Typically acknowledged as Nigeria’s albatross, the icy management problem doesn’t look like about to thaw, judging by indicators from all sides of the political spectrum
By Clifford Ndujihe, Politics Editor
IN 1983, late literary icon, Professor Chinua Achebe, pointedly fingered poor management as the reason for Nigeria’s under-development.
In a guide titled: ‘The Bother With Nigeria,” Achebe mentioned: “The difficulty with Nigeria is solely and squarely a failure of management… The Nigerian downside is the unwillingness or incapacity of its leaders to rise to the accountability.”
In response to Achebe, “Nigerians are what they’re solely as a result of their leaders will not be what they need to be;” and “One of many commonest manifestations of under-development is an inclination among the many ruling elite to stay in a world of make-believe and unrealistic expectations.”
Achebe asserted that Nigeria had been suffering from egocentric, corrupt, and visionless leaders, who prioritise private acquire over nationwide curiosity, including that regardless of how wealthy a rustic is in assets or how numerous and vibrant its tradition, it can’t succeed with out trustworthy, visionary, and competent leaders.
Forty-two years after Achebe’s observations and proffering of options, his phrases stay brutally related in 2025 – 65 years after independence.
Certainly, as Nigeria marks 65 years of independence, the nation stays a paradox: wealthy in human and pure assets, but perpetually underdeveloped. Roads are unhealthy, energy provide stays epileptic. Hospitals stay “mere consulting clinics”, whereas our leaders regularly troop out to international nations for primary remedy.
Origins of unhealthy management
The management disaster dates again to the early post-independence years. Although founding fathers like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and Sir Ahmadu Bello had a imaginative and prescient of greatness for the nation, their legacies have been weakened by rising tribalism, political rivalry, and weak establishments.
The January 1966 coup, the counter-coup, and the Civil Warfare (1967–1970) have been early warning indicators of fragile management. Then got here a long time of army rule marked by corruption, authoritarianism, and centralised energy.
As an alternative of constructing on independence, Nigeria slid right into a sample of elite selfishness, institutional decay, and deserted potential that stunted its socio-economic improvement.
Indicators of unhealthy management
Over time, a number of Nigeria’s political class continued to exhibit indicators of poor management equivalent to corruption, nepotism, lack of imaginative and prescient, damaged guarantees, weakening of establishments, disregard for rule of legislation, and poor service supply.
The top-products of those embody, however will not be restricted to the looting of public funds with impunity; appointments are primarily based on ethnicity, not advantage; insurance policies are reactive, not strategic; marketing campaign manifestos vanish after elections; the judiciary, legislature, and legislation enforcement are politicised; selective justice takes centre stage; and training, well being, and infrastructures are on a free fall.
Penalties of unhealthy management
At present, there’s a disconnect between leaders and residents, and unhealthy management has robbed Nigeria of her potential. Whereas nations like Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea, all friends within the Nineteen Sixties, have surged forward, Nigeria stagnated.
In 1960, Nigeria and Malaysia had related GDPs. Immediately, Malaysia’s GDP per capita is over $11,000, whereas Nigeria’s is under $2,000. Dubai within the United Arab Emirates was a desert when Nigeria struck oil. Immediately, it’s a worldwide hub whereas Nigeria continues to be mired in power crises.
Regardless of incomes over $1 trillion from oil because the Nineteen Seventies, a lot of it was squandered. Infrastructure is decaying; refineries don’t work; and energy provide stays epileptic.
At present, over 133 million Nigerians stay in multidimensional poverty; youth unemployment hovers round 40%; Nigeria borrows to service debt, not construct infrastructure; terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping flourish as leaders negotiate with bandits; docs, engineers, and graduates flee the nation in what’s now generally known as Japa; and Nigeria ranks 161 out of 191 nations on the Human Improvement Index, HDI.
Considerations
Talking on the problem not too long ago, former Anambra State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Get together, LP, Mr Peter Obi, blamed management for Nigeria’s backwardness, saying: “Unhealthy management is accountable for starvation, poverty, insecurity, and corruption within the nation.”
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo shared the identical emotions: “Nigeria isn’t in need of assets, however we’re in need of good management. Till we get it proper, nothing will change.”
Former Navy President, Basic Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida at a time confessed: “All of us failed this nation. We didn’t do sufficient.”
From elder statesmen to youths on the street, the decision is unanimous: management has failed.
Manner out
To halt the slide into this management abyss and the attendant under-development, Nigeria should get its management choice course of proper and make sure that the desire of the individuals through the poll field stands. In essence, Nigerians should do greater than change leaders by altering the system that produces unhealthy leaders.
How?
The county should construct robust establishments – the judiciary, INEC, the police, and anti-corruption companies should be actually impartial; appointments and promotions should be primarily based on competence, not ethnic or non secular bias; restructure the political system to cut back the price of governance, and make elections clear, free from vote-buying and manipulation.
Residents should cease celebrating corrupt leaders. Voter training, civic consciousness, and accountability are very important. There’s a have to groom future leaders by means of training, mentorship, and publicity not cash politics; and devolving energy to the states and native governments.
Residents should take cost as a result of no nation develops accidentally and management isn’t magic. Nigerians should demand higher, vote smarter, and maintain leaders accountable.
As Achebe wrote: “You do not want to look far to know whether or not a rustic is properly run. Simply take a look at the standard of its management.”
Till unhealthy management is rejected on the poll field and punished by legislation, the cycle will proceed and the seek for the fitting management – visionary, accountable, and inclusive – will proceed.
Whether or not or not Nigerians will rise and break the cycle is a query of time.
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