By Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD

“The transformation of Nigeria hinges not on a single leader, but on a reformed system that cultivates servant leadership, institutional integrity, and strategic foresight across all sectors” – Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD

Preamble

Nigeria’s potential is constrained not by a lack of resources, but by a deficit of transformative leadership. To unlock the possibilities for its people, corporations, and the nation, a systemic overhaul is required. Dr. Adegoke presents an original, comprehensive framework designed to cultivate a new leadership paradigm across all sectors. The proposed model is built on the pillars of ethical governance, institutional integrity, strategic competency, and a culture of servant leadership, aligning Nigerian outcomes with global benchmarks for sustainable development.

1. The Core Philosophy: Redefining Leadership for Nigeria

The prevailing leadership model, often characterized by transactional and authoritarian tendencies, must be deliberately supplanted. The new ethos must be rooted in two complementary paradigms:

·         Servant Leadership: Positioning leaders as enablers and stewards whose primary mandate is to empower citizens and employees, remove systemic obstacles, and foster an environment for collective flourishing.

·         Transformational Leadership: Demanding leaders who can articulate and inspire commitment to a unifying national vision—one that transcends parochial interests and mobilizes human capital towards shared prosperity.

·         Stakeholder Value Orientation: For the corporate sector, this necessitates a shift from narrow shareholder primacy to a broader commitment to creating value for all stakeholders—employees, customers, communities, and the environment—in alignment with international Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles.

2. A Multi-Sectoral Framework for Action

Sustainable progress requires synchronized leadership excellence across public, private, and civic spheres.

Tier 1: Public Sector & Governance Reformation

The public sector sets the foundational tone and must be the primary focus of reform.

A. Institutional Fortification:

·         Meritocratic Appointments: Establish transparent, competitive recruitment processes for all significant public offices (Ministers, Agency Heads, Ambassadors), with publicly disclosed competency criteria to eliminate patronage.

·         Guaranteed Autonomy: Legislate and enforce the operational and financial independence of critical institutions—the Judiciary, anti-corruption bodies (EFCC, ICPC), the electoral commission (INEC), and the Central Bank (CBN). Leadership appointments must be based on non-partisan expertise.

·         Digital-First Governance: Accelerate the implementation of a robust national digital identity system and integrate all citizen-facing services onto centralized, interoperable platforms to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability.

B. Performance and Accountability Infrastructure:

·         Mandatory KPIs for Public Officials: Link the tenure and remuneration of cabinet members, governors, and agency heads to the achievement of Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) objectives, directly tied to national development goals like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

·         Radical Transparency: Mandate real-time public disclosure of government budgets, contracts, and project trackers through open-data portals to empower citizen oversight and deter malfeasance.

C. Justice and Security Sector Modernization:

·         Leadership Accountability: Invest in continuous, world-class training for judicial and security leadership in modern jurisprudence, human rights, and strategic management. Hold leaders directly accountable for the ethical conduct of their institutions.

Tier 2: Corporate Sector & Economic Leadership

The private sector must evolve from navigating a challenging environment to actively shaping a competitive one.

A. Mainstreaming Global Best Practices:

·         Mandatory ESG Integration: Enforce comprehensive ESG reporting as a listing requirement on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) to align with global capital markets, attract sustainable investment, and demonstrate corporate responsibility.

·         Robust Corporate Governance: Strengthen the enforcement of the Nigerian Code of Corporate Governance, ensuring board compositions reflect diversity, independence, and strategic expertise for effective oversight.

B. Cultivating Ethical Innovation:

·         The Ethical Tone from the Top: CEOs and board chairs must be the chief advocates for organizational integrity, implementing zero-tolerance policies for corruption and fostering a culture of compliance.

·         Strategic Investment in Human Capital: Corporate strategy must prioritize significant investment in research & development (R&D) and continuous talent development to build a globally competitive Nigerian workforce.

C. Constructive Collaboration:

·         Strategic Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Corporate leaders should engage government as proactive partners in co-designing critical infrastructure and policy frameworks.

·         Industry-Wide Standards: Form influential industry consortia to drive self-regulation, establish high operational standards, and advocate for sector-wide policies that enhance national competitiveness.

Tier 3: Civic & Grassroots Leadership Activation

Unleashing the potential of the Nigerian people is the ultimate objective.

A. Educational System Transformation:

·         Curriculum Modernization: Overhaul the national educational curriculum to embed critical thinking, digital literacy, ethical reasoning, and entrepreneurial skills from foundational to tertiary levels.

·         Reforming the NYSC: Re-engineer the National Youth Service Corps into a premier leadership academy, focusing on practical community development, entrepreneurship, and fostering genuine national cohesion.

B. Empowering Civil Society:

·         Amplifying Grassroots Voices: Create protected platforms and provide resources for community organizers, social entrepreneurs, and civic activists who are catalysts for local development.

·         A Free and Responsible Media: Support a robust, independent media sector that acts as a societal watchdog, upholding the highest standards of investigative journalism and ethical reporting.

3. Foundational Enablers for Systemic Change

These competencies are essential for the framework’s success across all sectors:

·         Evidence-Based Decision-Making: Transition all strategic planning from intuition to rigorous data analytics.

·         Strategic Foresight: Institutionalize long-term horizon scanning and scenario planning within government and corporate strategy units.

·         Emotional Intelligence & Inclusive Dialogue: Cultivate leadership capable of managing complex social dynamics, fostering inclusivity, and healing national fault lines.

4. Implementation Pathway & Metrics for Success

Phase 1: Catalyzation (Years 0-2)

·         Launch a high-impact national leadership and ethics initiative.

·         Enact and implement robust electoral reforms to guarantee credible elections.

·         Legislate mandatory ESG reporting for all NGX-listed firms.

Phase 2: Institutionalization (Years 3-5)

·         Achieve full digitization of core government services and financial management systems.

·         Establish a world-class, independent National Institute of Strategic Leadership.

·         Fully operationalize the performance-based KPI system for all federal leadership positions.

Phase 3: Global Integration (Years 6-10+)

·         Nigeria emerges as a regional leader in governance and corporate integrity.

·         Demonstrate measurable, sharp improvements in global indices: Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business, and the UN Human Development Index.

Conclusion: The Call to Build a Legacy

The gap between Nigeria’s potential and its reality can only be bridged by a deliberate and courageous commitment to leadership transformation. This framework provides a structured, actionable pathway. It demands a collective break from the past and an unwavering dedication to a future where Nigerian leadership is synonymous with service, integrity, and excellence. The responsibility to choose this path rests with the current generation of leaders across every sphere of national life.

Dr. Tolulope A. Adegoke, AMBP-UN is a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in History and International Studies, Fellow Certified Management Consultant & Specialist, Fellow Certified Human Resource Management Professional, a Recipient of the Nigerian Role Models Award (2024), and a Distinguished Ambassador For World Peace (AMBP-UN). He has also gained inclusion in the prestigious compendium, “Nigeria @65: Leaders of Distinction.”

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has shifted the commencement of its Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) in full computer-based (CBT) mode to 2027, rather than 2026, as previously directed by the Federal government.

The 2026 May/June WASSCE will still be a test-run pilot of the full-CBT format, with students having the option of sitting for their papers in either CBT or paper-and-pen format.

The Chairman of Nigeria National Committee (NNC) of WAEC, who is the Federal Government’s Nominee, Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, gave the hint on Thursday at the opening session of this year’s Annual Meeting of NNC (63rd edition) in Umuahia, Abia State.

NNC is the highest decision-making organ of WAEC for Nigeria, and the committee comprises virtually all the education stakeholders in the country. Members meet once annually on a rotational basis among the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

Abdulkadir, who doubles as Director of Basic Education, Federal Ministry of Education, stated that NEC WAEC is aware of the concerns that the federal government directives to the examination bodies to migrate to full-CBT by 2026 have been raised among the stakeholders.

“So, I want to assure that no candidate sitting the 2026 WASSCE will be disenfranchised in any form,” she stressed.

Hajia Abdukadir explained some of the recent efforts made by WAEC towards smooth migration to full-CBT mode, including the training of senior school students on the pilot test of the use of tablets and digital style in responding to Essay Questions on a computer, among others.

Speaking on the recent review of the Basic and Secondary School Curricula, she assured that no candidate would also be restricted from registering subjects from other subject groups or distinct elective fields.

She said: “Science students are not barred from taking Economics as an elective to complete their subject selection even as the period for Continuous Assessment Scores (CASS) uploading has been extended for accurate capturing of CASS for candidates, who must take new subjects in line with the Federal government’s approved list for the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026.”

The Psychiatric Hospital and Elderly People’s Home built in Aguleri, Anambra State, by the Founder of Seraphic Homes Foundation (SHF), Evangelist Chukwuebuka Anozie Obi, has started operations.

Speaking to journalists in his office in Lagos on Saturday, Evangelist Ebuka Obi, who is also the Spiritual Director of Zion Prayer Movement Outreach, said two mentally challenged people, a man and a woman, had already been admitted to the hospital after being rescued from the streets Of Anambra by the Rescue team set up by the Seraphic foundation. The man was picked up from Nteje community while the woman used to roam the streets of Onitsha  Main Market from where she was rescued.

“The two were immediately assessed by psychiatric doctors and other health professionals who started treatment thereafter. They are now being looked after and provided with all the care they need completely free of charge,” Ebuka disclosed, adding that the rescue team would bring in more mentally challenged people in the days ahead.

The Psychiatrist hospital which was built at Aguleri Anambra State, that cost over N1.6 billion was commissioned on September 19 by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of Anambra State. It is designed to provide completely free psychiatric care to individuals battling mental illnesses. It offers  comprehensive care including diagnosis, treatment, medication, rehabilitation, accommodation, and welfare to patients all at no cost to them or their families.

According to Ebuka, his foundation is “determined to create a society where the mentally challenged are no longer abandoned on the streets, but embraced, treated, rehabilitated and empowered to live meaningful lives after being reintegrated back to society”.

Seraphic Homes Foundation had in April this year opened the first ever Old People’s Home and Orphanage in Mgbirichi, Imo State. It was commissioned by Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma. The state-of-the-art facility provides a safe and nurturing environment for orphans and elderly individuals, offering them a sense of belonging and care. “It is currently in operation and providing shelter, food, clothing, education, and healthcare for abandoned children, and ensuring that the elderly who have no one to take care of them are offered shelter and all the support they need in their old age”, the Evangelist added.

He explained that he established the foundation with the objective of touching and impacting lives positively and promoting the welfare of others, a passion he had always nursed from childhood upon being called by God early in life.

He stated that the foundation’s mission is to provide tangible help to those in need by addressing financial struggles and offering educational opportunities. “We run a whole range of programmes which support disadvantaged and impoverished families by providing scholarships for scores of children up to university level some of which have graduated as well as funding for patients  who are unable to afford life-sustaining treatment and pay hospital bills for various health challenges”, he explained.

Evangelist Ebuka emphasized the importance of collective efforts  to create a better world, encouraging individuals, businesses, and organizations to join the cause by donating, volunteering, or spreading the word.

He also disclosed plans to replicate the projects in all the states of the federation. “To serve humanity with all I have is my calling and this is what I am going to do for the rest of my life,” he declared.