Advocacy group blames Nigeria’s woes political leaders, structures

*Reiterate calls for national dialogue

By Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

The Network and Advocacy Group of Lux Terra Leadership Foundation has blamed the worsening state of the economy, insecurity and underdevelopment of the country on bad leadership.

The group said that any country ruled by untrustworthy leaders who have no business occupying leadership positions will always find it difficult to make progress and compete favourably in the comity of nations.

Speaking during the second series of its interactive session with media executives in Abuja, the Executive Director of the foundation, Rev. Fr. George Ehusani said, despite the enormous resources blessed with, the country has suffered under the leadership of people who wouldn’t want peace.

“Our country has been brought to this level by bad policies, bad structures and bad leaders. Particularly, let me emphasise that bad leaders who have no business being in leadership are there leading us.

” What we do is that we keep abusing, insulting and fighting one another rather than tackling the root cause of our problem”, Fr Ehusani said.

While reiterating the calls for national dialogue to address the myriads of problems, Fr Ehusani admitted that the country is bleeding from the wounds that needed to be reopened.

He said that part of the reason why the country is on fire today is because of the perceived injustice by those in authority.

Fr Ehusani urged those in authority to act fast in order to douse the perceived tension saying; “It is now time to address those perceptions, it is time to address issues of injustices and bring them to the table. To open the wounds.

” Yes, there are wounds, there are forces and it can escalate anytime. Nigeria is bleeding in every place. We need to open the wounds and address them very creatively using dialogue.

“We need dialogue in whatever form that we are going to get it now so that Nigerians will be able to state what their grievances are.

The Hausas, the Yorubas, fulani, all the minority tribes, groups in the country need a platform to voice their grievances and that platform is dialogue”, he added.

Fr Ehusani further called on media practitioners to play active roles in quelling political tensions on account of banditry and abductions in the country.

According to him, while there is still hope for the country, there was need for collaborative efforts from everyone to deal with the negative factors.

” There is still hope. Nigeria can be save if Nigerians decide today to deal squarely with those negative factors that have led us to where we are today.

“We cannot do this without the critical role of the media. The media has played critical roles in societies that have done well and we can as well do it in Nigeria”, he added.

Earlier, Dr Inya Ode, Lux Terra Foundation project coordinator in her welcome address said, the desire of the advocacy group was to ensure social justice and peaceful coexistence amongst Nigerians irrespective of tribe and religion.

She urged the media executives to always always ensure the use right language and context most especially when reporting sensitive issues.

Participants on their part resolved to do more, towards dousing the ongoing political tension, promoting truth, justice and fairness, and facilitating a sense of national cohesion, among Nigerians.