Nigeria needs leaders with vision, integrity, says Hamzat

By Adeola Ogunrinde

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, on Thursday said that for Nigeria to overcome its challenges, move forward, and be reckoned with among the comity of nations, men and women of integrity should be elected and appointed into leadership positions to create a vision for the country.

Hamzat, whose lecture dwelt on “The Responsibility of Leadership: Shaping the Future With Purpose and Action” on the second day of the Lagos Leadership Summit 2025, organised by the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy in Lagos, lamented that Nigeria is plagued by several challenges such as poverty and a substandard education system, among others—challenges caused by a deficit in quality leadership.

“The leadership deficit has been a clog in the wheel of national progress. The nation is plagued with widespread poverty amidst great natural and human resources. There is squalor, and an education system that is limited in scope and content, often not aligned with the needs of the economy. Our healthcare system is also limited in scope and effectiveness. There is a widening gap between the rich and the poor. All these hardly breed a society built on a solid foundation,” Hamzat said.

He added: “Today, we have a nation that has not fully transcended the limits of ethnic and religious affiliations when national issues are discussed. When allegations of fraud are made against many political leaders, the response is often that of political witch-hunting. Appointments to critical offices are viewed as more reflective of tribal leanings than of competence. We do not have a culture of resignation in the face of serious allegations against public officers.”

He noted that for Nigeria’s future to be secured, political and religious leaders must imbibe the culture of doing the right thing.

Hamzat commended the Executive Secretary of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy, Ayisat Agbaje-Okunade, for steering the ship of the academy and “remaining steadfast, since its inauguration, in preparing the next generation of leaders within the Lagos State Public Service for the task ahead.”

While highlighting the progress of the academy, the Executive Secretary, Ayisat Agbaje-Okunade, said graduates of the academy have now been employed in various fields across both the private and public sectors.

She added that the academy has succeeded in producing a young generation that will become future leaders.