MORALITY AND THE CHALLENGES OF LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA IN AHUBAKAR GIMBA’S SUNSET FOR MANDARIN

Nigeria is over five decades of self-rule as an independent nation amidst serious challenges. The country’s inability to cater for its teeming population in terms of shelter, food and security is of great concern. Almost all facets of developments have been shattered. Nigeria is bedeviled with security threat such as the ravaging Boko Haram insurgency, Biafranist agitation, Herds men/far mers clashes, kidnapping, ethno-religious crisis and other security antecedents. On the other hand, there is the prompt lack of prompt payment of workers’ salaries and pensions, excruciating intermittent fuel scarcity, absence of qualitative education among other problems. Though Nigeria’s current malaise can be traced to other factors, such as the despotic nature of colonial rule, autocratic military regimes of the past and the general political leadership that entrenched un-population policies; it is obvious that lack of purposeful leadership in all strata of Nigeria’s political platform is the most serious of all the causes. This article explores the need for Nigeria to invest massively on leadership right from the cradle through all stages of human development. The study posits that it is through this leadership policy that the desired institution of good governance and productive change mantra can be realized. More so, the study explores the Islamic perspective that provides non toxic naturalistic good governance via developmental and purposeful leadership. Key: Leadership, Good governance, Shepherd, Accountability, Steward, Religion