Okowa Says Nigeria Lacks a True National Leader Focused on Unity

• Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state says Nigeria needs good and quality leadership to steer the country to greater heights
• The governor stated that Nigeria lacks a true leader who would unite the country despite its diversity
• Governor Okowa also stated that leadership is the major challenge facing Nigeria in reaching its heights as a nation

Asaba - Delta state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, on Monday, September 6 said Nigeria was in need of good leadership that would entrench desired unity, sustainable growth, and development currently lacking in the nation.

Okowa made this known at the 2021 Sam Epelle Memorial Gold Paper Lecture organized by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in Asaba, the Delta state capital.

According to the governor, the nation lacks a true national leader with a clear determination and focus to unify the country.

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He pointed out that leadership was pivotal to whatever social change was desired, insisting that it is the leader that charts and navigates the way for the flock to follow.

A statement sent to Legit.ng by the Delta state government quoted the governor as saying:

“There is no doubt that inefficient leadership is the major challenge retarding the growth and sustainable development of Nigeria.

“Having such a unifying person would have been one big leap because it could have taken care of the most central challenges of our country.

“With a good leader, the country would immensely benefit more from its ethnoreligious diversity.”

He stressed that the endowments and resources of the country could not be harnessed and put to full economic use without unity.

Unity, the governor stated, was at the heart of progress, sustainable development, and wealth, adding that unity would help Nigeria to harness untapped resources.

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He added:

“Nigeria needs unity today and always. We can become a better nation if we work together. 

“From all indications, bad governance, ethnoreligious conflicts, and lack of faith in the electoral process, are major causes of disunity in the country.

“The sad reality is that we seem to derive more comfort, protection, and security from our ethnic identity.”

The high point of the event was the investiture of the governor as patron of NIPR.

Effects of bad governance in the country

Governor Okowa had on Wednesday, August 25 said bad governance, ethnoreligious conflicts, and lack of faith in the electoral process were major causes of disunity in Nigeria.

Okowa stated this in his keynote address at the 2021 Annual Lecture and Symposium organised by Ripples Centre for Data and Investigative Journalism in Lagos.

The governor stated that bad governance at different levels of government was a major contributory factor to disunity in the country, adding that the absence of a shared national vision or aspiration, primordial loyalties, and sentiments largely held sway among the citizenry.

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Giving all Nigerians a voice

Governor Okowa recently called on the federal government to create an avenue for a national dialogue to dissect and seek a panacea to various challenges facing the country.

Okowa made the call at an interdenominational thanksgiving service to mark the 30th anniversary of the creation of Delta state held at St. Peters Anglican Cathedral, Asaba, on Friday, August 27.

He said that there were too many voices of anger calling for justice, fairness, and equity in the affairs of the nation and urged the federal government to take steps to listen to the voices.

Source: Legit.ng