LEADERSHIP, DEVELOPMENT

AND CHANGE

Selected Works of Dr Otive Igbuzor

Vol. 7
LEADERSHIP, DEVELOPMENT
AND CHANGE

Otive Igbuzor
 Published by
Kraft Books Limited
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Box 22084, University of Ibadan Post Office
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© Otive Igbuzor, 2017

First published 2017

ISBN 978–978–918–454–5

All Rights Reserved

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any
language or computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, magnetic, chemical, photocopying, recording, manual or
otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

First printing, August 2017

 DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to all those who have struggled for

change–to overcome leadership and development failures across
the world.

v
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book is the seventh in the series of my collection of selected

works. The first is Perspectives on Democracy and Development
published in 2005; the second is Challenges of Development in
Nigeria published in 2009; the third is Overcoming the Challenges
of Transformation in Nigeria published in 2012; the fourth is
National Security and Policing in Nigeria published in 2012; the
fifth is Nigeria: Public Administration Reform and the Emergence
of Buhari published in 2015 and the sixth is Sermon Outline for
a Triumphant Christian Life published in 2016.
The papers that form this volume are a selection of papers
presented at various fora from 2012 to 2016. I am grateful to
all those individuals and organizations that invited me to present
these papers which provided me the opportunity to put my ideas
to paper.
The publication of my papers as selected works was motivated
by colleagues who suggested that I should put together the
papers into a book form. The first and second volumes were
sold out within a short time necessitating a reprint of the second
volume. In addition, the publication of these papers is meant to
document my ideas for posterity. Some of the prescriptions may
not be adopted in my lifetime. But I am confident that they will
be useful to this and future generations.
I acknowledge and thank my colleagues in the African Centre
for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD) and
Institute of Strategic Management Nigeria (ISMN) who
contributed in sharing time, ideas and materials with me that
enriched the papers that make up this volume.
During the preparation of the papers that formed the content
of this book, I have held several discussions and benefited from
the insight of many people. I would however like to place on
record the support of the following people: Dr. Omano Edigheji,
Mr. Monday Osasah, Mr. Emmanuel Anoliefo, Mr. Dayo Olaide,
Mr. Samson Adeniran, Dr. Hildegard Behrendt-Kigozi, Dr. Sam

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Amadi, Dr. Kole Shettima, Mal. Salihu Lukman, Dr. Jibrin
Ibrahim, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, Bar. A. B. Mahmoud, Prof.
Chidi Odinkalu, Prof. Attahiru Jega, Olorogun Lucky Oghene
Omoru, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, Ms. Abiola Akiode, Ms. Amina Salihu,
Ms. Ojobo Atuluku, Mr. Brian Kagoro, Mr. John Odah, Prof.
Sam Egwu, Chief (Mrs) Joy Ezeilo, Dr. Mohammed Kuna, Prof.
Okey Ibeanu, Prof. Daniel Omoweh, Dr. J. ‘Kayode Fayemi, Mr.
Yemi Mapaderun, Dr. Austin Uwandulu, Pastor Itia Otabor, Mr.
Hilary Ogbonna, Dr. Hussaini Abdu, Dr (Mrs) Jummai Umar-
Ajijola, Hajia Amina Mohammed, OFR, Ms. Comfort Obi, OON,
Mr. Vincent Dania, Mr. Uchenna Arisukwu, Ms. Ngozi Izuora,
Mr. Chuks Erhire, Mr. Foster Akpore, Mr. M. A. Mukoro, Mr.
Eddy Aghanenu, Comrade Anthony Agarry, Mr. Sunday Iyere,
Bar. Marvel Odiedi, Mr. Athora Endurance Ichako, Ms. Helen
Onokiti, Hon. Emeka Ofili, Mr. Josiah Ntekume, Mr. Tive Denedo,
Mr. Joe Igbuzor, Dr. Ejovi Osioma, Dr. Edwin Achugbue, Chief
Monday Itoghor, Mr. Ese Okobia, Mr. Henry Itedjere, Dr. P. O.
Itedjere, Dr. Sunny Awefeada, Mr. Felix Oderhohwo and Chief
Andrew Egonte.
I will also like to acknowledge my wife (Ejiro) for her love,
support and prayers. I also thank my children (Uvie and Rukky)
for their conduct which is a source of pride to me.
Finally, I will like to appreciate the publishers for their editorial
advice and professionalism.

Otive Igbuzor, PhD

January, 2017

vii
 FOREWORD

This book, Leadership, Development and Change, dwells on the

unique factor of political leadership in national development
and progress. Aside this broad thematic concern, in the book
can be found other important discourses including the role of
political leadership in the construction of national identity, the
intractable problem of corruption, the management of diversity
and the present dilemma of making democracy work in the
interest of citizens. It is difficult to challenge the fundamental
premise of the collections of contributions of the author over
the years considering the role that leadership has played in the
success of many previously underdeveloped economies and
societies such as Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea in
standing the realities of underdevelopment on its head. The
success story of these countries, regardless of their democratic
status, and to which we may include China, come out tellingly
in forging national identities out of disparaging and competing
identity, building modern economies, curtail the proclivity of
the elite to corruptly enrich themselves at the expense of the
people, and lifting millions of people out of poverty and social
desperation.
It is this remarkable and development game changing power
of political leadership that makes leadership the most decisive
factor in comparison to other factors including geography and
natural resource endowment. What this book demonstrates is
the fact that political leadership is particularly crucial for the
development of nations to the extent that development and
fortunes of many nations are tied to the type and quality of
political leadership they have. Echoing the voice of the late
Professor Claude Ake that political conditions in Africa are the
greatest impediment to development on the continent, the
author provides a scintillating account of the crisis of
development created in beleaguered nations and citizens across
the African continent and in Nigeria in particular.

viii
 This book responds adequately to the challenge of leadership
in contemporary Nigeria by providing broad indications of
change necessary to make national progress as well as a model
of managing resistance to change. For example, the author
persuasively argues that leaders have a duty to educate citizens
about upcoming changes before they occur; meaning that the
nature and logic of the change should be clearly communicated
by the leadership to the followership as a means of preparing
them for the shock elements of change. More importantly, he
argues that in the course of superintending over desirable
change, the leadership is expected to listen to the people affected
by the change. And that training, resources and incentives should
be provided to the people who need to carry out the change and
perform their roles under the new circumstances.
What makes this book outstanding is the consistency of the
author in not assigning leadership an independent role in the
process of development and change without underscoring the
importance of democratic governance. Thus, in his clamour
for transformative leadership, the author draws our attention
to overarching imperative of building strong democratic
institutions and entrenching the culture of democratic
governance as well as building democratic citizenship. This point
is enough for many who wish to discredit democracy as a
framework for achieving rapid national progress because of
the experience of the Asian Tiger where authoritarian rule
fostered rapid economic development and national progress. I
say without fear of being controverted that Nigeria’s political
class, the youth population aspiring to leadership positions, and
scholars and students in the social sciences and management
will find this book most engaging and compelling to read and
digest.

Professor Sam Egwu

May, 2017
Professor of Political Science and former Governance Adviser for the United
Nations Development Programme in Nigeria and President of Nigerian Political
Science Association (NPSA)

ix
 CONTENTS

Dedication ....................................................................... v
Acknowledgements ........................................................... vi
Foreword ......................................................................... viii

PART 1: INTRODUCTION .................................... 1

Chapter 1
Leadership, Development and Change ................... 3
PART II: LEADERSHIP ........................................ 41
Chapter 2
Governance Issues and the 2015 Elections ............ 43
Chapter 3
The Role of Leadership in Engendering High
Performance Organisational Culture ..................... 82
PART III: DEVELOPMENT ................................... 97
Chapter 4
Nigeria and the Post-2015 Development Agenda:
Lessons from the MDGs and Developing
People Centred National Priorities ......................... 99
Chapter 5
Setting an Agenda for Inclusive and
Sustainable Development in an Era of
Change in Nigeria ................................................. 136
Chapter 6
Promoting Transparency, Accountability
and Fighting Corruption at the Level
of State Budget ...................................................... 155
Chapter 7
Ethnicity, Religious Intolerance and
Party Politics in Nigeria: The Way Forward ............ 175
Chapter 8
Men and Boys: The Missing Link in Plausible
Solutions to Gender Based Violence ....................... 185

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PART IV: CHANGE .............................................. 197
Chapter 9
Value Re-orientation and Transformation:
A Panacea for Growth and Development ............... 199
Chapter 10
Poverty Eradication in a Progressive
Government in Nigeria .......................................... 213
Chapter 11
Nigerian Women as Agents
of Socio-economic Change .................................... 238
Chapter 12
The Good and Bad Aspects of the Attitude
of the Nigerian Police Personnel:
Modalities for Improvement and Change .............. 247
Chapter 13
Becoming A Strategist of Value: Contemporary
Trends and Positioning Organizations for
Relevance and Success .......................................... 258
PART V: THE PLACE OF KNOWLEDGE ................ 275
Chapter 14
Hundred Years of the Nigerian Woman:
Story, Successes and Challenges ............................ 277
Chapter 15
Power Struggles and Corruption:
Deconsolidating Democracy in Nigeria.................. 284
Chapter 16
Journey to Significance ......................................... 289
Chapter 17
Doing it Well: A Guide on Improving
Quality of Life for Women with Disabilities ........... 295

Index ............................................................................... 300

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