So many Nigerians have dwelled in religious, political and economic misconstrue. This erroneous misinterpretation of the real situation has kept the country where it is today. Nigeria is about 62 years of age since her independence in 1960 yet nothing phenomenally to show in developmental aspect and innovation compare to her Western and Asia counterparts that they were in the same pace of developmental struggle. So many efforts have been made by successive government to put the country back to envy and its original destiny, instead, the newer the government the more challenges we face.

The worrisome and frustration that comes with this unresolved puzzle have continue to deepen the minds of our leaders to remain in an undeniable position of blame and hate. The situation made them handicap, weak and again harden in their dealings. Nonetheless, the reason above is not an attempt to justify the culpability of our leaders in clothing with highhandedness, corruption and crime. The failure of our leaders to actually seat down, think, reflects and take risks that would better the country and the livelihood of the citizens, is what makes them a full-grown deliberate accomplice.

While the country continues to navigate between life and death, the possibility of getting it right have remained unclear to so many. This is because the very two things that have stagnated the country are undermined to irrelevance and oblivion. We can’t put away the essence of FELLOWERSHIP AND INTERESTS in nation building, for there is no nation that can stand the test of time without maximum patriotism from its citizenry.

THE PROBLEM OF FELLOWERSHIP: Leadership problem is the product of followership shortcomings. There were followers before leaders. In other words, followers make leaders. In the beginning, man was a wanderer. He hunts from place to place to earn a living. Subsequently, came the problem of insecurity and theft. This eventually led to the emergence of authority (leader). And the most interesting part of it all, was that, the best among them were elected or nominated as leaders and any erring one among the elected leaders is jointly removed by the same followers.

Nigeria situation is not too different from the situation of the early man. As a democratic state the onus of producing or making leaders falls in the hands of every Nigerian. Every four years there is always a great and symbolic preparation gear towards admitting or electing new leaders and out of the followers comes, the new leaders. So if the supposed elected leaders are bad, it therefore means that the followers are bad. Perhaps, the followers are probably worse than the leaders because theoretically and practically, the followers elect the better ones among them to represents them in any given position.

Again, the followers contribute immensely to leadership failure and misrepresentation. This is due to the tractable nature of the masses. Most of the followers have never show seriousness in any important event in the country. The reason the politicians could kill and be exonerated, steal and hailed, makes selfish laws and be applauded, break the laws and be defended. The masses must wake up to grasp reality. In 2018, the entire Sudan was rocked by protesters over the hike in bread price. the Baltic-way demonstration of 1989 saw millions of people formed human-chain over 400 miles long across Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia against the communist regimes which ruled the country, the Tiananmen Square protest of 1989, a lone protest by an unknown man at Tiananmen square in China was staged to demand more freedoms in the communist country, the 2017 women March in the United State of America, following the victory of Donald Trump and perceive attitude towards women, George Floyd and black lives matter protest of 2020, India 2020 to 2021 farmers protest that over 250 million people were taken to the street, earth day protest of 1970 that centered on calls for a healthier and more sustainable environment, the 1930 salt march protest geared towards defying some of the British obnoxious laws. With the few examples, the masses/followers must legally stand up against the excesses of the leaders. The October 2020 nationwide ENDSARS protest should be a litmus-test that is supposed to pave way for greater participation and involvement, and should also be replicated within the political circle stronger and louder to bring back sanity in our leaders. This is because, when the masses sleep, the leaders explore in aggrandizement

More so, the followers should learn to admit or take responsibilities of the failure of the state. If there is any reason for negative international stigma on the country, the followers suffer more of this public odium as the society have already structured event in such a way that abhor the leaders from bearing the consequences of their actions. If the masses can be conscious of this, no doubt, will do anything possible to fight and ensure things works as it ought too. The leaders knowing that the masses will come against them at any slightest deviation from the agreed contract will do everything to pursue what is right. In most of the first world countries, the leaders do only the biddings of the masses/followers and not the other way round. In united states today, most of the unnatural laws today scales through because the citizenry is largely in support of it. But over here, you see the masses doing the bidding of the leaders who are obviously primarily elected as servants.

PROBLEM OF INTEREST: Interest is the main reason for the problem we found ourselves today. Interest is the reason the followers have failed to call the leaders to order. Interest is the reason the leaders have failed to keep to integrity. Interest is the reason bandits, terrorism and immoralities thrives in our contemporary Nigeria. Interest is the reason the religious institutions have failed to speak in one voice. Interests is the reason a northerner or a southerner would want the president to come from his region and religion not minding whether he is qualified or not. Interest is the reason behind the failure of unionism and activism in the country, interest is the reason some criminals go scot-free even after committing heinous crime and while the one with lesser crime is punished. Interest is the reason our constitution is getting weaker on daily basis. Interest is the reason the fight against epileptic power supply is still in limbo because many political business men are cashing out from it. Interest is the reason the anti-graft agencies have become a toothless bulldog before the rich and lion before the poor. Don’t forget, interest was also the reason, the Nigeria independence came in a platter of gold instead of a jingoistic struggle for it. Interest is the reason the youth will engage in thuggery to defend a leader even when it is obvious that, the leader is the reasons for his woe.

The funny thing about this whole thing is that the rich and the politicians or leaders knows much about this weapon called interest and hence use it as a strong weapon to get what they want and keep their ways always safe. Interest can be manipulated for deception or political shenanigan, interest can be manipulated to get things done and undone. There are some ex-Nigeria leaders who may be regretting their action of the past today, because there were some positive changes they would have made but failed to do that because it was benefiting them then.

CONCLUSION: this same interest that have resulted to so many problems in the country can also be used to solve the country problem. First, the people should harmonize their interests for Nigeria good. In everything they do, in their lobbies and adventures, let it always be Nigeria first. The followers must come to the realization that if Nigeria is good today, the successive generation will bless them and if the country is bad even their children and generation to come will curse and throw stone at them. The leaders and the followers must wake up to strengthen the various institutions put in place to bring about balance and developmental speed. The law of the land must be supreme and superior to everyone. Rule of law must be adhered too and to the latter. The followers must refuse to compromise their future for peanuts.