Leadership is imperative in human organizations. It is the capacity to influence, inspires, direct, encourage, mobilize and motivate others. The absence of well
committed and responsible leadership as been a major problem to sustainable development in third world countries among which Nigeria belongs.
The overall and sustainable development of any nation is traceable to the development of man power through adequate and qualitative education. Any deficiency in this will be premised on inability of the leader to motivate, inspire and mobilize his led in all ramifications including proper funding to promote national development and transformation through qualitative education.
On the other hand, the people deserve the kind of government they get as most of them are not skeptical in electing their leaders into positions of authority. Power belongs to the people in a true democratic system. Most of these leaders often embark on massive pleading during electoral process just to grab authority through legitimacy , however, the people are ignorant, uniformed and not ready to learn from their past mistake as they
ended up choosing a wrong leader that governs absolutely for his/her family's interest alone at the expense of national or societal interest.
In Nigeria, politicians often make streams of promises through their unrealistic manifestos including free education for all among others.
Section 8 sub-section 59(d) of the Nigeria National Policy on Education emphasized on the acquisition of both physical and intellectual skills which will enable individuals to be self-reliant and useful members of the society, but reverse is the case as Nigerian leaders have neglected education industry through lack of adequate funding at all levels of education, low teachers wages and
salaries compared to other civil servants and political office holders, lack of proper supervision of human and material resources, low research facilities across various levels of education among others.
Nigeria leaders are leading by example and worthy of emulation in the aspect of corruption which has been indirectly legalized and customized across all sectors in Nigeria including education known as "Academic Corruption". Nigerians are governed by some group of persons who continue to dominate the majority and the process of decision making in our political system. They make laws, policies, implementations and adjudications to suit their individual interest in government.
However, when it comes to taking a courageous step to capture power from the so called cabers or political and ruling elites through revolution or coup de-tat, the people are always frightened or seen at the back making a famous statement "who won die", they don't want to be seen as enemies or antagonists, it's unfortunate... Since Nigerians can open their eyes to be deceived with juicy
materials during electoral process, they should also be competent to bear the consequences for their negligent and irrational decisions. Nigerian leaders are plainly aware that given qualitative education to the citizens will go a long way to liberate them as acquisition of valuable and qualitative education will in turn make every individual functional in all ramifications, hence agitating for their constitutional rights and civil liberation which may not be favorable to a self-centered government.
They give their children and relatives a well deserved education with high cost through the tax payer's fund, neglecting the children of the masses to tarnish in ignorance, low psychomotor and cognitive skills thereby turning them to political tools and social miscreants. Schools are not upgraded and condition of service to teaching and none teaching staffs is highly discouraging. Holders of higher degrees including PhD and professors
under the umbrella of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Colleges of Education and Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) are known for their
incessant strike in advocating for a favorable condition of service and provision of basic infrastructure across tertiary institutions of learning as the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) among others are not left out of this
agitation. It will be of interest to know that all the fundamental requirements for a sustainable education are been demanded from political leaders that often possesses lower academic qualifications compare to most secondary schools and universities teachers.
Convincingly, the challenges confronting education system in Nigeria is no doubt a question of leadership qualities. Thus, when policies and strategic plans are
drafted by technocrats, implementation and political willingness has been the constraint of goal achievement in education industry. Nigerians should however be highly sensitive, skeptical and rational in adopting their leaders in order to reinstate the ideal education in Nigeria.
Written by: AKINFOLARIN AKINWALE V.
(08072559328, 08137120446)
