01/10/2026
Bad Leadership, Not Lack of Resources, Is Crippling Nigeria- Fela Durotoye
Leadership coach and nation builder Fela Durotoye has delivered a scathing verdict on Nigeria’s development woes, declaring that the country’s problems are largely self-inflicted and rooted in poor leadership rather than lack of resources.
Speaking in an interview on The Exchange Podcast, hosted by Olufemi Soneye, Durotoye argued that natural wealth, population size and talent mean little without effective governance.
“Nigeria is a blessed country, but blessings don’t make nations great,” he said. “A great nation is one where people love to live, love to work, love to do business and love to raise the next generation.”
According to him, Nigeria currently falls short of that standard, a reality reflected in the growing wave of emigration popularly known as the japa syndrome. He noted that Nigerians are not leaving because the country lacks talent, but because leadership and governance have failed.
Durotoye described governance as a direct reflection of leadership character and competence, stressing that credible, capable and experienced individuals are essential for national progress. He warned against handing power to untested leaders, insisting that a country of over 200 million people cannot afford leadership by trial and error.
“Power without character destroys nations,” he said, adding that Nigeria’s leadership crisis is systemic, not accidental. He blamed the situation partly on the withdrawal of principled citizens from politics, which he said created space for unfit leaders to dominate the system.
Outlining a pathway to reform, Durotoye called on credible Nigerians to actively participate in political parties and insist on internal democracy, arguing that good governance cannot emerge from dysfunctional party structures. He also urged sustained civic engagement beyond elections, including supporting credible candidates and strengthening institutions responsible for electoral integrity.
“When good people withdraw, evil advances,” he warned.
Rejecting despair, Durotoye said Nigeria’s challenge is not the impossibility of change but the widespread reluctance to pursue it. He concluded with a call for deliberate nation-building, urging Nigerians to take responsibility for shaping the country they desire.
