Gbaja: Why Nigeria desperately needs leaders with capacity, character

Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, says with the way the world is changing, Nigeria desperately needs leaders that have capacity and character.

Gbajabiamila said this on Monday at the opening of the legislative mentorship initiative (LMI) workshop, themed ‘Building the Next Generation of Nigeria’s Public Sector Leaders’.

The LMI is a programme initiated by Gbajabiamila as part of efforts to train youths in public sector governance.

Speaking in Abuja, he said the quality of decision-making in politics and governance will determine the progress of the country.

“These are exciting times. In Nigeria, and across the world, we are experiencing rapid and relentless changes across every facet of our lives. Some of these changes are technological; others are economic and political,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“There is also a great deal of demographic and population change. All are happening at the same time.

“It is clear to anybody paying attention that the old equilibrium is unsettled, and the rules of the old order no longer apply. What is less clear is what happens next.

“Whatever happens, Nigeria desperately needs leaders with the capacity and character to manage change.

“The consequences of the changes happening in our world today will depend on how we respond, the decisions we make, and the ideas we choose to invest in.

“The quality of our decision-making in politics and governance will define the course of our country. Whether we achieve progress, prosperity, peace, and security for all our people depends entirely on the capacity and competence of our political leadership.”

In her remarks, Gill Atkinson, British deputy high commissioner to Nigeria, congratulated the participants.

She said the participants would have the opportunity to have an insight into what public officers do, learn from them, and identify areas that need improvement.

Dapo Owoyele, director-general of LMI, said 74 young Nigerians were selected out of 4,000 applicants, to attend the workshop for a period of five weeks, after which the participants would intern with lawmakers.