with) a politician in stealing public funds; 
• no banker to help them launder stolen funds, 
• no lawyer to defend the treasury looters, and 
• no businessman to invest the politician’s ill-gotten fortunes. 

The system (or process) is set up & run by the people (or the “deep state”). Governments come & go, but the deep state remains. People are good, we are good to go.

In a democratic setting, will any known questionable candidate ever get into office without being elected? His only vote will not get him in. He needs the votes of the people. Knowing who he is and the people voting for him means they are saying we want bad leadership.

It’s a two-way street

Market (or exchange) takes place only when there is demand and supply. No market with only demand or only supply. Both must be in place. The leaders supply bad leadership. The followers buy it. To buy bad leadership is to praise it, vote for it, collect bribes from it etc.

If the followers refused to give in, the following will follow: 

(1) They will vote out bad leadership, uprooting the leaders through the power of the ballot; 

(2) Replace them by electing decent leaders from among the people.

The Independent Electoral Commission is part of the people. This means election outcomes reflect the wishes of the people. No room for rigging. 

Finally, Nigeria, thy change starts with thy sons and daughters and not with thee. Thou changeth not if thy sons and daughters refuse to change. But thou shall change if thy sons and daughters shun...