Speakers urge Nigerian leaders to adopt Yar’Adua’s leadership values

Nigerian leaders have been urged to embrace the leadership values of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, with speakers praising his transparency, humility, and commitment to national unity as enduring benchmarks for public service.

The call was made at the third Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Leadership Award and Honour Night held in Abuja, organised by the Global Initiative for Leadership Success (GILS) with the theme: “Recognising Excellence in Leadership”, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Speaking at the event, Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Roland Otaru (SAN), who chaired the occasion, described Yar’Adua as a “resilient and exemplary leader” whose governance style reflected integrity and restraint.

“Some leaders are born, while others develop leadership traits. Yar’Adua was a born leader. He lived an exemplary life worthy of emulation,” Otaru said.

He added that the late president promoted national unity, religious tolerance, and peaceful coexistence across Nigeria’s diverse ethnic groups, noting that his legacy continued to influence governance discourse.

Similarly, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, said Yar’Adua represented a rare model of honest and humble leadership, but lamented that his tenure was cut short.

“Yar’Adua was a dedicated servant-leader who was honest, simple and humble. Such humility is rare among leaders,” Ribadu said.

He drew parallels with the late Head of State, Murtala Mohammed, noting that both leaders initiated major reforms within short periods in office, including restructuring policies and administrative changes that reshaped governance.

“Even in this civilian dispensation, we still have good leaders, but unfortunately, good leaders do not stay long. We have leaders who are arrogant; Yar’Adua was the opposite,” he added.

Also speaking, Dr Phil Okonkwo, Managing Consultant of Lonvenza Specialist and Wellness Centre, said Yar’Adua exemplified disciplined and principled leadership, stressing that he prioritised accountability and dialogue over confrontation.

“At a time when authority could easily be exercised without accountability, he chose a path anchored on principle. He upheld the rule of law even when it was politically inconvenient,” Okonkwo said.

He further noted that Yar’Adua’s administration embraced transparency, including public declaration of assets, and pursued dialogue-based approaches to conflict resolution, particularly in the Niger Delta region.

The President of GILS, Mr Sunnie Chukumele, represented by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, retired Maj.-Gen. Abubakar Mamman, said the award ceremony was designed to celebrate individuals whose leadership had contributed positively to society.

He said leadership should be assessed not by position or power, but by impact.

“Leadership is not measured merely by position or power. True leadership is measured by impact — the ability to inspire others, uplift communities, strengthen institutions, promote unity and leave society better than it was found,” Mamman said.

He added that recognising integrity and service-oriented leadership was essential for national development and for inspiring younger generations to embrace responsible citizenship.

Source: The Punch