For decades, Nigeria has struggled with development, not because of a lack of resources, intelligence, or potential, but because of a fundamental misunderstanding of leadership. We have mastered the language of leadership, yet we continue to suffer from its absence in practice.
In the average Nigerian setting, a leader is often defined as someone who directs, coordinates, or occupies a position of authority. Rarely do we define leadership as influence anchored in example, responsibility, and service. This narrow understanding has shaped how we select leaders and how those leaders govern often with little or no regard for accountability, transparency, continuity, or the future.
At its core, genuine leadership is stewardship. Stewardship is the ability to receive resources, manage them responsibly, multiply their value, and hand them over better than they were met. It demands accountability, long-term thinking, and an unwavering sense of responsibility to both present and future generations. It is no longer sufficient to ask whether we have leaders; the more urgent question is whether those leaders are true stewards.
A good leader, therefore, must first be a great steward.
History shows that serious nations prioritize leadership before investing heavily in any other sector. These nations understand that leaders carry the visions, philosophies, and principles that shape institutions and determine generational progress. When leadership fails, institutions weaken. When leadership is unstable, growth becomes inconsistent. And when leadership lacks stewardship, national development stalls.
The right leadership brings stability, respect for due process, strong systems and institutions, and transparency that builds public trust. It provides long-term vision rather than short-term gains and ensures that governance serves the people rather than personal interests. Leadership is not just important to national development; it is its lifeline.
Nigeria’s failure to intentionally cultivate and select the right leaders has cost us dearly. Beyond the loss of resources, we are gambling with our future. Practices such as favouritism, hypocrisy, and competence-blind selections continue to undermine national progress. Meaningful development does not happen by accident, emotional speeches, or random prayers; it is the result of deliberate planning, disciplined execution, and accountable leadership.
Despite being richly endowed with natural and human resources, Nigeria remains among the world’s poorest nations, according to recent global development reports. This reality raises a critical question: can a nation truly compete on the global stage when leadership positions are occupied by individuals who lack competence, vision, and a sense of stewardship?
The Nigeria we desire will not emerge by chance. Eradicating corruption, strengthening institutions, protecting fundamental human rights, and building lasting legacies for future generations require intentional leadership rooted in stewardship. These outcomes do not occur suddenly or dramatically; they are carefully built over time through responsible governance.
The call for stewardship in leadership is no longer optional. It is not a lofty ideal or political rhetoric, it is our only viable path to sustainable development and national progress. Until stewardship becomes the standard by which we define, select, and evaluate our leaders, our struggle with development will persist.
Ojo Semasa
Executive director, The Leadership College Africa, Former coordinator of YALI Network Lagos, leadership and mindset coach.
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