Founder of the Centre for Values in Leadership, CVL, Prof. Pat Utomi, and others yesterday blamed the country's woes on injustice, ignorance and impunity on the part of Nigerian leaders.
These, according to them, distinguish the present leaders from leaders of the 1950s.
They knocked the nation's leaders for using religion to divide the citizens, saying what united Nigerians were more than what divided them.
The people spoke at the 3rd National Convention organised by the Muslim Public Affairs Centre, MPAC, held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
According to Utomi, the challenges confronting Nigerian stem from the inability to choose committed and knowledgeable leaders with track records of service to the people.
He said: "What Nigeria has now are politicians without people, education without character, pleasure without conscience, religion without sacrifice, silence without humanity, and wealth without work."
Utomi also spoke on the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
He said: "When you have culture of injustice, you will eventually have what we have now. What Nigeria needs is a clean sweep. We really need to begin again. We have to change culture. The culture that has held us back so far and which is epitomised by the PDP is an unjust culture. It is a culture that focuses on self over the community and that is why we are in trouble."
On his part, the former National Secretary of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, Dr. Usman Bugaje, who spoke on the topic: "Leadership, Governance and Challenges of Building a Just Society," called on Nigerians to participate in governance at different levels to address injustice in society.
Also speaking, the National Missioner of Ansar- Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdul Rahaman Ahmad, said the media had a major role to play in restoring justice and good leadership to the country.
Describing the media as catalyst in the nation building, Ahmad urged journalists to hold government accountable.
The executive chairman of MPAC, Disu Kamor, said the forum was to create a platform for Nigerians regardless of their faith to chart a new course and proffer solutions to challenges confronting the country.
National Mirror