Deputy Chancellor of the Anglican Diocese of Ibadan, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde SAN, has said Nigerians need real hope and a people-oriented leadership, not a politically-motivated renewed hope.
Speaking shortly after an Easter Service held at the Cathedral of St. James the Great, Oke Bola, Ibadan, on Sunday, he said the people are desirous of genuine hope to make the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of President Bola meaningful.
Speaking on the State of the Nation and the expectations of Nigerians, Ayorinde said the prevailing socio-economic realities in the country have made life increasingly difficult for many Nigerians.
The senior advocate, who is also Chairman of the Oyo State Advisory Council, said the country urgently required a leadership approach that prioritises empathy and is responsive to the plight of the masses.
He said governance must be driven with a human face, stressing that policies and development efforts should directly impact the welfare of the ordinary citizens.
Ayorinde lamented that governance in Nigeria has been dominated largely by politics at the expense of meaningful engagement with the people.
He added that many Nigerians are dissatisfied with the current situation, urging citizens and stakeholders to hold leaders accountable for their actions and decisions.
“It is after we have real hope that we can now have a renewed hope. Right now, we need hope. Things are hard. We need our leaders to be more sensitive to the plight of the people.
“We need to have a human face in governance. We need to have a human face in development. What we do now is just politics and politics,” he said.
The legal luminary called for increased scrutiny of public office holders, noting that leaders must be made to answer critical questions about governance and service delivery.
Ayorinde also emphasised the need for improved transparency and responsibility in leadership, saying such measures are essential for national progress.
“Nigerians are not happy. The masses are not happy. The leadership, we really need to ask them questions. Let them answer questions. Let Nigeria bẹ better,” he added.
Speaking on the increasing insecurity across the country, Ayorinde described the situation as worrisome, adding that government response has often been inadequate and lacking in sustained commitment.
He criticised what he termed as superficial reactions by leaders to security incidents, urging authorities to demonstrate greater seriousness in protecting lives and property across the country.
“The spate of insecurity is worrisome. There is no government involvement in the lives of the people. It is more than an incident happening and leaders going there to visit for five, 10 minutes and then everybody moves on and nothing happens.
“We have to be involved in the lives of the people. Our leaders should show more seriousness and commitment in securing the lives of Nigerians. That is the only way we can tackle this issue of insecurity,” he declared.
