-R: Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammad Sa’ad Abubakar; Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi and Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi during CVL’s 10th annual lecture at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos.
As current state of the country becomes more worrisome following insecurity and maladministration among other issues, religious and political leaders yesterday in Lagos canvassed the need to urgently fix the country and raise a successor generation that would put it back on track of progress.
This was the position canvassed by speakers at the 10thannual lecture of the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island , Lagos.
The speakers include Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; his Anambra State counterpart, Mr Peter Obi; former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar and former secretary general of the Catholic Secretariat, Rev Father George Ehusani. They all agreed that the worrisome situation of the country was not unconnected to leadership failure that has impacted negatively on the nation.
Governor Fayemi stressed that the country needs a collective rescue mission that goes beyond political or ethno-religious divides.
The Governor who said that politicians, in times like this, should shift attention from just winning elections to being statesmen who are concerned with raising a successor generation from the present younger generation.
While noting that leadership should be about competence and search for a society, Fayemi stated that power is the bane of good governance in Nigeria as he explained that many politicians seek power without knowing how to use it properly.
On the high cost of running government, he asserted that he maintains the lowest number of vehicles in his convoy in Nigeria and as well doesn’t fancy the pomps and honorifics that people attach to power; saying that some of the money expended on trivia things could as well be channelled into funding the social security for the elderly citizens.
In his remarks, Governor Obi blamed the state of the nation on all Nigerians; saying that all have contributed in different ways to the decay that now obtains in the various sections of the country.
Obi who lamented the high cost of governance and the nonchalance of people to the transformation of Nigeria, said corruption has bedeviled the country and is grounding it.
The Governor made several reference to his two-time impeachment; saying that each of the times he was impeached, it was on grounds of doing the right thing.
Also speaking the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar affirmed that the nation is blessed with human and material resources but corruption and failed leadership have contributed to the stagnation being witnessed.
While querying reasons for a candidate to spend huge money to win election and even maim those who don’t vote for him, Abubakar said the wealth of a leader is the welfare of the citizens.
The Sultan however charged all and sundry to stand together regardless of religious or political affiliation and rescue the nation from the direction it is headed and prevent the efforts of thee founding fathers from being a waste.
Statesman, Chief Anyaoku also affirmed that the country is not making any progress and all efforts must be geared towards rescuing and fixing it.
Last modified: February 7, 2013
