LEADERSHIP, CORRUPTION AND NIGERIA’S DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Leadership failure and corruption have continued to feature prominently in the list of contributory factors that culminated into Nigeria’s current poor developmental posture both in terms of nation building and socio-economic development. The two can be seen as complementary evils in view of the fact that one reinforces the other. In a sense, one can say that handling the country’s developmental challenges in the face of these two complementary evils poses the puzzle of: Which came first – chicken or egg? Must corruption be eliminated before the country can expect quality leadership and good governance, or; must quality leadership be in place before corruption can be eliminated from the country’s public sphere? By adopting a descriptive and analytical approach, this study investigates the trends of corruption in Nigeria and attempts to draw its connection to leadership failure. It is on this basis that the link between the two and the country’s poor developmental record is highlighted. The stand taken here is that quality leadership must be in place in order to successfully prosecute any anti-corruption agenda and engender holistic development within the polity. This study concluded with strategies to be undertaken in order to eliminate the two complementary evils and set the country on a good pedestal for unfettered development.