The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has lamented festering leadership challenge in Nigeria, saying it has not only created poverty, but also brain drain in the country.

Mbah made this known while speaking on the theme, ‘Leadership in Modern Times: Youths Bridging the gap,’ at a lecture organised by the Medical Research and Humanitarian Society (MEDRHUS), University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, at the weekend.

He maintained that the situation has infused deep disillusionment in youths such that they are eager to leave the country at the slightest opportunity not minding the risk involved in embarking on illegal journey to Europe.

The governorship hopeful also lamented loss of hundreds of talented human capital, with potential to rescue the country’s future, to poor leadership.

He added that the only way Nigeria could navigate current challenges is through putting in place the right leadership in all strata of society.

He explained that the collapse of security, high crime rate and the ongoing industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are products of bad leadership in the country.

He insisted that poor leadership has continued to thrive in Nigeria and Africa, because those entrusted with the responsibility are still grappling with the leadership model the colonial masters bequeathed to the country.

He said the colonial masters left, for the country, what he called, the heroic leadership complex, which created room for leaders to be “worshipped as heroes rather than servants of the people.”

He added that this had led to the collapse of leadership in Nigeria with youths now at the receiving end.

He further said: “The collapse of leadership in Africa has had a deep effect on youths of the continent. In Nigeria, for example, socio-economic challenges currently suffered by youths is reflective of this collapse. For instance, the level of nepotism that is in the country, the collapse of security, the continued strike action by university teachers, which has kept students at home for upwards of seven months, due to inability of government and the lecturers’ union to agree on issues of funding universities, are all a reflection of leadership failure.

More significantly is the fear that the Nigerian economy can go bankrupt if no urgent steps are taken to halt the decline.”