One of the biggest carnages that can ravage a country and deprive it of developing and maximising her potentials, especially in human capital, is the high level of indiscipline.
When a population is undisciplined, everything else becomes harder. Organisation, devotion, values and other core attributes that make society works will automatically become harder to achieve.
Correcting indiscipline takes work and effort to achieve, but when the indiscipline is from the top, correcting it becomes almost impossible. This is always a significant obstacle to the growth of a county.
When a fish is rotten from the head it becomes useless, a country governed by undisciplined leaders is like a boat heading with high speed to the rocks.
On the 21st of July during a hearing of the Adhoc Committee of the House which is investigating an alleged breach of a presidential directive by him, Nigeria Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige launched a rash, incautious and ill-mannered verbal attack on Hon. James Faleke, one of the members of the Adhoc Committee investigating him.
The act of the Minister was unbecoming of someone of his calibre, as a leader with a lot of young people that are meant to look up to people of his status.
Some of the words that the ministered used in his irrational attack on video when he was meant to respond to questions he was asked include the following.
He said;
“I’m responding my friend, if you yab me, I yab you ten times. I am a Lagos boy; you are just a small boy in Lagos. Look at this Mushin boy, he’s talking with a VI boy. I lived in Victoria Island. Look at this Mushin boy from Kogi o.”
He went further to extend his ranting to other people that were not part of the process of his investigation; he continued his ranting.
He said;
“So, you are near my age, at least I am seven years older than you. I’m the same age with your mentor in Lagos, Asiwaju.
“And I was governor with him at the same time. He was a senator; I was a senator. I am a two-time minister; he isn’t a two-time minister.”
These are words of a supposed honourable minister of the republic during a serious investigating session. These words that are similar with that of a Lagos Bus conductor.
This sought of behaviour is not something new to the political space in Nigeria. We witness incessant exchanges and fight in the National Assembly from time to time.
This is the low level of discipline that is obtainable among our leaders today. The exchange between Ngige and Faleke further proves this high level of indiscipline among the people that are meant to lead and lead by a good example.
If we’re going to achieve a sane society, the effort must start from the top. The leaders cannot display such indiscipline and expect the people they’re leading not to do more than they’re showing.
Young people in Nigeria must try as much as possible not to think that this sought of behaviour among the leaders is the best way to behave or lead.
This gutter system of leadership must stop among our political leaders, and politician must recognise that they’re into a serious career of leadership.
It is high time the politicians start taking themselves and the entirety of the country seriously.
