The aftermath ushered in civil resistance, a crackdown on dissent, and eventually, the return to civilian rule in 1999.
But democracy in Nigeria, much like in many parts of the world, remains a work in progress. Voter apathy is high. Trust in institutions is low. Elections are often marred by allegations of fraud, violence, and systemic exclusion. The promises of democracy—freedom, accountability, and shared prosperity—seem increasingly distant.
And yet, there’s a deeper insight buried beneath the frustrations of civic life. The principles that underpin true democracy are not just political ideals—they’re leadership imperatives.
Walk into many organizations today, and you’ll see the same crisis of disillusionment. Employees don’t trust leadership. Leadership don’t trust employees either. Voices are suppressed. Work ethics eroded. Transparency is murky. Decisions are made behind closed doors. Promotions feel rigged.
Innovation is stifled. Sound familiar?
What if the gap we feel in our nations’ democratic evolution is the same one haunting our workplaces?
This week we will explore how the ideals of democracy such as representation, accountability, inclusion, consent, rule of law, and transparency offer profound lessons for building stronger teams, more resilient businesses, and cultures where people genuinely want to contribute. Because democracy isn’t just about ballots and constitutions; it is a mindset, a method, and a leadership model.
When Systems Fail People
In the 2019 Nigerian elections, less than 35% of registered voters turned up. The reasons were telling: fear of violence, belief that votes wouldn’t count, and a general lack of trust in the process.
Now think of employee engagement in corporate Nigeria. A 2023 survey by Jobberman revealed that over 60% of employees feel undervalued and only 1 in 4 trust their leadership’s decision-making.
The message is consistent: when people feel powerless, they check out.
The Parallels Between Political Democracy and Organizational Culture
Democracy is more than elections—just like leadership is more than giving orders. To understand how democracy maps onto leadership, let’s revisit its core elements:
A. Representation and the Optics of Inclusion
One of democracy’s central tenets is representation. It is the idea that all voices matter. But in too many organizations, representation is reduced to optics like a diversity hire here or a token seat at the table there.
We must remember that inclusion is not about who’s in the room—it’s about who gets heard.
A major Nigerian fintech startup brought in a female Product Manager to increase “diversity.” But during quarterly strategy meetings, she was consistently ignored. Her ideas were overridden. In her words, “I was invited to the dance, but not allowed to choose the music.” Eventually, she left and joined a global competitor who promoted her within a year.
The cost of exclusion is not just moral, it’s economic. McKinsey’s 2020 “Diversity Wins” report found that companies in the top quartile for ethnic and gender diversity were 36% more likely to outperform their peers in profitability.
If democracy teaches us anything, it is that representation is not just a checkbox. It is a power-sharing mechanism. Great leaders don’t just build diverse teams, they devolve authority.
B. Leading with Legitimacy, Not Just Title
In a democracy, legitimacy is derived from the consent of the governed. In business, leadership is sustainable only when it earns the consent of the team. It is not through fear or hierarchy, but through credibility, integrity, and vision.
Moshood Abiola didn’t need the government’s endorsement to be seen as Nigeria’s true president. Why? Because he had earned the people’s trust. Now, contrast that with the average workplace. We must understand that titles don’t automatically command loyalty. Consent must be cultivated.
Top-down decisions feel like impositions. But when leaders co-create the vision with their teams by inviting input, surfacing assumptions, negotiating direction, the result is: buy-in multiplies. Teams are more likely to execute what they helped design. This doesn’t mean giving up control. It means leading with legitimacy.
C. Accountability is the Currency of Trust
Democracies thrive when leaders are accountable to the people. Organizations thrive when leaders are accountable to their mission and their teams. But what happens in the absence of accountability? Corruption, inefficiency, and cynicism creep in.
Between 2006 and 2022, Nigeria lost over $400 billion to corruption, according to Transparency International. In the same period, public trust in institutions plummeted.
In businesses, it’s no different. When leaders are not held to the same standards they set for others, trust evaporates. People begin to coast. Morale drops. Talented staff exit.
In 2021, the founder of a mid-sized consulting firm in Lagos walked away from a government contract worth ₦250 million after discovering ethical red flags. He not only informed his board but published a statement on the company blog. The move went viral and within three months, the firm had gained four new international clients who cited integrity as their reason for engagement. Accountability is not weakness. It’s brand equity.
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