Bad Leadership, Bane of Nigeria’s Challenges – Wike
… believes President Tinubu can build ‘Nigeria of our dreams’
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said Nigeria as a country was poor, insecure, and had other challenges because many of its Leaders are unprepared for leadership positions and because of the types of followership the country has.
The Minister said Nigeria has no business with poverty, insecurity and other challenges, but the Country has substantially been infested with leaders without preparation, knowledge, courage, patriotism and character, saying that Nigeria needs leaders like President Bola Tinubu to build the “Nigeria of our dreams”.
Speaking at the 2025 Distinguish Personality Lecture, titled; “The Nigeria of our Dreams” presented at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, the minister who was the guest lecturer lamented that Nigeria has spent too much time “groping in the dark and fiddling with common nuggets of development such as basic infrastructure, primary healthcare, efficient democratic and judicial systems, and a functional economy”.
He added that with the right leadership, Nigeria could become the right leading country in the World.
Quoting words from Chinua Achebe, seminar, ‘The Trouble with Nigeria’, where the essayist graphically captured Nigeria challenges when he stated that ‘the trouble with Nigeria is fairly and squarely the absence of proper leadership’.
Wike said, “This statement, damaging as it may appear, is extremely difficult to controvert.
“Our leaders have, in the main, emerged through self-serving conspiracies that have little or nothing to do with national interests and development.
“This has been the case in both military and civilian contexts.”
The minister explained that Nigeria needs a leader that was prepared to lead with sound character and resilience in the face of challenges.
He added that the leader must also be a person who believes in the endless possibilities that the Nigerian nation exemplifies, while taking solid, proactive, logical and well-informed decisions that would maximally actualize her potential.
This leader, he said, must have the courage and audacity to act, build, innovate and generally expand the frontiers of development with a hands-on approach that would emphasize excellence over mediocrity.
Wike added that more importantly, the leader of Nigerians’ dream must create a society of free and responsible citizens whose potentials flow freely and free enterprise thrives.
His words, “A leader of our dreams must be one who is prepared to lead; one who has shown character and resilience in the face of challenges. He must be that person who believes in the infinite possibilities that the Nigerian Nation exemplifies while taking solid, proactive, logical and well-informed decisions that would maximally actualise her potential.
“This leader must have the courage and audacity to act, build, innovate and generally expand the frontiers of development with a hands-on approach that would emphasize excellence over mediocrity. Perhaps, more importantly, the leader of our dreams must create a society of free and responsible citizens whose potentials flow freely and free enterprise thrives.
He, however, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had stood out as the leader the people needed to drive Nigeria to progress and prosperity.
“Let me make bold at this juncture to state that today in our country, we have such a leader in the person of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Our current president has shown in several ways and at different times, a stout commitment to the enthronement of democracy in our country, to the extent of even putting his own life on the line in the process.
“He has shown great capacity for engendering development as captured in the unprecedentedly rapid and exponential development of Lagos state under his watch and even beyond.
“On his first day, upon being sworn in as President, he demonstrated rare courage by removing the hydra-headed fuel subsidy that was impoverishing generations of Nigerians and binding them into avoidable and perennial debt.
“Today, our states have far more resources to develop, the debts are no longer piling and the price of petrol is gradually but steadily adjusting downwards in tandem with the forces of demand and supply and the strict implementation of regulatory conditionalities.
“The overwhelming cry of over-centralization of power and resources at the national level and the attendant abuse of the doctrine of federalism is being systematically addressed through the creation of zonal/regional commissions empowered to devolve developmental impetus to the respective zones and regions, so that power can truly return to the people.
“The security situation is being addressed through proper funding and the training and retraining of our army and other security forces.
“There is no doubt that with the recent Presidential approval for the recruitment of forest guards across the country to take charge of our forests, bandits and terrorists would no longer find incubation points and free territories to operate.
“Put simply, the era of banditry and terrorism would soon come to an end. These and many other policies and measures are being put together by the President to reposition our country on the path of progress and development.
According to him, leaders before him all spoke about the evil of fuel subsidy, but none had the courage to dare the blackmail of removing it.
“These and many other policies and measures are being put together by Tinubu to reposition our country on the path of progress and development,” Wike said.
He then solicited for the citizens cooperation for the country to attain greatness
“No leader, no matter how endowed, equipped and selfless, can truly succeed without the support and cooperation of the citizenry.
“Nigerians must wake up from years of cynicism, indifference and hopelessness to embrace this new era of renewed hope ably led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“No nation has made any reasonable progress without the robust cooperation and collaboration of its leadership and followership.
He highlighted some of the factors militating against attainment of greatness to include infrastructure, democracy and good governance, rule of law and justice and Quality Education.
Others are Health and Human Development, economic prosperity and inclusive growth, Security and National Cohesion, Unity in Diversity, Cultural Renaissance and Moral Rebirth and Strengthening Local Government and Community Resilience.
He then called on Nigerians to support the various reforms put together by this current administration for the nation to attain greatness.
Earlier, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, described Wike as a straightforward politician, adding that his wealth of political experience and leadership style was exemplary.
Represented by the Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi, the governor said the minister’s infrastructural transformation in the FCT was visionary.
Also, the Vice-Chancellor of the university Prof. Adebayo Bamire, said the theme of the lecture, ‘’Nigeria of our Dream” was timely and thought-provoking.
“At a critical juncture when our nation’s democratic journey, when the challenges of governance, civic trust, and equitable development are at the forefront of public discourse, this lecture offers a vital platform for reflection, engagement and forward thinking.
“It calls us to interrogate the structures that uphold democracy, the principles that guide responsible governance, citizenship and the strategies that can unlock Nigeria’s development potential,” he said.
The royal father of the day, Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, said he has deep respect for Wike because of his fearlessness.
He described the minister as an “upright politician” who “said things as they are.
Ooni said; “Hate him; like him – what will be will be.”
