2023 is a crucial year for Nigeria. Being an election year, it would shape Nigeria’s future. It is the year when Nigerians will choose to either continue with the current slide or begin the journey to greatness. It is the year when Nigerians will elect to either scale down the country’s poverty or scale it up. Year 2023 is a choice between creating opportunities for the people and robbing them of the same. It is a choice between wealth creation and wealth depletion. It is a choice between living in harmony and continuing in acrimony. Year 2023 is a choice between healing the people and exacerbating their anguish.
What would make the difference in 2023 and beyond is the person Nigerians choose to have as their president.
The president is the leader of the country. As observed by leadership guru, John Maxwell, everything falls or rises on leadership. A leader does one of two things; he either takes the nation he leads to his level or brings the nation to his level. This is very critical because whatever is experienced in a country is a reflection of the leader’s capacity. No leader can outperform his capacity. Every country is a reflection of the leader it has at any point in time. If a leader is visionary, his country would tend towards greatness. If a leader is purposeful, his country would be respected. If a leader is enterprising, his country would develop. If a leader is strong on integrity, his country would neither condone indiscipline nor excuse corruption. If a leader is resourceful, his country would not get into a bind.
On the other hand, if a leader is incapacitated, the country he leads will be weakened. If a leader his disoriented, his country will take a cue from him and follow suit. If a leader is myopic, his country would be shortchanged and the people would be poor. If a leader lacks creativity, both human and material resources would be mismanaged and the country would be thrown into the throes of underdevelopment. If a leader is self-centered, he would elevate loyalty to him above competence and lead the people astray.
So, getting the right president in 2023 is sine qua non to getting the country out of its current quagmire and propelling it into greatness.
Over the next few weeks, starting from today, Borderless will be highlighting the qualities that Nigerians should look for in those to be presented by the political parties as presidential candidates so as to be able to make the right choice for the country and the future of her people.
In the 2023 presidential election, Nigerians must vote for a strong man.
The issue has been raised about Nigeria not needing a strong man, but I disagree. It is only strong men that build great countries. But the strength here is not physical strength; it is the strength of character. A leader who is strong in character will not shut his eyes to injustice, will not encourage corruption and will not permit incompetence. To advance beyond its current level, Nigeria needs a strong man who will build strong institutions.
Most Nigerian institutions are weak because most Nigerian leaders are weak. While weak institutions protect weak leaders, strong institutions are the bulwark of the society and its systems. So, there is no motivation for weak leaders to build strong institutions; it will be self-defeating. A man’s action is a reflection of his conviction; a corrupt man cannot crusade against corruption; a weak leader cannot advocate for strong institutions.
Building strong institutions starts with a strong man who is able to say no to his weaknesses and is ready to curb the people’s excesses. The institutions initially will require the protection of the strong leader from manipulation but eventually they get so strong that they no longer need the shield. Then, on their own, the institutions can defend the people’s patrimony without being at the mercy of even the benevolent strong leader.
One way to strengthen institutions is to build an effective justice system such that anyone caught acting contrary to the laws of the land finds no shield anywhere. This will not happen naturally; it will happen when political leaders, especially at the highest level of government, are courageous enough to step on toes and punish every breach. But how can leaders with soiled hands come to equity?
Ghana’s immediate past is not any better than the current experience of Nigeria. Ghanaian economy was run aground by greedy rulers; corruption and nepotism became a way of life, while rule of law was thrown to the dogs. But the situation has since changed. Now, Ghana is a model. Its embrace of good governance has resulted in development. Now, everyone wants to identify with the country’s success.
The credit for this transformation goes to the late Jerry Rawlings.
Rawlings started as a military ruler who had the will to change Ghana. His strength was not in his military background but his character. He walked his talk; he was able to punish infraction because he refrained from committing same. Rawlings was able to build a new Ghana because he rose above sentiments. He placed himself so much above sentiments that when leaving office after eight years as an elected president, his party lost the presidential election, a rarity in Africa.
Right from the time Rawlings became Ghanaian leader, Nigeria has become Ghana’s antithesis. Nigeria has been sliding steadily into a banana republic, while Ghana is becoming a virile and veritable nation. In the past, Ghanaians longed to be in Nigeria, but now Ghana has become Nigerians’ Mecca.
Over the years, Nigeria has been ruled by weak people. Our leaders are integrity deficient, morally bankrupt and primordially sentimental. They worship at the altar of lust, offer sacrifices at the temple of perfidy, pay obeisance to the god of self-indulgence and genuflect to tribal and religious demons. They fail to understand that occupants of high offices should be above board. A leader that will build strong institutions must understand the demands and responsibility of high office.
So, in 2023, we have to change the narrative. We have to elect a president who is strong in character, one who can subject himself to the nation’s rule and ensure that no one is able to ride roughshod over the laws of the land.
The story of every country is the story of its leaders. If a country has weak leaders, it will be a weak country, but a country that takes the pains to get strong leaders cannot itself be weak. Fellow countrymen, it is time for a mind shift. Let us elect a president who is strong in character in 2023.
Sources: TribuneOnline
