Leadership and Integrity: A Call for a Cultural Reset in Nigerian Democracy

I saw an Obama video where he left his house for his early vote cast. The guy looked so ordinary, like me and you. When I posted the video, there was a remark stating that, if it is in Nigeria, that post office ballot box would disappear before the following day. That raised a fundamental question about leadership and followership behaviors in our culture. Now, my questions are:

1. How many of our presidents and former governors look and mix with citizens freely without heavy security woven around them at the expense of the taxpayer’s money after they leave office?

2. The contrast is striking- Americans don’t resort to destruction, theft, or ballot box snatching during elections. So why should we? Do these individuals possess some unique ability more than us to act in such a manner?

3. Why have the systems we adopted for our election process and procedures not guaranteeing the sanctity of our votes? Better still, why can’t we have value-based institutions like the American Congress and the Federal Election Commission that will ensure that our votes count?

Remember that at the end of every election, the Vice President of the United States of America will lead the Congress to certify the electoral votes and then announce the winner. In 2021, Vice President Mike Pence of the Republican Party, and the ruling party refused the pressure of his president-Donald Trump, not to certify the election, which would have kept him in office. The VP sided with the country and announced Joe Biden, a Democrat, as the winner. Would that have happened here?

4. It’s a puzzle—why should merit have no place in our dictum or dictionary? We all know that a country without meritocracy, transparency in governance, accountability in operations, and responsible leadership cannot develop beyond the mediocrity level. These values are not just important; they are crucial. So why do we continue to accept nepotism, corruption, and a half-baked democracy as a way of life?

I am still trying to determine the answers, but should we continue on this trajectory of nepotism, corruption, stomach infrastructure, vote buying, election rigging? How long can the country continue like this before the worst happens?

The need for change is not just evident but urgent. I worry deeply because Nigeria is the only country I can call mine. The time for change is now. Somebody, anybody, please help me.

Grace and peace!!!