Author is strongly convinced that poor leadership our country has been constantly suffering from is due to lack of qualification and educational background. However, the problem traces its roots much deeper than it may seem.
The United States is a perfect example of how strong presidential leadership managed to successfully lead the country through the painful process of decolonization in XVIII century. The American Revolution was made possible due to the exceptional qualities of the so-called Founding Fathers, who were able to convert American society, its government, values and culture into what The United States of America are now.
Each American revolutionary leader was a divine combination of good personality, outstanding education, integrity and devotement to provide for the common good. Through the “brilliance of their thought, the creativity of their politics” and ability to combine “ideas and power, intellectualism and politics” they were leading the country to the better future serving as the ideal patterns of behavior for the common people.
However, Nigerian governmental elite cannot be described in the same way. During 1960, when the country was released from the colonial burden, to 2007 not a single Head of Government or his deputy except Dr. Alex Ekwueme and Chief Ernest Shonekan possessed a certificate of higher education. Eight senior leaders of Nigeria in the period from January 1966 to May 1999, including Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari, were of military educational background. Though they studied in outstanding military schools and, with no doubt, were skilled military officers, such kind of education hadn’t apparently given them enough expertise to run the whole country. The military regimented system formed under the ruling of the retired military men was described as “constitutional dictatorship” that simply prevented Nigeria’s transformation into constitutional democracy.
Nigeria is probably one of the few democratic countries in the world experiencing such enormous influence of former military officers on the government and political process in whole. Having received little or no relevant education they were not able to understand the concept of the modern state, which was imposed on African people by European colonialists. As far as the nature of modern democratic state was completely different from what African countries (except Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia) used to be in pre-colonial times, its principles and institutions were absolutely unknown to the indigenous people. Thus, the African leader, especially those of military background, could hardly understand how to perform effectively in the totally new circumstances.
In other words, leaders with no proper educational and personal background were not able to cope with the challenges Africa faced in the period of decolonization.
However, it should be taken into account that the principles of poor leadership are partially imposed by the Constitution, section 131 of which provides:
“A person shall be qualified for election to the office of President if –
(a) he is a citizen of Nigeria by birth;
(b) he has attained the age of forty years;
(c) he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party; and
(d) he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.”
Section 318(1) concerning the school certificate or its equivalent provides the following definition:
“(a) a Secondary School Certificate or its equivalent, or Grade II Teacher’s Certificate, the City and Guilds Certificate; or
(b) education up to Secondary School Certificate level (i.e. without the certificate); or
(c) Primary Six School Leaving Certificate or its equivalent and –
(i) service in the public or private sector in the Federation in any capacity acceptable to the Independent National Electoral Commission for a minimum of ten years, and
(ii) attendance at courses and training in such institutions as may be acceptable to the Independent National Electoral Commission for periods totaling up to a minimum of one year; and
(iii) the ability to read, write, understand and communicate in the English language to the satisfaction of the Independent National Electoral Commission; and
(d) any other qualification acceptable by the Independent National Electoral Commission.”
Nowadays, when fake certificates are not uncommon and level of secondary education is sliding down, what Sections 131(d) and 318(1) encourage is illiteracy among the senior leaders of the country.
Mr. Nwabueze believes that the certificate of higher education or its equivalent should be a minimum qualification standard for presidential candidates and other senior officials.
In 2010 Section 131(d) underwent some changes: the words “school certificate level or its equivalent” were removed and substituted with “tertiary level and obtained the relevant certificates. Section 318(1) was also amended and therefore provided the following definitions:
“(a) Ordinary National Diploma or its equivalent; or
(b)Nigerian Certificate in Education or its equivalent; or
(c)Higher School Certificate or its equivalent; or
(d)Advanced School Certificate or its equivalent; or
(e) Higher National Diploma or its equivalent.”
However, the amendments were lost at some stage of the process and never became law. It’s a shame for Nigeria desperately needs it now.
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