DEMOCRACY, LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The nexus between leadership and governance in Nigeria is an area that requires focus of which several scholars have reflected and are still reflecting on. Nigeria has experienced challenges of different kind since the return of the country to civil rule almost two decades ago. The most prominent of these challenges are tied to weak and poor leadership orchestrated first by the pitfalls in the democratic process as well as the corrupt tendencies found in the political class. Presently, challenges such as electoral fraud, insecurity and resource management have truncated effective governance and national development. Corruption and poor leadership style have exposed the weakness and lack of political will of leaders to deliver dividends of democracy to the people. There can be no meaningful development without transformational leadership that will influence outcomes at all levels. One of the findings in this study is that bad leadership has created political instability and retarded socio-economic and political development. Nigeria needs nationalist leaders that have the capacity to provide public welfare not bigots that promote personal aggrandizement. Despite the electoral reforms such as e-voting that were meant to promote transparency, fairness and accountability, the electoral body has failed in the area of objectivity thus soiling its integrity and independence. In this study, the researcher utilized KIIs, Content analysis and personal observation as a method of the study.  The study concludes that with transformational leadership, people do not necessarily need to protest since the welfare of the people would be taken care of. The paper recommends that there is the urgent need for a paradigm shift from transactional leadership style to transformative leadership that will address the basic needs of Nigerians.