LECTURE PAPER TEXT DELIVERED BY BARRISTER OTUNBA YEMI A.P ADETOYINBO- FORMER NATIONAL PUBLICITY SECRETARY AND ACTING NATIONAL LEGAL ADVISER ACTION DEMOCRATIC PARTY (ADP) AS GUEST SPEAKER AT THE DEMOCRAT NEWS MAGAZINE ANNUAL PUBLIC LECTURE AND ROLL OF HONOURS WITH THE THEME: SPECTRUMS OF LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIAN POLITICS: ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES AT NLC EVENT CENTRE, OPPOSITE ARMY BARRACKS, ONDO ROAD, AKURE, ONDO STATE, ON 30TH OF OCTOBER 2022.
Protocols and Niceties Observed:
SPECTRUMS OF LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIAN POLITICS: ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES
It is a great honour for me to be called upon to address this eminent gathering of esteemed and brilliant pressmen, distinguished awardees, the crème de la crème of our Great Country and Sophisticated minds. May I therefore express my profound gratitude to the Editor and Management of the Democrat News Magazine for inviting me to this epoch making Annual Lecture and for making this Platform available for discussing a very crucial and critical issue(s) in our National life or National Body Politics.
Introduction:
A meaningful discussion of the Concept:- Spectrums of Leadership in Nigerian Politics: Issues and Perspectives.
Nigeria had produced a deluge of leaders across board from Independence in 1960 to date.
1. First Republic- 1960 to 1966-There was the Parliamentary Democratic Government of Nnamdi Azikuwe of the NCNC as Ceremonial President and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa of the NPC (The Prime Minister) with Chief Obafemi Awolowo of the Action Group was leader of Government Business and the Opposition Leader in the Federal House of Representatives and was the Premier of the Western Region,while Michael Okpara was Premier in the Eastern Region after a stint by Nnamudi Azikiwe and Ahmadu Bello was the Premier of Northern Region and by 1963 Mid West region was created from the Western Region and Dennis Osadebey was made the Premier, the regime had its best in the area of Foreign Policy which got Nigeria the sobriquet as Giant of Africa up to the time of the Military Juntas in Nigeria. There was the development of the mainstay infrastructures and the grounds for the commanding heights of the Economy rooted around the Cocoa from the West, the Coal and Palm produce in the East, Caoline, Tin Iron Ore, limestone in the Plateau of the North, the Popular Kano Groundnut Pyramids and with the discovery and exploration of Oil in the Niger Delta, the founding fathers of Nigeria with the likes of Aminu Kano of NEPU, Anthony Enahoro, Labour leaders Wahab Goodluck, Raji Abdallah, Hassan Sumonu, Mokungwo Okoye, Michael Imodudu, with Maverick.
Politicians like Festus Okotie-Eboh (Finance Minister), Theophilus Sobowale Benson (Information) Edwin Clark (Information) Femi Okunu (Works) Aja Wachukw (Education) Simeon Adebo (Head of Service), Maitana Sule (Foreign Affairs/UN Special Envoy) While Kashim Ibrahim was Governor of Northern Nigeria, Akanu Ibiam was Governor of Eastern Region and Oba Adesoji Aderemi (Ooni of Ife) was Governor of Western Region, their efforts at entrenching good governance, Supremacy of Rule of Law and enduring Democracy was very deep.
Then come the termination of Civilian Rule and Coup detat of 1966 January led by Major Kaduna Nzegwu of 1 Division Nigerian Army Kaduna and other junior officers was replaced with Gen. Aguyi Ironsi then GOC Nigerian Army, taking over the Government from January to July 1966 of the Country and imposed Unitary System of Government.
The Governors were Col. Adekunle Fajuyi (West) Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu (East) Gen. Hassan Katsina (North) with the advent of another coup-detat, Ironsi was killed with Fajuyi in Ibadan by Northern Elements in the Army.
The new leaders led by Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon,(Head of State), Lt. Col. David Ejoor (Mid West) Col. Ojukwu (East) Gen. Hassan Kastina (North) Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo (West) between 1966- 1967, 12 states were created from the four Regions by Gowon and Chief Obafemi Awolowo was Vice Chairman of the Regime and Finance Minister and others and the Era of the Super Permanent Secretaries, like Alison Ayida, Philips Asiodu, Hayford Alile and others.
Then the Oil Boom Era came later turned to Oil doom, as Gen. Murtala Muhammad (Communications) Lt. Gen Olusegun Obasanjo (Works) Muhammadu Buhari (Petroleum) took Power in 1976 as Head of State and Deputy and there was the Nationalization of some National Assets like British Petroleum (BP) to African Petroleum (AP) and others.
THE ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES
Nigeria needs good qualitative and adequate all purposeful leadership – the way out of Endless Economic, Socio and Political quagmires as well elongated but necessary demands for the restructuring of the country, endless agitations for self determination by the various Ethnic Groups, seemingly instability and threats of seccession. The key problems facing Nigeria is lack of good leadership. By this I mean, focused, qualitative and visionary leadership across board that will have a clear development programmes, follow it, execute it, the economy will be improving and people are seeing concrete developments across the country.
A leadership that is devoid of ethnicity, tribalism, favoritism. This is because on the day you are elected as a Senator, Honourable Member or appointed Minister, LG Chairman, Commissioner, Governors or elected as a President, you no longer comes from just a narrow small place with all sorts of parochial tendencies. You are now a national figure or stateman. This is why every elected person from whatever area or constituency then cease to be an agent of the area alone but a Pan-Nigerian for the whole country.
We must change our mind sets, we must have educated, visionary leaders with clear Programmes as they come in, they hit the ground running by implementing lofty and laudable programmes. They also put pressures on the States to develop their own areas.
People will begin to see developments in basic infrastructures like roads, power, railways, Agriculture, Trade, Aviation, welfare of the people etc. these are the things that people see and know that the government cares about them, better education, health care and improvements in the quality of their lives. Then, nobody will be talking about restructuring. There is the poverty or dearth of leadership at the Local Government level, which is the community level where real developments manifest, in other countries whether in the US, Britain or China. The community is the first area of intervention, leadership at this level in Nigeria is very poor. The ways the Local Governments are been run all over the country is very disastrous.
There is also poverty of leadership in most states even though there is the law of uneven development. You can see that some states simply are not moving at all and their people feel marginalized. If you look at most of the time it is even the States leaderships that are completely bankrupts.
They collects huge sum of monies, as allocations, IGR, Security Votes, Ecological Derivation Funds etc they divert the various forms of monies, it doesn’t go to their people/projects and they turn around to say other people are marginalizing them.
Then come to the National level, over the years we have been ruled by a group of 20 retired Army officers, from 1966 till date, the politics of this country revolves around and have been dominated by a group of 20 Army officers most of who barely finish Secondary School Education, and all they have done is to bring this country down. We need to move away from that. Part of the bane of lack of good leadership in the Country.
You go to Sokoto, the so called the seat of Hausa/Fulani Caliphate, you see that they are among the poorest parts of the country in the far North and the same people said they are marginalizing them, i.e Almajiris system.
To the present Nigerian leadership- we advised they should put up their thinking cap and fashion OUT PROGRAMMES that are people oriented, trying to execute these the programmes, try to be fair to one another, try to be just and equitable because there will be more agitations for the breakup of Nigeria. Nigeria as a Federation of diverse people and culture as well religious colorations. I strongly believe in a united strong and virile Nigeria which will lead the whole of the Black World.
Recalled in 1967-1970 Civil War passing across major cities and roads in Nigeria, almost every hour were trucks carrying passengers and furnitures in an endless stream, heading to the East. Many Ibos who left various parts of Nigeria, left friends, families and businesses, Schools and their jobs, some never returned and many died, the reasons for this tragic separation of brothers and sisters, were deep and profound, so much has been said and written about it. “Whys and wherefores whether there was any need for seccession by Biafara then or break up of the country now (Nnamdi Kanu IPOB/Biafara, Sunday Igboho-Oduduwa) due to non acceptance of our previous and present leaderships, as leader of all Nigerians. The issue is whether terrible suffering, massive loss of lives and hopes and fortunes many who have fought or been victims of Civil Wars in to trying to forge unity. They say that seccession is the answer to the charges of marginalization. They argue eloquently that separation from Nigerian States will ultimately result into successful smaller states and that Nigeria is a colonial contraption that can never endure. This is not only a bitter campaign and vitriolic hardnuts that had degenerated to fatal violence and all these are lntra national discontents across the World as against Nigeria being a mere geographical expression, no matter how old a country is.
Similar arguments abounds in spain, Belgium, China, United Kingdom, Russia to the United States of America, do experienced similar sentiments by separatists elements. The solution to all these is good and qualitative leadership hence the topic–Spectrums of Leadership in Nigerian Politics as an Issue and of diverse perspectives, which had been the bane of where we are today, suffices to say that by the end of the First Republic we scattered and hampered. Ahmadu Bello and Balewa killed, Ladoke Akintola and other notables were killed, Military Leaders killed.
The 2nd Republic which ended the reign of Military Juntas from Ironsi, Gowon, Murtala/Obasanjo regimes was a period of consolidation of Unitarism in our governance with a strong Central Government without the basis of Structural Federalism and devolution of power to the sub national governments with the creation of 12 states by Gowon, to the 19 States Structures by Murtala/Obasanjo regime, and 21 States by Babangida and 36 States Abacha, witnessed more strong centre and pauperized imbalances of the states economically but mere as satisfaction of ethnic, religious and socio-political sentiments by which lopsidedness of power equation surfaced, the Gowon administration restored National Unity but moved from economic boom to economic oil doom for not knowing what to do with the economy and Oil money flows. The Murtala/Obasanjo regime was more dedicated on repositioning national assets, ethos and defiled primordial loyalties and sentiments with the naturalization of National assests, a stronger economy, Nigeria well positioned as leader of Africa and the black race with Nationalists forces of liberation positioned in Zimbabwe, Angola, South Africa, Somalia, Mozanbique and the rest of Africa up to Namibia, but religious, ethnic and social sentiments led to his assassination in 1976 and the Obasanjo regime was noted for its Operation Feed the Nation and the entrenchment of a balanced Federation and Unity in diversity, which led to setting up of transitional bodies for the return of the country to Civil Rule and the 1979 Constitution which ushered in full blown United States, Presidential System of Government model as against the Parliamentary System of the British Order. The return to Democracy with a fractured and bitter rivalries resulting in the elections between NPN’s Shehu Shagari who won with about 7 million votes and 7 States and UPN’s Obafemi Awolowo with about 5.5 million votes and the 5 LOBOO States as well the resultant 12/2/3rd Electoral College abracadabra of Richard Olusola Akinjide that favoured Shagari and further elongated the Northern hegemony on Nigeria. Smaller parties like NPP of Nnamdi Azikiwe was later swallowed by the NPN in an accord it has 3 states, GNPP of Waziri Ibrahim 2 states, PRP of Aminu Kano 2 states and later uncle Tunji Brathwaite’s NAP of no State structure in 1983, the resultant effects was a plundered economy. The pillaging of the commanding heights of the nation’s economy by the Shagari regime, with the likes of Umaru Dikko known “for Nigerians had not been eating from the dustbins” tag, Importation of Rice, Green Revolution and Importation of essential Commodities, massive corruption, Austerity measures, frauds in banks and public Institutions that pot-bellies syndromes and lack of beliefs in Nigerian Politicians by Nigerians started, the roles of Mallam Ali Makeles, Adisa Akinloyes, Emmanuel Osamors, Ibrahim Tahirs, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji of the 21 Suit Cases Issue, the Ali Mongunos, and a host of others and those who brazzenly raped the economy and our common patrimony, instead for the growth of the democratic Institutions under the Presidential Democracy, what we had was the rape of the people and democracy, the leadership we observed under Shehu Shagari and Alex Ekuwueme, was the growth of business monguls like Emmanuel Iwuanyawu, Rabiu Ishaku, MKO Abiola, Dantatas, the Dangotes, Abba Sawoes, Abba Sagoes, all handled major road constructions in various States of abandonment, of Moonslide victories rather than proven performances, States and LGAs were pauperized such that massive retrenchments, lay-offs of workers with few Governors like Adekunle Ajasin, Bola Ige, Action Governor, Lateef Jakande, Bisi Onabanjo (Aye-kooto) Ambrose Ali of the LOBOO States, Sam Mbakwe, (Imo) Solomon Lar (Plateau) both of NPP did well, others were forgotten heroes to demonstrate the poor leadership of the 2nd Republic.
The next phase of Nigeria was the Military Junta of Muhammadu Buhari/Idiagbon noted for instilled National Discipline new Socio-Political order and leftist in nature created WAI, importation of essential items and change of Naira with notes and a stronger Naira matched with Dollar and UK Pound Sterling, but Nigerians complained of stagnation/hard times and koboko beatings and tight economy situations and the Regime was overthrown after 200 days in office by the Martial/Maxist Military President Ibrahim Babangida, who promised return to democracy, he brought in Austerity measures (SAP) and elongated Transition to Democratic rule, as well putting smiles on the faces of Nigerians with suspicious and Pandora boxes, exchange rates, liberalization of the market, mixed economy, established Peoples Bank and the Political Politburo, as well NEC under Eme Awa, and NECON of Dagogo Jack and later Humphrey Nwosu (Wuruwuru) that eventually Culminated in the inglorious annulment of the freest and fairest Election of the President in Nigeria, the June 12 Presidential Election won by MKO Abiola GCFR and his running mate Babagana Kingibe GCON. The said annulment led to the political Violence that nearly decimated Nigeria, a government of inflated contacts and kickbacks, parcel bomb explosions and OIC Agendum, Babangida hurriedly stepped aside and empowered an Interim National Government led by Ernest Shonekan, that lasted 83 days of about 3 and half months. It marks the longest tenure of a Military ruler of waste, inconsistency and political summersaults that earned him the nickname (Maradona).
The Ernest Shonekan ING contraption was shalked-off by the outser of the interim aberration by the Dark-Goggled Maximum Ruler Gen. Sani Mohammed Abacha took over and for another 5 years of a waste, oil plundering, burial of June 12, fuel subsidy and pandemic corruption, graft of the highest order in which his (Abacha) loot is yet to be fully recovered in foreign banks.
Then the 6 months of Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar Regime, did pledged to return Nigeria to Civil Rule and produced the 1999 Constitution which the transition to Civil Rule rested upon and conducted an election which had two main parties and coalitions, of PDP and AD/ APP Alliance and due to the injustice done to MKO Abiola (Yoruba) had 2 Yorubas, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Oluyemi Falae emerged as Presidential Candidates, and at the polls Olusegun Obansanjo of the PDP was elected and Chief Olu Falae of AD/APP came 2nd and democracy was enthroned which we are enjoying up till date since 1999, even though the mysterious death of Chief MKO Abiola under the Regime (Abdulsalam) of within after 9 days of Abacha’s death was seen as a leverage of both actors Abacha/Abiola and burial of June 12, 1993 General Elections.
From 1999 Leadership to date- Olusegun Obasanjo had the 1st shot followed by Umaru Musa Ya’Adua, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan; their index of performances in order of tenure viz-a-viz:
Olusegun Obasanjo Regime: He established a new Democratic order, with EFCC, ICPC, Global Telecom providers MTN, Glo and other Networks and gave equal opportunities for women and the downtrodden in governance. He ensured total security and balanced economy and social life, retired some military men to prevents coups and urged retired officers to participate in politics, his regime was rocked by 3rd term agenda, sale and privatization of TRANSCOP/NICON etc.
Umaru Musa Ya’Adua regime- his 7 points agenda which I shall replicate separately was a major power show and was not given to business as usual, initiated Electoral Law reform and Amnesty Programme as well ensure elimination Mohammed Yusuf leader of Bandits.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Regime- had six years on the saddle, continued from where Ya’Adua stopped. He established 12 FG Universities positioned the Economy, cleared Ebola, but gave much powers to powerful women like Diesani Allison Madueke, Okonjo Iweala and goofed with the economy and Boko Haram/insecurity scuttled his administration.
Muhammadu Buhari Regime- The Administration of the first opposition Party to come to power with the Change mantra and his admintration did a lot on Infrastructures (Sukuk loan) and bail out for Governors to pay salaries and ensures a serious anti corruption crusade, Ex- Govs Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame and others were convicted for corruption, he also battled insecurity to a standstill, cleared Covid-19, but the economy entered recession, insecurity, food, fuel crises, inflation and low productivities, now massive Rice Growth and Production but no Rice to eat due to ban on importation Items, Vehicles etc, again to change/redesigned Naira notes, N200, N500, N1000 denominations by 15 December 2022.
The current Presidential Hopefuls in Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, Peter Obi (Obedient) of LP, Rubiu Musa Kwankwaso of the NNPP, Omoyele Sowore of AAC, Al-Mustapha of Action Alliance, Dumebi Kachikwu of ADC, Yagagi Yusuf Sani of ADP and Adewole Adebayo of SDP and a host of others, had promised an all purposeful Agenda and Manifestoes. For Tinubu he had replicated the MKO Abiola. Hope 1993 Manifesto and Progressive Governance, while PDP’s Atiku is talking about Privatization and economic rejuvenation, Peter Obi’s LP is all about youths and women empowerments and others having a push for 2023, should be determined by the best leadership that can create jobs for the masses of the people, raising the downward economy now at a perilous State, road networks, infrastructures, welfare of the people, affordable Health Care delivery, mass Agriculture, eradication of poverty putting food on the table of the masses and an all round good governance for good leadership come 2023 not past leadership of deceits and insistencies.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, let us all vote without Vote buying and Vote selling for the good leadership envisaged in Nigeria come 2023.
Thanks for your attention and audience!