Peter Mbah and the Road to Awhum
By Olusegun Adeniyi On Monday morning, I received two videos that left me thinking about the state of leadership in our country. The first came from a local government area
On Monday, two videos caught the attention of reporter Olusegun Adeniyi, shedding light on the state of leadership in Nigeria. The first video showed a council chairman from a Northeast state struggling to recite the oath during his swearing-in ceremony. This raised concerns about the competence of the person who would soon be responsible for an entire local government.
The second video displayed the poor state of the road leading to Awhum Waterfall in Enugu State, a natural attraction that should be a source of pride for the community and the country. Adeniyi contacted Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State regarding the video, hoping to address the issue. Mbah responded positively, acknowledging the need for road improvement and stating that construction was already underway.
He emphasized the importance of acknowledging problems and taking action to resolve them. However, Adeniyi cautioned that a response alone does not guarantee progress, and the quality of leadership matters. The larger issue at hand is the need for public officials to remain attentive to the concerns of ordinary citizens. Recent data from the 2026 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index report revealed that Nigeria's poverty rate increased to 38.7% in 2024, the highest among five countries experiencing a rise in poverty.
Despite this grim situation, the federal government's response has been inadequate, with the only measure being a 30-day fuel discount from the NNPC. This response seems to trivialize the serious issue of poverty in the country. The two videos present different questions, but they both highlight the need for better governance and accountability.
The Supreme Court's recent judgment on local government financial autonomy underlines the importance of effective leadership at the grassroots level. While financial autonomy is crucial, the quality of leaders entrusted with resources is equally important. Therefore, it is essential for citizens to engage with their elected representatives to ensure that their voices are heard and that meaningful change is achieved.
Written by urgent.news from This Day's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
