At Utomi’s book launch, leaders canvass effective democracy

Founder, Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL), Prof. Pat Utomi; former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Victor Attah; governor of Nasarawa State, Sule Abdullahi; Anambra State governor, Charles Soludo and Bishop Matthew Kukah, among other leaders, have called for effective democracy and good governance to get the nation to where it is supposed to be.

They spoke yesterday at the launch of Utomi’s new book titled, ‘Power, Politics, Public Policy Process and Performance’, in Lagos, where they spoke on the theme ‘Democracy, Governance and National Performance: The Mutual Relationship’.

They said despite that Nigeria has failed on infrastructure and other key perfor- mance indicators, it was high time leaders stopped lamenting and got Nigeria running, focusing on the great things that lie ahead of the people as a nation.

Attah said Nigeria, was full of great ideas but lacked implementation, which he said has been a bane to the country’s development. He said until Nigeria takes positive action and concentrates on democratic principles to build the nation right, nothing will change.

The event, which also marked the 68th birthday celebration of Utomi, had Governor Soludo, urge leaders and policymakers to get involved and stop complaining.

He said Nigeria’s fundamental change should be how leaders could leapfrog from a predominantly transition of politics and powers into one that is transformational.

To achieve this, Soludo mentioned two key words of leadership and institutions, which he said have not been given attention to. He said that the overall institutional framework, which he said is the nation’s constitution requires a fundamental review.

Similarly, Bishop Kukah, said even though Nigeria has not done well as a nation, looking ahead, there was a need for leaders to renew their energy with greater commitment and navigational tools for better governance.

At the panel section, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said Nigeria has all it takes to tackle insecurity, alleging that it was just a malaise, where people who are supposed to provide security refused to do their work. He alleged that leaders have used nepotism to outsmart craft and “have led us into an abyss, and until we decide to solve it, we continue to remain at a spot.”

Senator Aminu Tambuwal said Nigeria still has a long way to go on reforms, urging that leaders must imbibe the right attitude to achieve democracy and good governance. Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, said this government should not be too slow to declare war on insecurity.

According to him, the presidency has to decide whether bandits will take over the country or not.

“You need a president who is determined. We must have a system that works. It is either you are in charge or not. If you want to declare war on insecurity, you do so. You give governors the authority to tackle insecurity in their states. The governors are now house helps, they can’t walk away from the presidency over bad leadership, and it shouldn’t be. You are the governor of your state, democracy should be practiced,” he said.

The celebrant, whose event was held in his honour, Utomi, said the inspiration to write the book was how to make a better world and “those who come through us have a better humanity.

“Our country has been challenged, not because people are wicked but ignorant to do what is good enough even for themselves,” he said. Stating that his goal was to build a nation with a disposition of love, he added, “Nigeria has to put on the garment of love because leadership is all about love. If you can’t love, you can’t be a good leader. Our goal is to build a nation with disposition of love, if you can build it, you have a befitting and successful nation, as well as relative peace.”

The book reviewer, Prof. Osita Ogbu, said the book is a collection of key players with a contemporary history that confronts realities and state performers.