By Oso Abidemi
Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has declared that Nigeria’s crisis is rooted not in weak leadership but in a citizenry that refuses to demand accountability.
Speaking at the ninth edition of the 2025 Akinjide Adeosun Foundation Leadership Colloquium and Award in Lagos, themed “Fearless Leadership: A Panacea for Sustainable Development,” Amaechi said the country’s salvation lies in fearless followership and strong institutions—not in mythical, messiah-like leaders.
“Where the system works, you don’t need a courageous leader,” he said. “It’s only when there is a collapse that we begin to crave fearless leadership.”
The former minister, in a hard-hitting critique, said arbitrary power, injustice, and a disregard for due process are signs of failed governance. He warned that true accountability goes beyond budget figures, pointing instead to a deeper respect for the rule of law and institutional checks.
“No one should be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process. Authoritarian leaders fear transparency—they want unchecked control,” he stated.
Also speaking at the event, AAF Founder Akinjide Adeosun stressed that greatness begins with goodness, and fearless leadership is essential for impactful change in areas like healthcare and industrialisation.
Former Lagos governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje, challenged Nigerians to examine the systems that either nurture or stifle courageous leadership.
“True fearlessness,” he said, “is when leaders speak truth to power and still have their families protected and cared for.”
Together, the speakers urged a cultural shift from worshiping power to demanding performance, as the true path to national development.
