Former President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, GCFR, (rtd) granted an exclusive interview to Arise News TV on the State of the Nation. Several issues were discussed in the said interview of today being the 6th of August, 2021, but I am more interested on the kind of leader our dear country badly needs come 2023 as opined by our dear respected elderstatesman.
In the said interview, General IBB said: “I have started visualising a good Nigerian leader. That is, a person, who travels across the country and has a friend virtually everywhere he travels to and he knows at least one person that he can communicate with.That is a person, who is very verse in economics and is also a good politician, who should be able to talk to Nigerians and so on. I have seen one, or two or three of such persons already in his sixties.”
Permit me to say I cannot agree more with our dear respected General on the issue of having a leader with verse knowledge of the economy. We really need to get it right on the economy for us to get out of the woods. You cannot stabilize the polity without stabilizing the economy. In my thoughts , political stability is a function of economic stability. Heightened insecurity is a function of a disfuctional economy. We really need to get it right on the economy for us to get it right on security.
More so, I quite agree that Nigeria needs a cosmopolitan leader who is a bridge builder. I cannot also agree more with our dear general on this. However, on the issue of the age of the leader our country needs I hold a different view on this.
In my view, leadership is certainly not about the persons age, but about ones’ capacity, vision, competence, patriotism, and honesty. I am a believer of the combination of both young and the old in leadership position not on the basis of their ages per se, but on their aforementioned qualities. The society will benefit from the youthful exuberance of a competent young leader just as it will benefit from the maturity of a competent aged leader.
Nigeria by its history has always been governed by relatively young people. If there are setting categories of ages to blame for its leadership failure then the young people will take a fair share of it.
Sir Abubakar T. Balewa became Prime minister at the age of 49 (1912-1957). Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ceremonial President at 51(1904-1963). General Ironsi at 42(1924-1966). General Gowon at 32(1934-1966). General Murtala at 37(1938-1975). General Obasanjo at 38(1937-1976). President Shagari at 54(1925-1979). General Buhari at 41(1942-1983).General Babangida at 44(1941-1985). Chief Shokekan at 55(1936-1993). General Abacha at 49(1943-1994). General Abubakar at 56(1942-1998). President Obasanjo at 62(1937-1999). President Yar’adua at 56(1951-2007).President Jonathan at 53(1957-2010). President Buhari at 73(1942-2015).
However, In view of General IBB’s opinion on leader at his 60s. Who is or are General IBB refering to? Permit me to identify some potential Northern Politicians who have either once expressed their interest or are potential presidential hopefuls in the near future:
(1) Governor Zulum- 52 years(1969),
(2) Senator Saraki-59 years(1962),
(3) Senator Kwankwaso-65years(1956),
(4) Governor Dankwambo-59years(1962),(5) Governor Adamu Mu’azu-64years (1955),(6) Governor Tambuwal-55years(19966),(7) El-Rufai’i-61years(1960), (8) Senator Shettima-55years (1966), (9) Governor Shema-years69(1952),(10) Senator Yerima-61years(1960),(11) Governor Lalong-58years(1963), and(12) Governor Bello-46years(1975).
Potential Southern Politicians:
(1) Governor Fayemi-56years(1965),
(2) Senator Amosu-64yrs (1958),
(3) Governor Wike-58yrs(1963),
(4) Governor Ameachi-56yrs(1965),
(5) V. P Osibanjo-64yrs (1957),
(6) Governor Fashola-58yrs(1963),
(7) Senator Akpabio-59yrs (1962),
(8) Senator Rochas-59yrs (1962),
(9) Governor Arebisola-57yrs (1957),
(10) Governor Ayade-53yrs (1968),
(11) Governor Umahi-57yrs (1964),
(12) Governor Peter .Obi-60yrs(1961).
In my thoughts , the quest for credible leadership is should go beyond age factor, but competency, credibility, capacity, patriotism, and honest.
May God bless Nigeria!
