Leadership Crises and Implications for Sustainable Development in Nigeria
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Published:
May 22, 2023
Keywords:
Corruption, Development, Leadership, Nigeria, Sustainable Development
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Abstract
Nigeria has indeed struggled with socio-economic growth and development since its emancipation from colonial domination, trundling within a cycle of rent-booms, recessions, and even economic collapse. This study argues that the root cause of these socio-economic problems is poor leadership, marked by oppression, exploitation, nepotistic governance structure, electoral violence, and pervasive and systemic corruption. These negative indices have plunged the nation into a state of protracted violent conflicts, extreme poverty, weak infrastructure, rising youth unemployment and restlessness, untimely deaths, and multifaceted humanitarian crises. The paper examines the nature of political leadership and its bourgeoning effects on the development of Nigeria, using the predatory state paradigm as a guide. Relying on secondary data, the study asserts that the Nigerian ruling elites are aware of the dire situation of the country but keep aloof in order to maintain their corrupt grip on power. The study maintains that visionary leadership needs to be strategically harmonised with the abundant resources of the nation for it to get back on the track of development and instill confidence in a disenchanted populace.
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Duyile, Praise Fisayo. 2023. “Leadership Crises and Implications for Sustainable Development in Nigeria”. ABUAD Journal of Social and Management Sciences 4 (1), 56-74. https://doi.org/10.53982/ajsms.2023.0401.04-j.
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References
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Todaro, M. (1989). Economic Development in Third World. Fourth Edition. Longman.
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Vahabi, M. (2019). Introduction: A Symposium on the Predatory State. Public Choice, 182 (1), 233-242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11127-019-00715-2.
World Bank. (April, 2020). Poverty and Equity Brief, Sub-Saharan Africa: Nigeria. www.worldbank.org/poverty.
Yukl, G. (2010). Leadership in Organizations, 7th ed. Prentice Hall.
Adeniyi, F. (August 14, 2020). Rivers Top 10 States with Unemployment Rate. EveryEvery. https://everyevery.ng/rivers-top-10-states-with-high-unemployment-rate/
Akinola, A. (2019). Rent Seeking and Industrial Growth in Africa: The Case Study of Dangote’s Cement Industry. CESRAN Int.
Akinwotu, E. (November 1, 2021). The Lights Went Out and the Shooting Started’: #EndSars Protesters Find No Justice One Year On. The Guardian.
Baylis, J., Booth, K., Garret, J., & Williams, P. (1975). Contemporary Strategy: Theories and Policies. Croom Helm.
Benson, B. (2019). The Development and Evolution of Predatory-State Institutions and Organizations: Beliefs, Violence, Conquest, Coercion, and Rent Seeking. Public Choice. 182 (1), 3-4. https://doi.org/10.1007/s1112 7-019-00667-7.
Ekeh, P. (1975). Colonialism and the Two Publics in Africa: A Theoretical Statement. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 17(1), 9–112. Cambridge University Press. DOI: 10.2307/178372. https://www.jstor.org/stable/178372.
Ethridge, M., & Handleman, H. (2010). Politics in a Changing World: A Comparative Introduction to Political Science. Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Easton, D. (1975). A Systems Analysis of Political Life. Sterling Publishers Private Limited.
Gloria, U. (October 25, 2022). “Oil Theft: Why Vessels Operate Undetected.” Channels.
Gray, B. (2016). Exile, Refuge, and the Greek Polis: Between Justice and Humanity. Journal of Refugee Studies, 30(2), 190-219. https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/few027.
Keysa, K. (September 26, 2018). Facts about Poverty in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Borgen Project. https://borgenproject.org/facts-about-poverty-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo/
Leeson, P., King, S., & Fegley, T. (2019). Regulating Quack Medicine. Public Choice. https://doi.org/10.1007/s1112 7-019-00656-w.
Manzoor, N., Maqbool, R., Sudong, Y., & Rashid, Y. (2017). The Impact of Emotional Intelligence, Project Managers’ Competencies, and Transformational Leadership on Project Success: An Empirical Perspective. Project Management Journal, 48(3), 58-75. https://doi.org/10.1177/875697281704800304
Maslow, A.H. (1967). Synanon and Eupsychia. https://doi.org/10.1177/002216786700104.
Mbah, F. (12 February, 2019). Has Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari Honoured His Promises? Aljazeera. https://www-aljazeera-com.cdn.amproject.org/v/s/www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2019/2/12/has-nigeria-president-muhammadu-buhari.
Munger, M. (2019). Tullock and the Welfare Costs of Corruption: There is a political Case Theorem. Public Choice, 181(1-2), 83-100.
Murtazashvili, J., & Murtazashvili, I. (2019). Wealth-Destroying States. Public Choice, 182 (1), 353-371. https://doi.org/10.1007/s1112 7-019-00675 -7.
Ndagijimana, I. (2019). Leadership and Good Governance: The Rwandan Experience. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 3(2), 2454-6186.
Nnochiri, I. (November 16, 2018). Breaking: A-Court Reduces Gov. Nyame’s Jail Term to 12, to Pay N525m Fine. Vanguard. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/breaking-a-court-reduces-ex-gov-nyames-jail-term-to-12-years-to-pay-n525m-fine/.
Nwabughiogu, L. (March 8, 2020). Abacha Loot: How much did the Late Head of State Steal? Vanguard. https://www-vanguardngr-com.cdn.amproject.org/v/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2020/03/abacha-loot-how-much-did-the-lat.
Onochie, B. C. (February 9, 2018). Court Gives Prosecution Nod to Proceed with Dasuki’s Trial. The Guardian. https://guardian.ng/news/court-gives-prosecution-nod-to-proceed-with-dasukis-trial.
Onyema, E., Pallavi, R., & Habeeb, O. (2018). The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Politics of (In) Effective Implementation of Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption Policy. A Working Paper. SOAS Consortium.
Plecher, H. (July 21, 2020). Unemployment Rate in Nigeria 2019. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/382366/unemployment-rate-in-nigeria.
Premium Times. (November 28, 2022). Rescuing Nigerians from Multi-Poverty Trap. Premium Times. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/editorial/567841-editorial-rescuing-nigerians-from-multi-poverty-trap.html?tztc=1
Punch. (October 5, 2019). Boko Haram Attacks Chibok as Parents, BBOG Mark 2,000 Days of Girl’s Abduction. https://punchng-com.cdn.amproject.org/v/s/punchng.com/bharam-attacks-chibok.
ReliefWeb. (November 15, 2018). Violence in African Elections. https://reliefweb.int/report/world/violence-african-elections.
Reuters. (2013). Special Report – Anatomy of Nigeria’s $20 Billion Leak. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nigeria-election-banker-specialreport/special-report-antomy-of-nigeria-20-billion-leak-idUSKBN0LA0X820150206.
Rogers, P. P., Jalal, K. F., and Boyd, J. A. (2008). An Introduction to Sustainable Development. Glen Educational Foundation.
Sen, A. (1999). Development as Freedom. Alfred Knopf.
Siddique, M. B., & Ghosh, R. N. (2015). Corruption Good Governance and Economic Development: Contemporary Analysis and Case Studies. World Scientific Publishing.
The Nation. (May 29, 2018). EFCC Secures 603 Convictions in Three Years.
Todaro, M. (1989). Economic Development in Third World. Fourth Edition. Longman.
United Nations. (2020). UN Documentation: Development. https://research.un.org/en/docs/dev.
Vahabi, M. (2019). Introduction: A Symposium on the Predatory State. Public Choice, 182 (1), 233-242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11127-019-00715-2.
World Bank. (April, 2020). Poverty and Equity Brief, Sub-Saharan Africa: Nigeria. www.worldbank.org/poverty.
Yukl, G. (2010). Leadership in Organizations, 7th ed. Prentice Hall.