Nigeria producing sycophants as leaders- Dogara


The Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon Yakubu Dogara has said the leadership model the country has practiced so far is leadership that produces sycophants, who serve their political godfather and not the people. 

Dogara, who stated said this Tuesday in Abuja at the Convergence 2.0 conference organised by the Not-Too-Young-To-Run movement, observed that the country’s true disease is not corruption which is often alleged but lack of leadership.

Further, the speaker said Nigeria is plagued by a lot of challenges, ranging from being ranked as the third most dangerous countries of the world to terrorism, banditry, unemployment, dearth of healthcare facilities, among others.

According to him, the country needs leaders who would lead the people to build a nation and not godfathers who would demand the leaders to worship and serve them. 

The speaker said the country must design a leadership model that truly builds leaders with the knack to lead not those that would do the bidding of their god fathers. 

Dogara, who recently won election to return to the house of representatives, lamented the exclusion of Nigerian youth in leadership positions since the return of democracy, adding that at best they have been kept on the wings and fringes of leadership. 

“Nigeria’s real disease is lack of leadership. I disagree with all those who say our major national disease is financial corruption. Rather, the real disease has been the absence of true leadership. This in turn breads moral corruption and wickedness.

“Get a true leader that solves moral corruption and wickedness; when that happens, you will search for financial corruption to no avail.

“Unfortunately, the leadership model we have practiced so far is the kind of leadership that produces sycophants who are expected to serve their political godfathers and not the people.

“Our so-called leaders have mastered the art of political witchcraft so much so that if you are independent minded you are automatically disqualified.

“If for any reason you are picked then you have to surrender your soul for them to eat in small bites until you become their worshipper,’’ Dogara said.

In a good will message, the British High Commissioner, Catriona Laing, said the growth of elected youth representatives would determine how much progress is made in all areas of life in Nigeria.

“So you now have a responsibility to engage in the state and federal legislatures on issues which affect the people who voted for you.  

“The responsibility is on your shoulder to ensure that integrity, fairness, inclusion and accountability become the hallmarks of your tenure,” she said. 

She also encouraged them to support each other, particularly the relatively few females among you. 

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