Bishop Matthew Kukah has described Nigeria’s leadership history as a cycle of accidental leaders, including President Bola Tinubu and former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Kukah, the Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, made this bold claim during the commissioning of a new school building and the 4th Amaka Ndoma-Egba Memorial Lecture in Abuja on Sunday.
According to the cleric, Nigeria’s leadership challenges stem from unprepared individuals being thrust into positions of power.
“If we look at Nigeria’s leadership journey, you will find that almost every leader who came to power did so by accident,” Kukah stated.
He argued that these leaders often lacked the knowledge and preparation necessary to navigate the complexities of governance in a rapidly changing world.
A Pattern of Unpreparedness
Kukah traced Nigeria’s leadership history to emphasize his point.
“President Tinubu, despite claiming to be prepared for the role, is clearly struggling,” he remarked. “We are still trying to find our footing.”
He noted that Tinubu inherited the presidency from Buhari, who he claimed had already disengaged from governance.
“Buhari succeeded Jonathan, a man who never envisioned himself as president but was thrust into leadership due to circumstances,” Kukah added.
Kukah further outlined how Jonathan had taken over from Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who had planned to return to teaching after serving as governor.
“Yar’Adua succeeded Obasanjo, who was unexpectedly released from prison to become president. Before that, Obasanjo replaced Abacha, who was poised to rule indefinitely until nature intervened,” he explained.
Kukah highlighted the late General Sani Abacha’s leadership as part of the cycle, which followed Chief Ernest Shonekan’s brief tenure as head of the Interim National Government.
“The cycle is evident, and the missing link in all of this is knowledge and preparation,” Kukah declared.
Democracy Without Results
Despite adopting democratic principles like “one man, one vote,” Kukah argued, Nigeria has repeatedly failed to elect competent leaders.
“Modern leadership demands a deep understanding of the evolving environment and challenges,” he emphasized.
He also warned that Nigeria must prioritize education and leadership development to break the cycle of unprepared governance.
NDLEA Chief Echoes Leadership Concerns
Brigadier General Buba Marwa, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), also addressed the audience, supporting Kukah’s call for better leadership.
He attributed many of Nigeria’s challenges to a lack of accountability and effective leadership.
Marwa shared a shocking revelation about a cartel involving visually impaired individuals in drug trafficking.
“Recently, the NDLEA uncovered a cartel involving visually impaired individuals,” Marwa disclosed.
He recounted the arrest of a blind man transporting cannabis from Lagos to Kano, who claimed ignorance of the package’s contents.
“This led us to another blind man in Lagos, and eventually, we traced the ultimate handler, who was also blind,” Marwa said.
Marwa admitted that such cases presented unique challenges for law enforcement.
A Tribute to Amaka Ndoma-Egba
The event also honored the memory of the late Amaka Ndoma-Egba, the founder of Start-Rite School, which hosted the lecture.
Marwa praised her vision for establishing the school, which has grown from seven pupils in 2008 to over 800 students today.
“Amaka Ndoma-Egba was a visionary who established this school to prepare students for a dynamic and ever-changing world,” Marwa said.
The Chairman of the school’s Board of Advisory, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, also attended the event.
Kukah’s remarks, combined with Marwa’s shocking revelations, painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s current state while emphasizing the importance of preparing future leaders.
The event highlighted the critical role education plays in shaping a society capable of overcoming its challenges.
“The future of Nigeria depends on knowledge, preparation, and accountability,” Kukah concluded.
