Good governance is an uncommon phrase for sustainable development. The onus and responsibilities of any given government is to provide quality leadership with commitment, truth and honesty.

The true spirit in leadership is the vanguard of reactivating, promoting and sustaining the philosophy of good leadership” . Undoubtedly, a civilized government takes politics to the pinnacle of socio-economic and socio-political development.

The genuine concerns of any responsible government is to adequately manage its affairs with determination superlatively maintaining a structural political and economic insight that champions a competitive world
However, the defeat of good leadership today in our polity has left much to be decisive. A foremost Nigerian fiction writer Chinua Achebe once said that “The Problem of Nigerians is leadership” and in extension, the global problem today lies in leadership.

An American lawyer, a politician, strategist and leader Abraham Lincoln said “ Nearly all men can stand adversity but if you want to test a man’s ability give him power. “

Still on Lincoln, the United States found this man honest in all his dealings, no wonder they nicknamed him the “Honest Abbey”, after representing his constituency at 25 yrs, bringing home the dividends of democracy even as t that time.

These quotes from these respected world leaders cannot be overemphasized in building new consciousness in leadership. The emphasis is on mentoring and nurturing new breed of leaders across the broad spectrum of all human endeavors.

Again, politics as an act of controlling power has been abysmally abused. The state of our political institution are in shamble.

Many African visionaries, both continental and Diaspora, from across the socio – political divide, collaborated across forums and established a workable framework of Pan-Africanism.

A political and economic organization that could correct the uncomfortable world view that encapsulated Africa. These leaders include Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkruma, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Kofi Annan, Tafawa Belewa to mention but a few.

Today the minds of African political office holders are corrosively eroded from the thought of ideas and philosophies of obvious sacrifices to political calumny, lacking the capacity to think and assume responsibilities as foremen.

Moreover, the politics of gerontocracy, is another cause of bad leadership. Sadly, some African leaders want to make themselves life President even when they know that their strength have failed them.

Some lack direction and calculated steps to function efficiently. The common sense that stimulates good judgement are are not found in them, hence their consciousness is poisoned by incorrigible mentality.

Worthy to note is that Africa needs practical vibrant and focused leaders to measure in the international current context. In line with this, political skillfulness becomes our project.

The aim of this script is never to hit the polity but to encourage well rounded individuals with enough youthful vigor to carry.

Africa has passed the line of development. Nine of the past United States President, including Barrack Obama, were below the age of 50 at the time they were elected.

Bad leadership leads to vices and self centerdness, ridicule and scorn. It exposes and discredits moral faults and weakness. It x-rays immorality, noisiness and physical imperfection.

Perhaps, what we need is experience to combat these social ills with a straight and focused men of excellent with reputation and integrity. Recently, France, one of the world’s influential country elected a 39 year old president to pilot the affairs of that country and other heavy contestants.

This shows maturity, it is the spirit of a state with vision for the posterity sake and judgement.

Lack of integrity and true leadership lead to corruption. Corruption of the system in transferring public fund to private accounts, unpaid salaries to workers, criminality, sexual immorality abuse of office, irrational acts and ideas.

Corruption is the great fall of value for the reason the general public believe. All these are a great testimony of absolute lack of good sense of normal prudence, supposition and conducts, common bleeds retrogressiveness, it hampers forsight and grief unity.

That we are still in the perpetual struggle to shake off the mantles of perceived inferiority is as a result of our corrupt missions and visions. This ugly situation paints a lamentable and graphic scenario of a wasted generation now and in the future.

Despite al these, we can decide to run on the track of integrity and listen to the voice of our consciousness. Integrity is beneficial to both of us, to humanity and the society.

Our civic responsibility should be to discharge a political and leadership burden of enlightening ourselves on issues of national interest as a vehicle of necessary development.

We must fight to secure our legacy of good governance. With the array of challenges currently facing us as a people, we cannot afford to treat corruption and bail leadership with kind gloves. The society must as a matter of urgency fight to eradicate ill wind.
https://africainfolead.com/politics-leadership-and-corruption-in-our-polity/