A professor of Public Administration, Steve Iyayi has called on political leaders in Nigeria and other African countries to practice all principles and tenets of democracy towards the greater good of the people in the society.
Professor Iyayi explained that democracy was not a bad form of government but lamented that operators and leaders have failed in their roles to the people in the areas of social needs and entrenching of good governance.
“Democratic governance has therefore not really addressed the needs of the society and the people in this region of the world. The reason is not that democracy as a system of government is not suitable to our society but essentially due to the fault of the operators.
“Starting from the choice of leaders and representatives in elections, the people are not allowed to have their way. Elections are routinely manipulated such that in the end their participation in the processes is not felt. On the socio-economic front, the region has mismanaged its resources with attendant deepening poverty and gross shortages of amenities for a good living standard,” he said.
Iyayi, who is the Dean of the College of Social and Management Sciences, Wellspring University, Benin City, Edo state spoke on Friday while delivering the second inaugural lecture of the university, titled, ‘The Imperative of Human Centric Governance in Sustaining Democracy in Africa: An Insight in Niger Republic.’
The university don revealed that government and political leaders at all levels in the continent must make people the centre of their programmes and policies, adding that avoiding frivolous spending and focusing on projects that would impact positively on the people should be prioritised.
While making his recommendations, Iyayi a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management said, “ to become competitive and relevant among comity of states, Africa countries should be led by men and women who possess the requisite knowledge, virtues of discipline, honesty and fairness to effectively manage the human and natural resources of their states and achieve growth and development for the good of the people.
“Governance remains within the political hierarchy and control of the governments of the states which should account for it.
“Political leaders at all levels of government should show examples of transparency, accountability and judicious management and fair utilization of public resources to provide amenities and make life worth living for the people. They should earn the people’s trust and demonstrate capacity to lead.
“The Welfare of the people should be prioritized and the necessary environment created for them to participate in the affairs of their countries including the choice of their leaders in free, fair and peaceful elections.”
He further identified poor leadership as the bane of development in the continent, noting that only selfless and dedicated leaders would engineer dividends of democracy to the people.
The lecturer said, “One common problem that has created the rather worrisome situation in Africa is leadership. The difference that exists between states in the spheres of development and welfare of their people globally is largely a function of the quality of their leaders.
“Good leadership is one irreducible element required by any state to optimize its capacity for growth and development. It is what sets vision and mission as well as commitment for realizing them for the people. It is selfless and is the energizing and harnessing tool of the state’s resources both human and material for achieving the state goals.
“Unfortunately Africa seems to lack this type of leadership. Where it exists democracy bears features of good governance and effectively discharges its responsibilities to the people by providing for them access to amenities for good living as well as equal access to the commonwealth. These indicators of good governance serve as assurances to the people that the government cares for them.”
Iyayi explained that apart from issues relating to poor leadership by the civilians necessitating military takeover of governments in African countries , saying, “the self-interest motivation on the part of the military officers triggered by what has been regarded as the contagious effect of coups.
“Young ambitious officers have by this achieved high positions of leadership in their countries and have ended up guilty of the allegations that they levelled against the civilians they overthrew from office.”
On the situation with Niger Republic, the professor of public administration said, “The current situation in Niger Republic as discussed is a reflection of the happenings in other countries in the continent, at best, with minor variations where they exist at all.
“The near helpless situation in which the people find themselves naturally creates strong desires for them for positive change which they are unable to effect by the ballot and the military in such unfavourable circumstances strikes to the embrace of the people. This experience is repeated over and again because lessons are not learnt.”
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