Speaker Yakubu Dogara has said Nigeria’s leadership model caters for godfathers and not Nigerians.
Talking recently at the Convergence, a conference put together by young parliamentarians, Mr Yakubu revealed that young lawmakers need to ignore the pride of power and be ready to concentrate on the truth and nothing else.
Dogara disclosed that youths can lead but they need to work on their character.
His words, “The youths should be reminded that true greatness only comes while serving others and not when serving themselves or godfathers,”
“Nigerian electorate have now become more sophisticated and increasingly aware of the power of the ballot and are now more likely to choose to reward stewardship according to the services rendered by their representatives than what obtained in the past.
“In your new calling, it is germane that you shun the arrogance of power. If you do not stay connected to the grassroots and those who have yielded their mandates to you, you will ultimately pay at the polls.
“Above all, what will define you as a triumph or tragedy in this journey is like I have said, discipline because everything that has ever gone down is traceable to indiscipline.
“I have no doubt that you are all familiar with the maxim that says ‘power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’. If you look at our history, you will find it strewn with strong men that have abused due process, spurn the Rule of Law. Why? Power! You are all witnesses to the serial nepotistic abuses across boards – federal, state and local – of those who wield power. Will that be your legacy? Will you stand differently? To stand differently does not mean to be unreasonable, but to take firm and decisive actions that are in the interest of the people. For you, it begins with the choice of leadership in your various assemblies”.
“Character means that you cannot be separated from your word; a quality no godfather in history has ever possessed. Character is not only that your word is your bond but that you are actually what you pretend be. While godfathers always pretend to be something other than who they really are, leaders do not. Imagine where we will be as a nation if all these godfathers that litter the political landscape become what or who they pretend to be.
“Unfortunately, the leadership model we have practiced so far is the kind of leadership that produces sycophants who are expected to serve their political godfathers and not the people. Our so called leaders have mastered the art of political witchcraft so much so that if you are independent minded, you are automatically disqualified and if for any reason you are picked, then you have to surrender your soul for them to eat in small bites until you become their worshipper. In the midst of this pandemic sycophancy, our so called godfathers expect us to fit in and not to stand up to be counted or make a difference. We need leaders who will lead us txco build a nation and serve others not gxodfathers who demand that we worship and serve them rather than serve the people”.
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