At book launch, Gowon blames nation’s woes on ineffective leadership

Former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, has linked the nation’s challenges to dearth of transformational leadership.

Speaking at the public presentation of the book: “Leading from the Streets (Media Intervention by a Public Intellectual 1999-2019) authored by Magnus Onyibe in Lagos, yesterday, he noted effective public leadership was essential for facilitating development of a country and improving the quality of lives of the people.

He said the responsibility to make this a reality lay on the shoulders of public office holders, who had the mandate of the people, having been officially elected into the various offices.

“As the challenges confronting a nation, leaders need all  the help they can get to enable them successfully navigate the ship of state to safely bring us to the safety harbour of unity, peace, and harmonious co-existence, a buoyant and dynamic economy, robust infrastructure, functional and effective educational system, quality healthcare, among others, for the progress and prosperity of all Nigerians.”

In his speech, the author, Onyibe said: “One key message I hope attendees take from this event is that each of us holds leadership potential within our spheres of influence. If we all commit to participation and responsibility within our respective domains, we can collectively make a difference.

“In the words of President John Kennedy, who rallied America 60 years ago during tough times, urging them to take positive action for the prosperity of their nation, I encourage Nigerians both in positions of authority and on the streets to exercise patience and confront challenges head-on.

“Furthermore, I implore political leaders to collaborate harmoniously with grassroots leaders so that together, we can lift our beloved country out of the socio-economic challenges it faces.”