The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has attributed Nigeria’s recurring governance challenges to a flawed leadership recruitment system, emphasizing that the process of selecting leaders is crucial for national development.
Keyamo made the remarks on Tuesday during a public lecture in Akure, held to mark the 70th birthday of Chief Olusola Oke. He defined leadership recruitment as the process of identifying, selecting, grooming, and elevating individuals to positions of authority, stressing that the integrity of this process directly impacts governance quality.
Citing Chinua Achebe’s view that Nigeria’s fundamental problem is poor leadership, the minister noted that the country’s vast natural and human resources have yet to translate into development due to ineffective leader selection.
“While Nigeria is richly endowed with natural and human resources, poor leadership selection has stalled our progress,” he said. He warned that prioritizing money, ethnicity, and patronage over merit has far-reaching consequences, including weak institutions, corruption, poverty, and insecurity. “Leadership positions should be responsibilities, not rewards for loyalty,” he added.
Although the 1999 Constitution outlines eligibility criteria for public office, Keyamo noted that the emergence of candidates often deviates from these standards. He identified the monetisation of politics, high nomination form costs, and campaign expenses as major barriers that shut out competent Nigerians, highlighting godfatherism and political sponsorship as key challenges.
Welcoming recent electoral reforms, including the removal of the delegate system, Keyamo stressed that weak party democracy, lack of ideological clarity, and electoral violence continue to undermine credible leadership. He called for urgent reforms, such as financial autonomy for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), stricter regulation of campaign financing, improved civic education, transparency in party primaries, and a dedicated body to prosecute electoral offences.
The minister also emphasized the importance of character in leadership, urging Nigerians to value integrity, competence, humility, and compassion. “The path to a better Nigeria lies in making deliberate choices about who leads us, because how we select determines how we are governed,” he said.
Keyamo lauded Chief Oke as a model of principled leadership. Former Guardian MD/Editor-in-Chief Martins Oloja, reviewing Oke’s autobiography From The Ocean to the Bar, described it as a guide for young readers, teaching grace, humility, gratitude, and faith. Oloja highlighted Oke’s diverse career as a singer, teacher, lawyer, and politician, emphasizing that leadership and achievement are products of deliberate choices, discipline, and faith.
“Through its blend of personal history and moral instruction, the book reinforces the idea that leadership and achievement are products of deliberate choices, sustained discipline, and unwavering faith,” Oloja said.
Reflecting on his 70 years, Oke credited divine grace for his journey, describing his life as a testimony of resilience and accomplishment. He expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his leadership, while acknowledging political associates and other leaders who contributed to his growth.
Oke expressed optimism about Nigeria’s future, assuring that current challenges would pass, and urged government at all levels to intensify efforts to end poverty and improve citizens’ welfare.
