USAfrica NEWSNOTES
Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first African-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
Chinua Achebe’s observation that “the trouble with Nigeria is purely and squarely a failure of leadership” remains as relevant today as ever.
I have consistently observed this truth over the past 15 years of working with governments across several African countries.
My recent experience with the Government of Enugu State brought this sharp focus. Despite enormous challenges, Governor Peter Mbah is a committed leader who has assembled a team of dedicated individuals focused on tackling real problems. They are far from flawless—no one is, especially within the complexities of our society—but under his firm leadership, they are earnestly striving to do what’s right.
I serve on the Enugu State Security Trust Fund, chaired by Ike Chioke, a leader as serious and focused as Governor Mbah. The Trust Fund has been undertaking rigorous work, and in the coming days, it may share some big news in its efforts to make Enugu State the safest state in Nigeria.
This is how successful societies are built—when individuals take responsibility for shaping the community they want to live in and invest time and energy to realise it. I am deeply proud to be part of this important journey.•Patrick O. Okigbo III is the Founding Partner at Nextier, a policy and advisory firm focused on governance and development in Nigeria. He has held leadership roles at Citigroup, Accenture, and the Nigerian Presidency.
