Introduction
Nigeria’s path to democracy is filled with many difficulties resulting from its past. The country is torn between hostile groups that draw the government’s attention (Iredia, 2023). Despite gaining independence in the twentieth century, Nigeria struggles to follow its constitution. Corruption within the government runs deep, affecting every politician in the country (Nwozor et al., 2020). At the same time, the public sector is disorganized and mismanaged. Nigeria’s development has been severely slowed down due to these problems.
It is vital to understand how Nigeria’s past affects its current situation. The removal of corrupt, unethical, authoritative politicians is a challenging task. Readers can perceive what changes are required for the country to return to the path of progress. Politicians must change their mindsets to focus on their people’s well-being, including basic human needs, training opportunities, and safety. Moreover, fair rulers are required to be trained within the country. Nigeria cannot resolve its situation without foreign interventions and massive investments in social structures.
This paper shows the damage done to the country by its leaders. It reviews issues plaguing Nigerians and reveals what flaws affect their lives. This discussion highlights corruption, power struggles, and unethical behavior among Nigerian leaders. It also explores many solutions to these problems, which require both foreign assistance and focus on training new leaders. The transformation of the public sector is not easy, making it necessary for the country to consider using many options at once.
Recommendations
Leadership Changes
There are many possible ways for Nigeria to get out of its situation. First, the issue of democracy has to be resolved. Nigerians can vote for new leaders, yet most need to be more efficient and use power to convince others to vote for them (Abebiyi, 2021). Therefore, there is a need to improve the situation through massive shifts in attitude toward people.
This issue affects all levels of authority, meaning that a change must affect all cases. For example, the transparency of elections through technological means can give Nigerians a clear view of how the system works (Zubairu, 2020). This means investing in new voting machines and keeping them safe from tampering. This change will also reveal flaws in the current system, enabling people to put unfair politicians into place. It is essential to understand that corruption is only a result of deeper issues. It will be eradicated once people can act against those who seek to benefit themselves during their public service.
The principles of ethical leadership must be taught in Nigerian universities and colleges. This approach can give politicians and citizens a vision of a sustainable government. By creating a curriculum that follows modern education standards, Nigerian universities can produce qualified managers who can improve the situation (Kamta et al., 2020). Without such training, elected leaders follow their interests and ignore their communities’ pleas. At the same time, these people create vague laws that work poorly due to their misunderstanding (Olujobi, 2021). Better training can give people the ability to express themselves with clarity.
Foreign Assistance
Other countries and organizations are willing to help Nigeria with its problems. Nigeria should accept external help against its bandit groups to preserve peace in the country. Countries from the African region often do that to stop more serious warlords from harming people (Zubairu, 2020). Peace is also a primary way for the country to focus on local issues.
Therefore, by allying with its neighbors, Nigeria can also improve the quality of life for its citizens. Moreover, Nigeria’s internal problems affect the Republic of Niger, Chad, and the Republic of Benin since terrorists move freely across its borders (Zubairu, 2020). This approach also helps the alliance to keep the stability of neighboring countries.
Education can be improved by Nigeria’s partnerships with other countries’ universities and colleges. The leading institutions in management and administration can help Nigeria immensely. Foreign specialists can help Nigerian professors create efficient courses. However, they must also understand the specifics of the African region. Since many low-income countries in this area suffer from the same problem, they can share their evidence about it and, eventually, generate efficient solutions (Kamta et al., 2020). Such cooperation is bound to create an environment that will nurture positive relations and peace in the continent.
It is also highly recommended that Nigeria accept assistance from the UN. The UN has a plan for developing countries that improve the well-being of their citizens. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can only be reached with cooperation between the country’s leaders, partners, and the affected communities. First, people must return to power in their country. The UN’s involvement already improved the fairness of elections in this transfer of power in 2011 (Onuh & Ike, 2021).
However, it is necessary to do more than that for the country to turn to democracy. Petitions regarding the credibility of elections must become powerful instruments of control, which requires UN observers to gain more vision into this process (Onuh & Ike, 2021). This idea can help people understand which leader is better for the country. Corruption and abuses of authority will become visible to everyone, making them easier to stop.
Moreover, the UN can help Nigeria by stopping corrupt politicians from laundering money. A program focuses on returning such funds to the countries of their origin (Olujobi, 2021). By teaming up with the UN, Nigeria’s law enforcement can more efficiently prevent such crimes. At the same time, this approach can reduce the impact of foreign powers on criminal activities within Nigeria’s borders.
Conclusions
In conclusion, democracy in Nigeria does not work currently due to its legacy as a war-torn country. The paper shows how corruption and authoritarian, unethical leaders destroy the country. The lack of understanding of the needs of Nigerians causes politicians to abuse their power. With significant shifts, this country can develop further. Elections in Nigeria do not follow democratic principles and only worsen the situation.
The future direction for the country indicates that the changes proposed in this paper can help it become a truly democratic state. First, Nigerian universities and colleges can be transformed to make managers more efficient by using modern theories and practices. Ethical leadership and improved election processes can give Nigerians a better understanding of democracy and ways to protect it.
Moreover, foreign help can improve Nigeria’s education, city management, fairness of elections, and many other aspects of public services. International partnerships can give Nigeria better insight into modern, efficient management practices. The UN’s program that helps developing countries with their problems is also a fitting choice. Advisors are available to Nigeria who can train its leaders and improve the population’s lives. Future research must focus on these solutions and seek ways to use them in practice as soon as possible.
References
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Iredia, T. (2023). How much of Nigeria’s problems are caused by leadership? Vanguard. Web.
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Nwozor, A., Olanrewaju, J. S., Oshewolo, S., & Ake, M. B. (2020). Is Nigeria really fighting to win the anti-corruption war? Presidential body language, “string-puppetting” and selective prosecutions. Journal of Financial Crime, 27(2), 601-617. Web.
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