The Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, has criticized Nigeria’s leadership, describing past and present heads of state, including President Bola Tinubu and his predecessors, as leaders who stumbled into power unprepared.
Speaking at the commissioning of Start-Rite School’s new building and the 4th Amaka Ndoma-Egba Memorial Lecture in Abuja, Kukah emphasized that the country’s leadership struggles stem from a lack of preparedness and knowledge in governance.
Kukah argued that successive Nigerian leaders have emerged through unforeseen circumstances, leaving them ill-equipped to address the evolving demands of leadership. “Almost every leader who came to power in Nigeria did so as a result of one accident or another,” he remarked. Tracing the history of Nigerian leadership, Kukah highlighted how personal circumstances, rather than strategic preparation, placed leaders like Tinubu, Buhari, Jonathan, Yar’Adua, and Obasanjo in positions of authority.
He lamented the absence of deep knowledge among Nigerian leaders, stressing that understanding one’s environment is crucial for effective governance. “While the world has changed, the expectations of leadership have not,” Kukah said, adding that Nigeria’s democracy, despite its principles, has struggled under successive administrations due to this knowledge gap.
In his remarks at the event, the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, also highlighted leadership challenges, linking societal vices to failures in accountability and governance. Marwa shared the discovery of a cartel involving visually impaired individuals in the drug trade, underscoring the extent of criminal ingenuity facing the agency.
The event also celebrated the legacy of the late Amaka Ndoma-Egba, founder of Start-Rite School. Marwa commended her vision in establishing the institution, which has grown from seven pupils in 2008 to over 800 students today. He lauded the school’s commitment to equipping students with skills for a dynamic world, describing it as a testament to Amaka’s enduring impact.