The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, on Saturday, said that the absence of good governance has thrown up insecurity, poverty, unemployment, and sectional agitations in Nigeria
His Eminence, Alhaji Abubakar, stated this in his keynote address on Saturday, during the 2022 Bareqa Old Boys Association (BOBA) Annual Lecture /Dinner and Recognition Awards Event
The Sultan, who is also the Acting chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), stood for the substantive Chairman, Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon.
In his public lecture titled: ”The Challenges of Leadership and Governance in Nigeria: Looking Inwards and Falling Back on Indigenous Knowledge”, the sultan said: “Without peace, there cannot be any meaningful development in the society, there can not be development without security.
He said, “Throughout history, leadership has held the key to the quality of governance where leaders capture the vision of their societies and assemble the human and material resources to realize these visions. When problems arise, leaders assemble the wisdom and then resolve the necessary to address these problems.
“It is their commitment to the welfare of the people that endears leaders to citizens and earns their trust which gives leaders the moral capital to achieve their vision of shaping the future of their societies.
“Leaders are not necessarily the most learned in their communities, but they usually have the ability to use the knowledge available to achieve peace and security, as well as the development and prosperity of their societies
“Good governance which represents prudence, probity, transparency, justice, and equity is the major tool by which society is kept at peace while development and prosperity flourish.
“Peace and security are the foundation on which development and prosperity stand. Peace requires justice and equity as well as inclusion and respect for the other members of a plural society”, Abubakar said.
Reiterating the need to emphasize good governance in any discussion on leadership, the Sultan said, “the ability of leaders to ensure good governance is what defines their leadership and this requires not only knowledge but even more importantly, character.”
He said leaders must endeavour to keep institutions on their toes so that they achieve those purposes of government which include justice, peace, and development.
He noted that because good governance has become increasingly elusive, despair and frustration are gradually setting in and building up to a level that threatens the stability of our society.
“It is in the spirit of our responsibility as leaders that I wish to draw out attention to these increasing trends and the need to take some extraordinary measures to address them before they overwhelm us completely.
“I am particularly worried about the trend towards excessive materials that now engulfed our politics, particularly, the leadership election processes. Our problems may be many but their roots are few and fairly well-known.
“Today this reality is echoed daily in our palaces which have been the first and sometimes the only point of call of ordinary citizens. Our development partners and our national bureau of statistics keep producing figures that are worrying.
“It is important we turn a little to vision and reflect on these danger signs before they spring any more surprises as they have done recently and in the history of many societies”, Sultan said
The religious leader emphasized that the challenges facing leadership and governance today in Nigeria are many and vary, stressing that ”we can only consider the most urgent and the most consequential. Today the major challenges of leadership appear to be 5 in number, namely, peace and security, accountability, trust deficit, people’s welfare, and core values.”
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, in his remark, promised to continue to liaise and partner with the association to improve the education sector while appreciating the association for their visit and holding of the annual public event in Maiduguri.
Zulum pledged to consult the association on how to improve the education sector of Borno state and other sectors to boost the society’s economic and political activities of the state with the emerging peace in Borno.
The National President of the Bareqa Old Boys Association (BOBA), Engineer Dahiru Ibrahim, acknowledged the hospitality and comfort accorded to NEC, LOC and other members by the Governor, who is their Chief Host.
He appreciated the state government, organizers of the event, and the people of Borno for their support and cooperation.
The Shehu of Borno, HRH, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Ibn Garbai El Kanemi, thanked the association for choosing to hold their 2022 annual public lecture and dinner while appreciating His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, for the peaceful and cordial relationship that exist between the sultanate and the Kanem Borno empire since a century ago.