Leadership In Nigeria Is Sickening, by Isaac Asabor

In Nigeria, leadership has often been a paradox, a blend of hope and despair, of promises unfulfilled and dreams deferred. The very essence of leadership, which should be about service to the people, seems to have become an avenue for personal enrichment and a disdainful disregard for the common good. As a country, we face an entrenched system where leadership has become synonymous with corruption, insensitivity, and negligence, leaving the masses to bear the brunt of an administration that appears more concerned with power than people.

Nigeria’s history is rife with examples of leaders who have failed to rise to the occasion, even when the nation needed them most. From independence to date, promises of better governance, infrastructural development, and socio-economic progress have remained mere rhetoric. Leaders come to power with lofty manifestos, painting pictures of a future brimming with prosperity, only for their tenure to be marked by broken systems, bloated government spending, and empty political slogans.

The most painful aspect is that this legacy of failed leadership is not confined to one political era or administration. It cuts across military and civilian regimes, left-wing and right-wing governments. Successive governments, irrespective of party ideology, have followed a similar script, perpetuating a cycle of poor governance and abject poverty that has crippled the nation’s progress.

The sheer consistency of poor leadership in Nigeria has left many disillusioned. Generations of Nigerians have grown up with the expectation that governance is little more than a “game of thrones” for the political elite. The lack of accountability has bred a culture of complacency, in which leaders feel entitled to rule rather than serve, and the average citizen feels powerless to demand change.

One of the most glaring issues with leadership in Nigeria is the sheer disconnection between the leaders and the led. The harsh realities of the common Nigerian, the daily struggles to make ends meet, the inability to access basic healthcare, and the struggle with inflation, are far removed from the luxurious lifestyles enjoyed by those in power. This disconnection becomes more apparent when leaders make insensitive comments, such as the recent remark by Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima, who said that “N8, 000 can change the life of a youth who knows what he is doing.” Statements like these show an utter lack of empathy and understanding of the economic woes Nigerians face daily.

Leaders are increasingly viewed as out of touch, completely removed from the social, economic, and political realities of their constituents. In a country where millions of people live on less than $1 a day, political elites live in opulence, shielded from the struggles of those they claim to represent. This growing gap in empathy and awareness is not just frustrating, it is dangerous. It has led to a population that is not only demoralized but deeply distrustful of its leaders.

This disconnect is not just verbal; it is reflected in policies that prioritize the comfort of the political elite over the well-being of the people. While political officeholders are lavished with hefty salaries, luxury cars, and foreign medical trips, ordinary Nigerians are left to grapple with a dilapidated healthcare system, skyrocketing food prices, and a currency that has plummeted in value. The chasm between the rulers and the ruled has grown so wide that it has become impossible for leaders to see, let alone address, the struggles of the common man.

Corruption remains at the core of Nigeria’s leadership crisis. From misappropriated funds to contract inflation, corruption has eaten so deeply into the fabric of governance that it almost seems like a given. Transparency is often lacking in government operations, with deals being struck behind closed doors and public funds siphoned into private accounts.

For instance, the recent revelations about the massive loans Nigeria continues to secure from the World Bank and China without any tangible improvement in the lives of citizens is alarming. Infrastructure projects are announced with much fanfare, but they never see the light of day. Roads remain death traps, schools are in ruins, and hospitals are mere consulting clinics, despite billions being allocated to fix these problems.

One of the most striking examples of this rot can be seen in Nigeria’s oil sector. As a country rich in oil resources, it should be leading the continent in development and industrialization. Instead, billions of dollars in oil revenues disappear each year, leaving the country with crumbling infrastructure and a staggering number of unemployed citizens. The Niger Delta, which produces the bulk of Nigeria’s oil, remains impoverished and underdeveloped, even as oil money lines the pockets of the nation’s elites.

What is sickening is that even when corruption is exposed, consequences rarely follow. Leadership in Nigeria has become a revolving door of recycled politicians who are protected by the system, ensuring that even when one leader falls, another just like them rises in their place. The lack of consequences for corrupt leaders emboldens them to continue looting without fear of retribution.

Nigeria is considered one of the most populous democracies in the world, but its democracy has yet to deliver the dividends that were promised with the end of military rule. Elections in Nigeria have often been marred by violence, vote-buying, and manipulations that undermine the entire democratic process. This manipulation of the democratic process ensures that only the elite, who have mastered the art of politicking, remain in power.

True democracy is about giving people a voice, but in Nigeria, the voice of the people is drowned out by the ambitions of the political class. Ordinary Nigerians rarely see the impact of their votes because those elected seem to forget the electorate the moment they assume office. Instead of driving development, Nigeria’s democracy has become a tool for consolidating power.

The failure of democratic governance has led to voter apathy, with a large percentage of the electorate feeling that their votes do not count. This apathy is dangerous because it allows the same cycle of failed leadership to continue unchecked. With each election, Nigerians are left to choose between the “lesser evil,” and in the end, the difference between political parties becomes marginal.

Nigerian leaders often tout superficial statistics to give the illusion of progress. Every budget cycle, promises are made about lifting millions out of poverty, improving infrastructure, and creating jobs. Yet, year after year, the same challenges persist. The economy remains in shambles, security continues to deteriorate, and education is in a state of emergency.

Leadership in Nigeria is sickening not only because of the lack of results but also because of the perpetuation of this illusion of progress. Leaders speak of growth while the masses experience only hardship. This kind of leadership is not just disheartening; it is dangerous because it leads to a populace that becomes desensitized to bad governance and ultimately loses hope in change.

Nigeria’s leadership crisis cannot be resolved without a fundamental change in mindset. Leadership must return to its core purpose: service to the people. The time has come for accountability, transparency, and empathy to be the guiding principles of governance. Leaders must stop seeing politics as a means of amassing wealth and power and start viewing it as an opportunity to effect real change.

There must be an end to the culture of impunity, where leaders are shielded from the consequences of their actions. Corruption must be tackled head-on, not through lip service, but by strengthening anti-corruption agencies and ensuring that they operate independently of political interference.

Leaders must also become more in tune with the realities of the people. The challenges that the average Nigerian faces must become the core concern of government policy. It is not enough to sit in air-conditioned offices and make decisions based on assumptions; there needs to be direct engagement with the people, especially those at the grassroots level.

Leadership in Nigeria is indeed sickening, but it does not have to remain that way. The future of this great nation rests on its ability to produce leaders who are accountable, transparent, and empathetic. Until that happens, Nigeria will continue to be a land of potential unfulfilled, where the rich get richer and the poor continue to suffer in silence. The time for change is now, and it starts with demanding more from those who claim to lead us.