Nigeria needs fearless followership & not hero worshipping—Rotimi Amaechi preaches

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has argued that Nigeria’s challenges stem more from a lack of courageous followership than from a shortage of strong leaders.

Speaking at the ninth edition of the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation (AAF) Leadership Colloquium and Award held in Lagos, Amaechi emphasized the need to build resilient institutions and hold power accountable.

The event, themed “Fearless Leadership: A Panacea for Sustainable Development,” drew leaders and thinkers from across the country.

Amaechi dismissed the common calls for “fearless leadership” as largely rhetorical, noting that such leadership is often only celebrated when systems break down.

“Where the system works, you don’t need a courageous leader. It’s only when there is a failed leadership that we start searching for one,” he said.

He emphasized that true governance should prioritize justice and deliberate policies aimed at improving citizens’ welfare.

“Good government entails deliberate action to improve citizens’ welfare. This includes rule of law, regulation of power, and accountability, factors that lead to responsible governance,” he stated.

Amaechi warned that accountability goes beyond managing money or budgets—it is about creating systems where no one is above the law.

He cautioned against the concentration of power in the executive, describing it as a threat to democratic norms.

“Arbitrariness is antithetical to the rule of law,” he said.
“It arises when excessive power is concentrated in the hands of the executive.”

On the importance of legal safeguards, Amaechi highlighted the need to uphold due process.

“No one should be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. Authoritarian leaders abhor due process. They don’t want transparency. They just want to do what they want.”

Founder of the AAF, Akinjide Adeosun, spoke on the transformative power of courageous leadership, asserting that the journey to greatness begins with integrity.

“Our strategy, derived from our mission to build great leaders, begins by transforming belief that is unseen into behaviour that is seen,” he said

“Fearless leadership manifests in tangible strides in healthcare, infrastructure, and industrialisation.”

He added that the conquest of fear enables leaders to make bold, sometimes unpopular decisions that ultimately strengthen national growth and competitiveness.

“Greatness starts with goodness,” Adeosun concluded.

Also speaking at the event, former Lagos State gubernatorial candidate Jimi Agbaje challenged the audience to examine the socio-political conditions that either enable or suppress fearless leadership.

He questioned whether some political acts presented as bold were truly so.

“When a leader speaks truth to power, the environment should ensure that their family’s basic needs, health and education are secured,” Agbaje said.