Is age a factor in leadership?

In recent weeks and months, many Nigerians have called for younger candidates to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023. 

I recall that former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, had stated that President Buhari’s successor must not be above 60 years, must understand the nation’s deepest problems, must be a good Nigerian leader, must be a person who is well-travelled across Nigeria, must be someone who has friends everywhere and the candidate must be very versed in economics.

Although IBB listed about six criteria the next president should possess, most political commentators concentrated on the age part.

I recall that President Buhari has signed a ‘Not Too Young To Run’ bill to reduce the age limits across political offices, including the presidency. The ‘Not Too Young To Run’ bill will reduce the presidential age limit from 40 to 35 and, for governorship positions, from 35 to 30.

Based on present realities, most Nigerians are calling on former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, and former Lagos state governor, Bola Tinubu, not to run on account of their age.

The million-dollar question is; is age a factor in performance and governance? I don’t think so. I can give countless examples of leaders who have performed abysmally, both young and old.

Come to think of it, more than 80 percent of our presidents, both military and civilian, were below 60. Are we closer to utopia? I don’t think so. Since the dawn of democracy in 1999, we have had Olusegun Obasanjo (62), Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (57), Goodluck Jonathan (53), Muhammadu Buhari (72).

From 1960, Tafawa Balewa( 45), Major-General Aguiyi Ironsi(42), General Yakubu Gowon( 31), General Murtala Mohammed ( 37), General Olusegun Obasanjo(41), Shehu Shagari( 53), General Muhammadu Buhari(41), Gen Ibrahim Babangida (44), Gen Sani Abacha( 50) and Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar( 56).

From the foregoing, it can be seen that most of our leaders were below 60 and yet we are still far from our promised land.

According to reports, Nigeria has over 40 percent youth population so the youths have the power to change any leader they want. Unfortunately in Nigeria, most youths are more interested in voting in Big Brother Naija, The Voice, and Nigeria Idols. However, with the awareness raised during the #EndSARS protest, I believe more youths will come out en masse in 2023.

Personally, I don’t think age is a factor when it comes to governance, especially in Nigeria. Greed, selfishness, and mental vacuity exist in all ages in Nigeria.

Presently most of our state governors assumed office in their forties and earlier fifties. Have they turned their states to Dubai?

Our basic needs in Nigeria are simple — good economy, good security, favourable policies for small businesses to thrive in Nigeria, good infrastructure and we are good to go.

When villagers can go to the farm safely without fear of being attacked or killed by killer herdsmen or bandits, when the herders are not scared of their cattle being rustled. Presently, solving the insecurity is paramount.

What we need in 2023 is a leader with the intelligence, capacity, and pedigree to deliver — no matter the age.