Kingsley Moghalu, a presidential aspirant for the 2023 presidential election under the umbrella of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has stated that what the country needs is transformational leaders and not experienced politicians.
“I’m always amused to see some Nigerians adoring ‘experienced’ politicians. There are rare exceptions, but 90percent of them are directly responsible for the mess we are in today. We need real transformational leaders with solid track records in leadership and governance across domains,” Moghalu said.
The former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) stated this on his Twitter while urging Nigerians to vote for leaders that will bring the needed change in the country, and not necessarily make their choices based on proximity.
Moghalu, who is the chairman and chief executive officer of Sogato Strategies LLC, has been at the forefront of the demand for transformational leadership in Africa, and especially in Nigeria.
He once said in the Africa Leadership Conference, ‘Our leaders have the responsibility of building institutions that can create a level playing field for everyone and shield citizens from tyranny, to achieve economic transformation, and to reclaim our country’s place in the world.’
“My personal understanding of leadership, especially in the context of countries like those in Africa, is that great leaders must be transformational. And I always approach the subject with the end in mind: what, for example, would be said about my service after I have completed a specific leadership task or responsibility? Indeed, to envision more radically, what will be said at my funeral?” he stated.
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Moghalu explained that Nigeria is a massive begging site because people are impoverished from lack of economic opportunity. However, he noted that philanthropies like him can do little to salvage the situation, except a system is put in place to drive it.
“ But philanthropy, much as I do it, and it can be helpful in individual cases, is not the solution to such a mass problem. We need a system that works and provides a level playing ground,” he said.
Some of the respondents to Moghalu’s view affirmed that inclusive development is what Nigeria needs at a time like this and that it comes from competent governance. Besides, they argued that whether Nigerians get it or not depends on their voters.
Chijioke Okwuokenye noted the need to continuously engage Nigerians on the issue of leadership because according to him, they will one day come to the realisation of the fact that the country needs responsible leaders; and that Nigerians have a responsibility to their conscience to support the move.
Meanwhile, the ADC presidential candidate for 2023 disclosed that his first Moghalu4Nigeria (M4N) initiative has just opened in Oturkpo, Benue State. He promised that many of such offices will be opened in the next few months across the federation.
“Within the next few months our structures will be present in every voting ward in Nigeria,” he said.
