What character of leaders do we currently have in running our systems in Nigeria? Are they competent, do followers have conviction on their leaders’ ability, do leaders have the adequate knowledge, people skills and do the leaders have the right attitudes?

I want to add quickly at this point that there is nothing seriously wrong with Nigeria. Someone made the following comments on social media, and its becoming viral…

I am proud to be a Nigerian…

1. Are you aware that all over the world Nigerians are setting the pace and becoming the standard by which others measure themselves? Do you know??
2. In the US, Nigerians are the most educated immigrant community. Type it into Google and you’ll see it. Not one of the most educated, the most educated.
3. 60% of Nigerians in the US have college degrees. This is far above the American national average of 30%.
4. Nigerians in US are one of the highest earners, typically earning 25% more than the median US income of $53k.
5. In Ivy League schools in Europe and America, Nigerians routinely outperform their peers from other nations.
6. A Nigerian family, The Imafidon family, have officially been named the smartest family in the UK.
7. The designer of the famous car, Chevrolet Volt, Jelani Aliyu, is a super talented Nigerian from Sokoto State.
8. The World’s fastest supercomputer was designed by a world renowned inventor and scientist, Philip Emeagwali, a full-blown Nigerian whose patency was awarded in 2015. This means Nigeria has the patency to the world’s fastest computer: a Nigerian.
9. The wealthiest Black man and woman on earth are Nigerians, Aliko Dangote and Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija. Both have no trace of criminal record of any kind.
10. South Africa couldn’t have ended apartheid & achieved Black rule if not for the leadership role Nigeria played.
11. Of the 3 South African Presidents who ruled after apartheid, two of them once lived in Nigeria under asylum. Both Nelson Mandela (60s) and Thabo Mbeki (70s) lived in Nigeria before becoming President of South Africa.

We gave financial support, human support, boycotted an Olympics and our politicians, musicians and activists campaigned relentlessly.

12. Nigeria spent over $3 Billion and lost hundreds of soldiers to end the wars in both Liberia and Sierra Leone which the world ignored because they have no oil.
13. When there was a coup in São Tomé and Príncipe in 2003, Nigeria restored the elected President back to power.
14. Before there were street lights in European cities, ancient Benin kingdom had street lights fueled by palm oil.
15. 500 years ago, Benin casted metal alloys to create magnificent art including the world famous Queen Ida Mask.
16. Amina was a warrior queen who ruled Zaria Emirate in Kaduna state, Northwestern Nigeria 400 years ago in 1610. Google and see what she means to Africa.
17. We gave monetary gifts to Ireland during our oil boom and built a statue for France free of charge. We are not poor blacks. Nigeria is rich and don’t be lied to.
18. The first television station in Africa was NTA Ibadan (1960) long before Ireland has their RTE station………

Wherever you look in this great country, Nigeria, heroes abound both now and in our recent and ancient past. If all you do is listen to mainstream Western media, you’ll not get the full & true picture of your Nigerian heritage. Do not listen to any leader who says Nigerians are criminals, or that the youths are lazy, no matter who he is, or his height and position.

We’re not a nation of scammers, drug pushers and corruption-ridden, but a people with a verifiable track record of greatness.

Here is what CNN, BBC, Aljezeera and western media will not tell you about Nigerians:

19. On the 7th of May, 2016 at Howard University in Washington D.C history was made. Out of 96 graduating Doctor of Pharmacy candidates, 43 of them were Nigerians and out of 27 awards given, 16 went to Nigerians. The entire world still envies our uniqueness as a NATION, living together despite our ethnic diversity. One single country with over 400 languages. They will only tell you how Nigerians are scammers and cheats, how Nigerians are into drugs overseas. If you don’t blow your trumpet, no one will blow it for you.
20. There are over 180,000,000 Nigerians world over and only about 250,000 of this figure have traceable criminal records. This is about 0.14% of our entire national population in the last 20 years: nothing close to 1%.

This phenomenon is unfortunately shamelessly over-celebrated in global media. Listen Nigeria, don’t let anybody woo you into believing that you are a criminal just because you are a Nigerian. Nigerians are NOT all criminals. We are NOT criminals. We are top-notch; second to none around the world.

However, a few engage in violence, take advantage of goodly intentioned and divinely provided diversity to gain political advantage; explore ethnic and religious diversity to do ethnic cleansing, and inexplicable vices. The proportion of people (ostensibly leaders) who criminally accumulate wealth and engage in violence is indeed small. Nevertheless, this small minority control so much of the resources as ill-gotten wealth, and shamelessly deploy violence to destroy human lives!

I am proud am created a Nigerian, thank you God. Be proud of Nigeria wherever you go. But, assume a positive posture and effectively join the vanguard for integrity and shun corruption and violence; and do this with the deserved consistency. An African proverb says, whoever stole once, even if he or she is later decked in velvet, it would be regarded as a stolen garment.

At this point, allow me to assert that the Nigerian leadership question is purely an attitudinal thing. Whatever is the mutual perception or misperception of followers versus leaders, attitude is about everything. The leadership issue has in the long past been recognised as an issue for all levels of followership and leadership. After all, everyone is a leader in his or her own milieu.                          

As a nation, we would have addressed the leadership question when we recognise that:

1. Leadership is reciprocal;
2. Family members, church members and mosque congregations, indeed all lower level participants in the leadership hierarchy, are jointly and severally responsible for effective leadership; and
3. The bottom-up approach deserves a closer consideration and adoption.