As Senegal Gets 44 Years Old President
By: Nurudeen Dauda
To start with, in my thought “leadership” is certainly not about one’s age. Nigeria has had enough of relatively young people in its “leadership” from its various Head of States/ Presidents, governors and to the “bulk” of its ministers as well as commissioners as leaders past and here we are. By our history
we have always been governed by relatively young people except of course in the recent years.
In my view, if there are categories of “ages” to “blame” for its leadership failure then the relatively young people will take the lion share of it. With the exception of Presidents Obasanjo, and Buhari in their second comings and then President Tinubu all our Heads of States/Presidents past became leaders at an age below 60 years.
In my thought, the “search” for credible leadership should go beyond one’s age alone , for me, it should be about one’s vision, capacity, competency, patriotism, selflessness, commitment, and integrity etc. I am a believer of the combination of both the young and the old for leadership position on the basis of the above-mentioned qualities not one’s age per se.
The young need the “experience” and the “maturity” of the “old” while “old” needs the youthful “exuberance “of the youth. The mixture of the two classes is the best way to go. It will enable the “old” to “mentor” and “tutor “the young while the youthful energy of the young will add value to governance. The society will surely benefit from the youthful exuberance of a competent young leader just as it will benefit from the experience and maturity of a competent experienced leader.
Sir Abubakar became the Prime minister at the age of 49, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Ceremonial President at 51, General Ironsi the Head of State at 42, General Gowon the Head of State at 32, General Murtala the Head of State at 37, General Obasanjo the Head of State at 38, Alh. Shehu Shagari the President at 54, General Buhari the Head of State at 41, General Babangida the President at 44, Chief Shonekan the Interim Head of Government at 55, General Abacha the President at 49, General Abubakar the President at 56, Chief Obasanjo the President at 62, President Yar’adua the President at 56, President Jonathan the President at 53, President Buhari the President at 73 and President Tinubu, the President at 69.
May God bless Nigeria!
Nuru writes from Kaduna; he can be reached via nurudeendauda24@gmail.com
