One of the biggest challenges facing any President is managing perception. Regardless of how hard he works behind the scenes, the masses often evaluate him based on optics: the tone of his speeches, the appointments he makes, the people he surrounds himself with and the perceived beneficiaries of his policies.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, it exposed, more than ever before, the fragility of our institutions and the rot within. Billions of naira earmarked for palliatives, emergency supplies and social safety nets were either misappropriated or vanished without trace. Warehouses of hoarded food items were discovered in various parts of the country, sparking widespread anger. But who bore the brunt of public outrage? The President.
In truth, most of the pandemic-related corruption occurred at the subnational level within ministries, state governments and local authorities. But because the President is the face of the government, the buck stops with him. The perception was that he either failed to act decisively or turned a blind eye. The complex structure of Nigerian federalism, which grants significant autonomy to states, is often lost on the average citizen who simply wants answers and accountability.
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Moreover, the President’s inability or rather, unwillingness to overhaul or discipline certain institutions, like the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, or certain ministries that were at the heart of pandemic response, gave ammunition to critics. The line between political loyalty and national interest seemed blurry. And while media handlers tried to manage the fallout, they couldn’t control the narrative once the trust of the people had been eroded.
There’s also the global dimension to this challenge. Nigeria is not an island. The President represents the face of our nation in international engagements. When corruption scandals, even at the state or local level, go viral globally, they impact investor confidence, international diplomacy, and the nation’s image. The foreign media doesn’t differentiate between a state governor and the central government. To them, Nigeria is Nigeria.
That’s why the office of the President demands more than technical competence. It requires an extraordinary level of moral clarity, empathy, communication, and courage. Leadership is not just about policies and programs, but about perception and purpose. Nigerians are not unreasonable people; they know miracles won’t happen overnight. But they need to feel that their President is genuinely on their side and is unafraid to confront sacred cows.
To be fair, no President can do it all alone. But what separates great leaders from ordinary ones is their ability to inspire, to galvanize the right people, and to create systems that outlive them. Until we get to a point where public service is no longer about personal enrichment, but genuine nation-building, Presidents will continue to be scapegoats for systemic failure.
This is not to exonerate any individual President from responsibility. On the contrary, it is a call for accountability across all tiers of government. It’s also a reminder to Nigerians that while the President is a powerful figure, he is not a magician. The real enemies of progress are those who manipulate our divisions, benefit from our chaos, and exploit our silence.
Perhaps, when next we blame the President for everything wrong in the country, we should pause and ask ourselves: What have the governors done? What about the lawmakers? The civil servants? The business elites? Even ourselves as citizens?
Until we embrace collective responsibility, we will continue to seek scapegoats, instead of solutions. And the Presidency, rather than being the symbol of hope and change, will remain the whipping post of a broken system.
• Ladi Ayodeji is an author, speaker, counselor. He can be reached on 09059243004 (SMS only)
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