Muhammad, Idris Ladan2023-12-122023-12-122019-03-04Achebe, Chinua. The Trouble with Nigeria. Enugu: Fourth Dimension Publishers, 1983. - Anthills of the Savannah. Ibadan: Heinemann Educational Books Ltd., 1988 Adrian Leftwich. “Governance, Democracy and Development in the Third World ”, Third World Quarterly. New York: Taylor and Frances Ltd., 2011. Ahmed, Tanko. “Corruption in Nigerian Public Administration”. Unpublished Essay Presented to the Department of Public Administration, Post-Graduate School, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2010. Akanbi, M.M.A. “The Challenges of Leadership and Accountability in a Changing Society”. Journal of Policy and Strategy: National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Vol. 13 Nos 1 and 2, 2003, p.66. Aliyu, Sani Abba. Nigerian Writers can’t live on Writing, in (Fajenyo, Ezekiel, and Oladeinde, Sina) Golden Footprints of the Mandarin. Ibadan: Crescent Books Ltd, 2002. Pp.39 - 44. Amba, I. Awal. Patriotism and the Idea of the Self: A Psychoanalytical Study ofAbubakar Gimba’s Innocent Victims and “Trail of Sacrifices”. Unpublished M.A. Thesis, Submitted to the Post- Graduate School, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2010. \/Babajo, Ahmed Kofa. Post-Colonialism and the Novels of Abubakar Gimba. Unpublished Ph.D Dissertation, Submitted to the Post-Graduate School, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 2003. Bello, Bashiru Gwarzo. Nigeria’s Underdevelopment: The Problem of Corruption or Governance? Zaria: National Islamic Centre, 2009. Edeh, T. and Wuam T. (Ed.). Democracy, Leadership and Accountability in Post-Colonial Africa: Challenges and Possibilities. Essays in Honour of Prof. Akase Paul Sorkaa. Aboki Publishers, Makurdi - Abuja - Ibadan, 2009. ^Fajenyo, Ezekiel and Oladeinde (Eds). Golden Footprints of the Mandarin: A Collection of Interviews with Abubakar Gimba and Essays in his Honour. Ibadan: Crescent Books Ltd., 2002https://keffi.nsuk.edu.ng/handle/20.500.14448/3251Nigeria's quest for independence is to release itself from the shackles of colonialism and its attendant evils. This paper examines the quest for self rule and its aftermath, the problems that surrounded the new generation of Nigerian leaders (black elite) vide leadership failure characterised by corruption, students demonstrations, misuse of power, retardation, stagnation, lack offocus, etc as orchestrated by visionless leadership that bedevilled the nation. It further explores the role of fictional characters and various institutions in saving the nation. It equally reveals how bad and corrupt leaders overuse their power at the expense of the led to derail any positive measure for good leadership and governance. The paper further advocates the entrenchment of visionary leaders in the country whose sole interest and concern would be to establish an effective leadership and governance structure that can benefit the generality of country's citizens.enArticle