Okowa: Nigeria lacks a true leader that can unify the country

Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta, says Nigeria lacks a true national leader that can unify the country.

Okowa said this on Monday, in Asaba at the 2021 Sam Epelle Memorial Gold Paper Lecture, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

He described the theme of the lecture, ‘Reinventing Nigeria’s Unity for Global Relevance in the 21st Century: Issues of Identity, Governance and Stability’ as apt.

He said the endowments and resources of the country cannot be harnessed and put to full economic use without unity.

He said Nigerians seem to derive more comfort, protection and security from their ethnic identity and that the nation will become better and able to harness its untapped resources if the people become more united.

“Nigeria needs unity today and always. We can become a better nation if we work together,” Okowa said.

“From all indications, bad governance, ethnoreligious conflicts and lack of faith in the electoral process, are major causes of disunity in the country.

“The concept of one Nigeria, therefore, is still just a theory. Another factor responsible for our current disunity is the lack of political will to devise a constitution that supports true federalism.

“The nation lacks a true national leader with a clear determination and focus to unify the country.

“It is the leader that charts and navigates the way for the flock to follow and it is the leader’s action, inaction and body language that dictate the tunes for the dance steps of the public.

“There is no doubt that inefficient leadership is the major challenge retarding the growth and sustainable development of Nigeria.”

The governor said the country is in dire need of good leadership that will entrench the desired unity, sustainable growth and development in the nation.

He said leadership is pivotal to whatever social change desired in any society.

“Having such a unifying person would have been one big leap because it could have taken care of the most central challenges of our country,” he added.

“With a good leader, the country would immensely benefit more from its ethnoreligious diversity.”

The governor called on the federal and state governments to pay more attention to the youths.