Deputy Senate President, Chief Ekweremadu brands fellow honourable members illiterate.

‘True Federalism and the Political Ideology of the Great Zik” was the title of the 2012 Zik Lecture Series organized by the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). Where the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, blasted his fellow honourable members, saying “some National Assembly members can barely write their names”. He lamented the low quality of leaders in the country.

Ekweremadu, who showered praises on late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, described him as a knowledgeable leader. He said without knowledgeable leadership, the country was heading nowhere.

According to the lawmaker, the country need leaders that are patriotic, selfless, knowledgeable, incorruptible. Leaders with lots of integrity and who will always put country first and of course all these noble quality are lacking in our today leaders.

Ekweremadu said though a proper federal structure and an error-free constitution were desirable, without purposeful and transformational leadership, they would not help the situation in the country. He continued, “Even the best constitution or federal structure in the world cannot yield the best of democracy dividends or drive the lofty dreams of a nation unless there is a general commitment by the leadership and citizens alike to live by the principles and letters of that constitution and the norms that promote development.”

Ekweremadu added that Nigerian leaders had often mistaken stubbornness and arrogance as principles in politics, saying “this has robbed Nigerians of great opportunities of linking up with modernity and technology”. He added, “Leaders who cannot think beyond their immediate environment have nothing new to offer their people.” Referencing the great leader as a role model worthy of emulation. Ekweremadu urged Nigerian leaders to adopt sound principles like Azikiwe did in his days so that they could lead the country into the elite corps of nations.

Haven’t listened to Senator Ekweremadu, one question that keep struggling to come out from my heart is, how much difference has he made ever since he became a senator? Educated leaders is not just the answer, being able to translate such education into meaningful and actionable changes that will positively affect the life of the people you rule or lead is. How much of that has Senator Ekweremadu as well as other senators done?

For me, they are all birds of the same feathers that flocks together.