ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Thursday, January 21, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Between Politics and Leadership, By Cynthia Mbamalu

Between Politics and Leadership, By Cynthia Mbamalu

byPremium Times
April 28, 2014
3 min read
ADVERTISEMENT

On April 16, 2014 disaster befell South Korea with the sinking of a ferry with more than 300 people dead or missing. The grieving families expressed their grief and disappointment in the manner at which the disaster was handled by the government, “booing” the Prime Minister Chung Hong-won. The Prime Minister on Sunday, 27th of April, 2014 resigned stating that he thought he should take responsibility as he watched the families suffer with pain of losing their loved ones.

Back home, on the 15th of March, 2014, the Nigerian Immigration Service under the supervision of  the Honorable Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro conducted a shoddy recruitment exercise with an avoidable stampede which claimed about 20 lives with many sustaining both physical and emotional injuries. The minster in his immediate response to the crisis attributed the stampede and the deaths on the impatience of the ‘[ resignation and/or removal and the inquiry by the National Assembly into the matter which has so far indicted the Minister of Interior, the Hon. Minister released a very suspicious apology for the incidence.

Unimaginably, the Minister was bold to state that his continuous stay in office will aid the investigation. Then a group of concerned Nigerians organize a protest demanding justice and accountability, they are arrested and reminded that human rights do have limits in some parts of the Federal Government Territory.

Recently, the Say No Campaign Nigeria, Centre for Democracy & Development, Brekete Family Radio and the Open Society Initiative for West Africa convoked a Citizens Public Hearing on the immigration exams stampede to gather facts and document the experiences of the victims. Till date, the demand for justice and accountability for the victims of the NIS stampede has not ceased.  Surely, this demand for justice will not fizzle out as anticipated by Comrade Abba Moro and his cohorts.

Nigeria is such a blessed Nation with a people so forgiving not because our kindness knows no bounds but because our system provides us with no channel to truly ventilate our grievances and gain redress or justice.  Forgiveness becomes more of a dosage for our peace of mind than a decision to let go of past hurts because someone has taken responsibility for our grievances. So we rant and vent and move on to the next issue because truly, No One Listens!

On 14th of April, 2014 the Federal Capital Territory was reminded that citizens in some states of the North East experience live terror each day when a bomb blast claimed over 70 lives in Nyanya area. We all called it ‘black Monday’ and the President took out some minutes to sympathize with the victims of the blast. The hospitals, the media, the streets, offices, schools, relevant Institutions, all felt the impact of the bomb blast.

Hours later the media had an interesting news; Politics in Kano state, a son was welcomed back home and a great feast followed. This was not so different from the beautiful fireworks that colored our skies in Abuja while tears rolled uncontrollably in Yobe over the death of innocent Federal Government College students in February.

Issues of insecurity, justice and accountability are played to the galleries with void political banters from one party to the next with no clear solution. So we are in this vicious cycle of; “citizens loss, promises for redress, political criticism for failed promises and back again to citizens loss”.

The demand for good governance is borne from our right as a people to a government whose primary purpose is the welfare and security of the people. Welfare transcends the recent declaration of the robustness of our economy and the glorious shades of our GDP to positive impact on the lives of the people and true empathy to the plight of the people governed.

RelatedNews

Elections: 1,515 young Nigerians to contest for Senate, Reps – YIAGA

Ready To Run: Youth candidates unfold plans if elected

Election: YIAGA begins advocacy visits across Nigeria

Osun Poll: Group raises alarm over voter inducement

So while adverts making reference to the leadership qualities and philosophies of great men like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King may grace our TV screens as a reminder of the potential in our President, it is also important that outstanding qualities be truly built that reflects a leader that truly makes efforts to warm the hearts of the people through his words and actions. A leader who places citizen interest and empathy above political ambition. A leader that represents Nigerians and not a political party.

When do we draw the line between politics and leadership? When do we realize that the reward for honor and integrity speaks louder than the words of sycophants?

Please while the tempo set is targeted at who occupies what in 2015, we must remember that 200 school girls are yet to be returned home. The thought of what they are going through is traumatic so imagine the level of trauma they face with each dawn as captives. I pray along with the families of these school girls for their speedy rescue and healing.

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)

We must remember that the insecurity in some parts of Nigeria is a threat to the security of every Nigerian. What is 2015 without Nigerians?

Nigerians are asking for the very simple things…Welfare and Security.

May there be Peace and Justice in our Nation.

Cynthia Mbamalu, of the  Say No Campaign Nigeria, tweets @DCynthiaM

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...


JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (0)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Why LASU has not inaugurated students’ union executives – Official

Next Post

Nigerian military chief warns politicians against inflammatory statements

Premium Times

Premium Times

More News

Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram terrorists

Boko Haram: NHRC trains security personnel in Adamawa

September 17, 2020
The Nigerian Economic Summit Group

EDITORIAL: Unearthing the Cogent Lessons In the NESG-CBN Economic Policy Imbroglio

September 16, 2020
COVID-19: Coronavirus

EDITORIAL: COVID-19: Calling On Nigeria’s Billionaires and Religious Leaders To Step Up

March 26, 2020
SSS Officials

EDITORIAL: Bichi Must Go; Buhari Must Halt Slide Into Despotism

December 13, 2019
Godwin Emefiele, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

EDITORIAL: The flaws in Governor Emefiele’s five-year plan for Central Bank of Nigeria

October 16, 2019
Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore. [PHOTO CREDIT: Official Instagram account of Sowore]

EDITORIAL: President Buhari must release Sowore Now!

September 23, 2019
Next Post
Service chiefs Nigeria

Nigerian military chief warns politicians against inflammatory statements

Unpaid pensioners, sacked PHCN workers protest

Unpaid pensioners, sacked PHCN workers protest

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


NITDA Ad




Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert

Zenith Advert

Heritage Advert
ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps Address Nationwide
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.