Leadership, Followership and Accountability in Contemporary Nigeria: Challenges and the Way Forward

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue XII, December 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

Leadership, Followership and Accountability in Contemporary Nigeria: Challenges and the Way Forward

MOFOLUWAWO Esther Omoniyi
Department of Social Studies, Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract:-No nation the world over, has achieved meaningful development politically and economically without the input of effective and visionary leadership. It is apposite to say that Nigeria seems to have failed to produce quality leadership capable of addressing numerous challenges confronting the nation. Leadership, followership and accountability is a universal challenge to all nation states; while some developed countries have overcome the primitive stage to propel their economy and social welfare of citizens to a comfortable level, other developing economy are still grappling to grow above such challenges. The main objective of this paper is to examine the challenges of leadership, followership and accountability in contemporary Nigerian society, and propose a way forward. The paper look into the concept of leadership, types of leadership, qualities of good leadership and followership. This paper adopts descriptive approach and content analysis as its methodological orientation. The paper concludes that Nigerian must be ready to ask and demand for accountability if they want to make the society a better place. The paper recommend among others that: followers should be allowed to speak out their mind and show support when appropriate, there should be a good public opinion pool that will serve as a check and balance to leadership since docility of followers can plunder them into dictatorship and underdevelopment. Nigerian government should embrace practical approach to the promotion of accountability in governance and democracy, there must be roles and strategies to promote a set of values of responsibilities from the followers and leadership traits, integrity, transparency, responsiveness, rule of law, and efficiency should serve as the basis for consideration of leadership.

Keywords: Leadership, Followership, Accountability, Challenges, Values and Good governance.

Introduction

Nigeria is a multi-tribal system in which every tribe wants to excel or suppress the other though they are not on a level playing ground. The growth and development of any nation rest solely on the quality of her leadership. Leadership and followership are mutual activities of great influence to national development in all parts of the world. The socio-economic and political development of any country depends largely on the quality and ability of its leadership to facilitate, entrench and sustain good governance. Good governance is manifested in committed, patriotic and disciplined leadership as well as responsible followership. After sixty years of independence, Nigeria still struggles to record tangible socio-economic development. This trend is a direct consequence of the quality of leadership and how the country is being run. The leadership challenge has been a clog in the wheel of Nigeria’s progress to the extent that the present and past leaders of Nigeria seem to have failed to provide quality leadership capable of addressing numerous challenges confronting the nation (Mofoluwawo, 2015). Nigeria as a multi-ethnic, ethno-religious and plural society is faced with multi-dimensional problems of ethnic chauvinism, religious bigotry and political opportunism. The consequences of these include perpetration of crimes amidst national division, chaotic governance, injustice and diverse litigations, killings and kidnappings, distrust, strife and many more. It is a fact that where there are aforementioned challenges, development is more likely to be a mirage.

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