A sound and growing economy, well equipped health facilities, quality and affordable education, good road networks and well developed water, rail and air transport, adequate housing, widespread infrastructure and a generally good standard of living. While every citizens of every country desire these benefits, it takes visionary and selfless leadership to attain them by those who the mandate to lead the country has been given. Even though, criteria for determining the degree of development of nations are mostly debatable, developed countries have a lot of elements in common. Economic criteria which includes a steadily growing GDP and high per capita income among others, a high human development index(HDI). All these and many more are a product of strong, visionary and hardworking leadership.

While nations are in different degree of development, some nations seem completely left behind. Nigeria is one of such nations. Following independence, hopes were high and resources abound-human and earth. Nigeria was in the same league with emerging countries like Malaysia and Singapore. While this two countries have gone ahead to become near first class economies, Nigeria still grapples with intense poverty, dilapidated or non-existing infrastructure and mass unemployment. Why is this so?

From the first interception of democracy in 1966 by the military and another one in 1983, the nation was no doubt deprived of valuable democratic experiences which would have helped in national development. Leadership challenges being faced today clearly shows that we are not on the path to development. Unfortunately, the leadership (local, state, federal, parliament and judicial)is always in denial of this. Yet there is crass corruption, government non-accountability, ineffective institutions, enormous poverty levels, massive unemployment, insecurity, grossly inadequate infrastructure cutting across health, education, power, transport, etc.

There is no denying that everything starts and ends with leadership. Nigeria has the capacity to drastically reduce poverty, develop good infrastructures improve the standard of living of its citizens but the present crop of largely shameless, corrupt and mediocre regime of leaders will not take us there . Selfless and visionary leaders must emerge. Leaders who will not repress civil societies from holding government accountable leading to a participatory government; leaders who are not afraid of a well informed society;leaders who shun corruption, tribalism and nepotism; leaders who have a grasp of the twenty-first century leadership challenges and are ready to roll up their sleeves and get down to work.

The world is moving with great advances in technology and human development capacities. We are sure not moving, at least not in the right direction.

Courtesy: adtensblog.com