By Nurudeen Dauda
nurudeendauda24@yahoo.com
nurudeendauda24@gmail.com
Former President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, GCFR, (rtd) granted an exclusive interview to Arise News TV on the State of the Nation. Several issues were discussed in the said interview of today being the 6th of August, 2021, but I am more interested in the kind of leader our dear country badly needs come 2023 as opined by our dear respected elder statesman.
In the said interview, General IBB said: “I have started visualizing a good Nigerian leader. That is, a person, who travels across the country and has a friend virtually everywhere he travels to and he knows at least one person that he can communicate with. That is a person, who is very versed in economics and is also a good politician, who should be able to talk to Nigerians and so on. I have seen one, or two or three of such persons already in his sixties.”
Permit me to say I cannot agree more with our dear respected General on the issue of having a leader with verse knowledge of the economy. We need to get it right on the economy for us to get out of the woods. You cannot stabilize the polity without stabilizing the economy. In my thoughts, political stability is a function of economic stability. Heightened insecurity is a function of a dysfunctional economy. We need to get it right on the economy for us to get it right on security.
More so, I quite agree that Nigeria needs a cosmopolitan leader who is a bridge-builder. I cannot also agree more with our dear general on this. However, on the issue of the age of the leader our country needs I hold a different view on this.
In my view, leadership is certainly not about the person’s age, but about ones’ capacity, vision, competence, patriotism, and honesty. I am a believer in the combination of both young and the old in leadership positions not based on their ages per se, but their aforementioned qualities. Society will benefit from the youthful exuberance of a competent young leader just as it will benefit from the maturity of a competent aged leader.
Nigeria by its history has always been governed by relatively young people. If there are setting categories of ages to blame for its leadership failure then the young people will take a fair share of it.
Sir Abubakar T. Balewa became Prime minister at the age of 49 (1912-1957). Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ceremonial President at 51(1904-1963). General Ironsi at 42 (1924-1966). General Gowon at 32 (1934-1966). General Murtala at 37 (1938-1975). General Obasanjo at 38 (1937-1976). President Shagari at 54 (1925-1979). General Buhari at 41 (1942-1983). General Babangida at 44 (1941-1985). Chief Shokekan at 55 (1936-1993). General Abacha at 49 (1943-1994). General Abubakar at 56 (1942-1998). President Obasanjo at 62 (1937-1999). President Yar’adua at 56 (1951-2007). President Jonathan at 53 (1957-2010). President Buhari at 73(1942-2015).
However, Given General IBB’s opinion on the leader in his 60s. Who is or are General IBB referring to? Permit me to identify some potential Northern Politicians who have either once expressed their interest or are potential presidential hopefuls soon:
(1) Governor Zulum- 52 years (1969)
(2) Senator Saraki 59 years (1962)
(3) Senator Kwankwaso 65 years (1956)
(4) Governor Dankwambo 59 years (1962)
(5) Governor Adamu Mu’azu 64 years (1955)
(6) Governor Tambuwal 55 years (1966)
(7) El-Rufa’i 61 years (1960)
(8) Senator Shettima 55 years (1966)
(9) Governor Shema years 69 (1952)
(10) Senator Yerima 61 years (1960)
(11) Governor Lalong 58 years (1963)
(12) Governor Bello 46 years (1975)
Potential Southern Politicians:
(1) Governor Fayemi 56 years (1965)
(2) Senator Amosu 64 years (1958)
(3) Governor Wike 58 years (1963)
(4) Governor Ameachi 56 years (1965)
(5) V. P Osibanjo 64 years (1957)
(6) Governor Fashola 58 years (1963)
(7) Senator Akpabio 59 years (1962)
(8) Senator Rochas 59 years (1962)
(9) Governor Arebisola 57 years (1957)
(10) Governor Ayade 53 years (1968)
(11) Governor Umahi 57 years (1964)
(12) Governor Peter Obi 60 years (1961)
In my thoughts, the quest for credible leadership is should go beyond the age factor, but competency, credibility, capacity, patriotism, and honesty.
May God bless Nigeria!