Bishop Matthew Kukah, the Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, has described President Bola Tinubu, his predecessor Muhammadu Buhari, and other past Nigerian leaders as products of an “accidental leadership cycle.”
According to Kukah, many of these leaders assumed power without adequate preparation, particularly in a world where the demands of governance are constantly evolving.
Kukah made these remarks on Sunday while delivering a keynote address during the commissioning of the new Start-Rite School building and the 4th Amaka Ndoma-Egba Memorial Lecture in Abuja. Reflecting on Nigeria’s leadership history, Bishop Kukah highlighted a recurring pattern of unpreparedness among the country’s leaders.
“If we look at Nigeria’s leadership journey, you will find that almost every leader who came to power did so by accident,” he said. “President Tinubu, despite claiming to be prepared for the role, is clearly struggling. We are still trying to find our footing. He took over from Buhari, who had already disengaged from governance.”
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Kukah continued, “Buhari succeeded Jonathan, a man who never envisioned himself as president but was thrust into leadership due to circumstances. Jonathan took over from Yar’Adua, who planned to return to teaching after his governorship. Yar’Adua succeeded Obasanjo, who was unexpectedly released from prison to become president. Before that, Obasanjo replaced Abacha, who was poised to rule indefinitely until nature intervened. Abacha followed Shonekan, a business executive abruptly drafted to lead the country. The cycle is evident, and the missing link in all of this is knowledge and preparation.”
Kukah argued that while Nigeria has embraced democratic principles like “one man, one vote,” its democratic process has repeatedly failed to deliver competent leadership. He stressed that modern leadership requires a deep understanding of the evolving environment and challenges.
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