By Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD

“Leadership for our age is measured not by the height of the throne, but by the depth of its roots in integrity, the breadth of its embrace of collective talent, and the courage to cultivate systems that bear fruit for generations yet unseen” – Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD.

Leadership today is at a crossroad. Around the world, in our communities, and within our organizations, old ways of leading are straining under new pressures. This isn’t just a theoretical discussion; it’s about the quality of our daily lives, the success of our businesses, and the future of our nations. Let’s walk through the current trends, understand their very real impacts, and then explore practical, hands-on solutions that can unlock a better future for everyone.

Part 1: The Leadership Landscape – Where We Stand

The Global Picture: Beyond the Solo Leader

The image of the all-powerful, decisive leader at the top of a pyramid is fading. Today, effective leadership looks different. It’s more about empathy and service than authority. People expect their leaders—in companies and governments—to be authentic, to listen, and to foster teams where everyone feels safe to contribute. Furthermore, leadership is now tightly linked to purpose and responsibility. It’s no longer just about profits or power; stakeholders demand action on climate, fair treatment of workers, and ethical governance. Leaders must also be tech-savvy guides, helping their people navigate constant digital change while dealing with unpredictable global events that disrupt even the best-laid plans.

Africa’s Dynamic Challenge: Youth and Promise

Africa’s story is one of incredible potential meeting stubborn challenges. The continent is young, energetic, and full of innovative spirit. Yet, this tremendous asset often feels untapped. Too frequently, a gap exists between this rising generation and established leadership structures, leading to frustration. While the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presents a historic chance for economic unity, it requires leaders who think beyond their own borders. At the same time, democratic progress sometimes stalls, with leaders clinging to power. The most pragmatic leaders are those who engage with the vibrant informal economy—the hustlers, market traders, and artisans—who form the backbone of daily life and hold the key to inclusive growth.

Nigeria’s Pressing Reality: Crisis and Resilience

In Nigeria, the leadership experience often feels like moving from one emergency to the next. Attention is consumed by immediate crises—security threats, economic swings, infrastructure breakdowns—making long-term planning difficult. This has triggered a profound loss of confidence, visibly seen in the “Japa” phenomenon, where skilled professionals leave seeking stability and opportunity abroad. This brain drain is a direct critique of the system. Politics remains deeply influenced by ethnic and regional loyalties, which can overshadow competence and national vision. Yet, in the face of these trials, a remarkable spirit of entrepreneurial resilience shines through. Nigeria’s business people and tech innovators are daily solving problems and creating value, often compensating for wider systemic failures.

Part 2: The Real-World Impact – How This Affects Us All

These trends are not abstract; they touch lives, businesses, and countries in tangible ways.

·         On Everyday People: When leadership is perceived as self-serving or ineffective, trust evaporates. People feel anxious about the future and disconnected from their leaders. This can manifest as cynicism, social unrest, or the difficult decision to emigrate. The struggle to find good jobs, feel secure, and build a future becomes harder, deepening inequalities.

·         On Companies and Organizations: Businesses operate in a tough space. They face a war for talent, competing to retain skilled employees who have global options. They must also navigate unpredictable policies, provide their own power and security, and balance profitability with rising demands for social responsibility. The burden of operating in a challenging environment increases costs and risk.

·         On Nations: Countries plagued by poor governance face a competitiveness crisis. They struggle to attract the kind of long-term investment that builds economies. Policy becomes unstable, changing with political winds, which scares off investors and stalls development. Ultimately, this can destabilize not just one nation but entire regions, as problems like insecurity and migration spill across borders.

Part 3: A Practical Pathway Forward – Building Leadership That Delivers

The situation is complex, but it is not hopeless. Turning things around requires deliberate, concrete actions focused on systems, not just individuals.

1. Fortify Institutions with Transparency and Merit.

We must build systems so strong that they work regardless of who is in charge.

·         Action: Legally protect key institutions—the electoral body, the civil service, the courts—from political interference. Appointments must be based on proven competence and integrity, not connections.

·         Action: Implement technology-driven transparency. Let citizens track government budgets and projects in real time through public online portals. Sunshine is the best disinfectant.

2. Bridge the Gap Between Leaders and the Led.

Leadership must become a conversation, not a monologue.

·         Action: Create mandatory Youth Advisory Councils at all levels of government and in large corporations. Give young people a formal platform to contribute ideas and hold leaders accountable on issues like education, digital innovation, and job creation.

·         Action: Leaders must adopt regular, unscripted “town hall” meetings and use simple digital platforms to explain decisions and gather feedback directly from citizens and employees.

3. Channel Entrepreneurship into National Solutions.

Harness the proven problem-solving power of the private sector.

·         Action: Establish Public-Private Impact Partnerships. For example, the government can partner with tech companies to roll out digital identity systems or with agribusinesses to build modern farm-to-market logistics. Clear rules and shared goals are key.

·         Action: Launch National Challenge Funds that invite entrepreneurs and researchers to compete to solve specific national problems, like local clean energy solutions or affordable healthcare diagnostics, with funding and market access as the prize.

4. Redeploy Nigeria’s Greatest Export: Its Diaspora.

Turn the brain drain into a brain gain.

·         Action: Create a Diaspora Knowledge & Investment Bureau. This agency would actively connect Nigerians abroad with opportunities to mentor, invest in startups, or take up short-term expert roles in Nigerian institutions, transferring vital skills and capital.

·         Action: Offer tangible incentives, like tax breaks or matching funds, for diaspora-led investments in critical sectors like healthcare, renewable energy, and vocational training.

5. Cultivate a New Mindset in Every Citizen.

Ultimately, the culture of leadership starts with us.

·         Action: Integrate ethics, civic responsibility, and critical thinking into the core curriculum of every school. Leadership development begins in the classroom.

·         Action: Celebrate and reward “Local Champions”—the honest councilor, the community organizer, the business owner who trains apprentices. We must honor integrity and service in our everyday circles to reshape our collective expectations.

Conclusion: The Work of Building Together

The challenge before us is not to find a single heroic leader. It is to participate in building a better system of leadership. This means championing institutions that work, demanding transparency in our spaces, mentoring someone younger, and holding ourselves to high ethical standards in our own roles.

For Nigeria and Africa, the possibility of a brighter future is not a dream; it is a choice. It is the choice to move from complaining about leaders to building leadership. It is the choice to value competence over connection, to seek common ground over division, and to invest in the long-term health of our community. This work is hard and requires patience, but by taking these practical steps—starting today and in our own spheres—we lay the foundation for a tomorrow defined by promise, stability, and shared success. The power to deliver that possibility lies not in one person’s hands, but in our collective will to act.

Dr. Tolulope A. Adegoke, AMBP-UN is a globally recognized scholar-practitioner and thought leader at the nexus of security, governance, and strategic leadership. His mission is dedicated to advancing ethical governance, strategic human capital development, and resilient nation-building, and global peace. He can be reached via: tolulopeadegoke01@gmail.com, globalstageimpacts@gmail.com

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old man over alleged fake bomb threat messages to two private schools in Ikeja Government Reserved Area (GRA).

The suspect was tracked and arrested on January 24 in the Okota area of Lagos State following digital investigations.

According to the sources, the suspect allegedly sent WhatsApp messages threatening a fire explosion to the Human Resources Manager of AVI–CEENA School and the Chief Security Officer of Grange School, both located in Ikeja GRA.

Although the messages were sent from an unknown phone number, police said digital tracking led to the identification and arrest of the suspect, identified as Kosisochukwu Chukwuekenyem Ogbumuo.

The suspect is currently in police custody and will be charged to court on conclusion of investigations.

Police said inquiries are ongoing to determine the motive behind the threats and whether other individuals were involved.

The Lagos State Police Command reassured parents, school authorities and residents of Ikeja GRA of its commitment to maintaining security and preventing panic or disruption within the education sector.

A Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced a security guard, Emmanuel Buchi, to life imprisonment for raping a 37-year-old married nurse in a school clinic.

Delivering judgment on Wednesday, trial judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi, held that the prosecution successfully proved the offences of rape and assault occasioning harm against the convict.

The judge described Buchi as a pathological liar, stating that his attempts to divert attention from the offences committed did not hold water.

Oshodi noted that the convict showed no remorse for his actions and continued to insist that the survivor consented to the sexual intercourse.

According to the judge, the sentence of life imprisonment for rape is mandatory under the law and reflects society’s condemnation of the crime.

He added that the circumstances of the case were deeply troubling, as the convict threatened the survivor while raping her in the school clinic.

Oshodi said the evidence of the prosecutrix was corroborated by two other prosecution witnesses, describing her testimony as clear, consistent, credible and authentic, while that of the convict was unreliable and riddled with lies.

He said: “You were employed as a security guard at Green Springs School, Awoyaya, and your duty was to protect lives and property. Instead of protecting the prosecutrix, you became her assailant by abandoning your duty post on the night of November 27, 2021, entering the school clinic where you had no authorisation to be, and raping her while she was alone on duty.”

The judge further stated that evidence before the court showed that the convict used force and violence on the prosecutrix by pressing her hands down, grabbing her legs and stamping on them with his security boots.

He added that medical examination revealed black discolouration on her left eye and bruises on the inner part of her vagina.

The court also held that in his extra-judicial statement to the police, the convict admitted that the prosecutrix told him, “leave me now,” but under cross-examination, he claimed he interpreted the refusal as consent.

The court further found that the convict fabricated his defence by claiming that the prosecutrix was his girlfriend, a claim contradicted by his statement to the police.

Oshodi said: “Throughout this trial, you have shown no understanding of the gravity of your actions or the harm you have caused. Beyond the physical injuries, the prosecutrix will carry the psychological scars of that violation.”

The court consequently sentenced Buchi to life imprisonment for rape and three years’ imprisonment for assault occasioning harm, ordering that the sentences run concurrently.

The judge also directed that the convict’s name be entered in the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.

Earlier, the State’s lead counsel, Mr. Babajide Boye, called three witnesses through whom exhibits were tendered, while the convict testified as the sole witness for the defence.

Boye told the court that the offence was committed on November 27, 2021, at Green Springs School, Awoyaya, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.

The prosecutrix had testified that she resumed night duty on the day of the incident when the convict approached her at the school clinic to request vitamin C. She said he returned a few minutes later after switching off the light and raped her.

According to the prosecution, the offence contravened Sections 173 and 258 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.