The Search For A New Nigeria (18): Addressing Trust Deficit, Accountability And Transparency

One cannot overstress the need to continually highlight and address the all-important issue bordering on transparency, accountability and trust deficit that has permeated our daily national life as Nigerians which, like a monster, have greatly encumbered our socio-political growth and development.

This is therefore a call to fellow compatriots to awaken our consciousness. Together, we can work towards the attainment of national renaissance, beginning with the mechanism of ‘Restructuring the Mind’ to pave the way for institutionalizing the once popular slogan of “Good People, Great Nation.”

If for nothing else, the proposed rebirth initiative will enable us to change the narrative of our previous attitudinal posture to the intended globally acceptable new normal. A regenerated mind is capable of throwing up new breed of leaders, the type needed to galvanize the much-sought new Nigeria where justice, fairness and equity will be enthroned.

It is needless to add that the vices of distrust, division and hatred among Nigeria’s ethnic nationalities are at its peak in the present day, especially under the watch of incumbent President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (Retired). Nepotism, killings, kidnappings, banditry, insurgency, cronyism, clannishness and corruption leading to economic downturn, have grown to assume the trademark of the current administration.

The several concerns about the drumbeat of war that is sounding so loud in all regions of the country today are not in any way misplaced. Thus, the agitations of those heating up the polity and hell bent on actualizing their various separatists’ agenda cannot be wholly faulted.

The best way to avoid the Mali example is for every one of us to take the necessary steps to address the issues that threw up such phenomena in the first place, a semblance of which our country is already witnessing with the likes of Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Adeyemo “Igboho” and others.

A leader does not exist in a vacuum, reason being that he is as powerful as the patronage of the citizenry and indeed the system that permits him. It is same way our perspective needs to be in conformity with global changes that are constantly being fired up by the demands of the digital age.

Trust is a virtue hence persons with ultra-conservative views should not have any business vying for the positions of leadership. For the crop of leaders needed to drive the desired new Nigeria of our dream, accountability and transparency must, as a matter of necessity, be the watchword.

Richard Odusanya is a Social Reform Crusader and the convener of AFRICA COVENANT RESCUE INITIATIVE (ACRI).

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