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ABUJA — Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, has criticized President Bola Tinubu and former President Muhammadu Buhari for assuming leadership without adequate preparation. Speaking at the 4th Amaka Ndoma-Egba Memorial Lecture in Abuja, Kukah described the two as products of an “accidental leadership cycle” that has hindered Nigeria’s progress.
“If we look at Nigeria’s leadership journey, you will find that almost every leader who came to power did so by accident,” said Kukah. “President Tinubu, despite claiming to be prepared for the role, is clearly struggling. We are still trying to find our footing. He took over from Buhari, who had already disengaged from governance.”
Kukah highlighted a recurring pattern of unprepared leaders assuming the nation’s highest office, tracing this trend back several administrations. He pointed to former President Goodluck Jonathan, who unexpectedly became president after the death of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Kukah noted that Yar’Adua himself had intended to return to teaching before he was called to lead the country, following former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s unexpected rise to power after his release from prison.
“The cycle is evident, and the missing link in all of this is knowledge and preparation,” the bishop added.
The cleric’s critique extended beyond individuals to Nigeria’s broader democratic framework. While acknowledging the adoption of democratic principles, Kukah argued that the nation’s democratic process has repeatedly failed to produce capable and prepared leadership.
At the same event, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retired), Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), echoed concerns over leadership deficiencies. Marwa emphasized the importance of nurturing leadership skills early in life and linked many of Nigeria’s challenges to a lack of accountability.
The NDLEA chief also highlighted alarming trends in the country’s drug trade, revealing recent cases involving visually impaired individuals in trafficking activities. “Recently, the NDLEA uncovered a cartel involving visually impaired individuals. We arrested a blind man transporting a large consignment of cannabis from Lagos to Kano,” said Marwa.
He further detailed how investigations led to other blind individuals involved in the illicit network, eventually uncovering a broader operation. “This led us to another blind man, and eventually, we traced the ultimate handler, who was also blind,” Marwa stated.
