Rethinking Leadership and Followership in the Nigerian Political Context; JORAC: Journal of Religion and African Culture,

Abstract

It is not yet Uhuru (self freedom) for Nigeria even after gaining political independence in 1960 and became a republic in 1963. The lifestyle of those Nigerians who were socialized into political culture of service and sacrifice for struggles for nadonal independence change dramatically as soon as they occupied position of power and privilege. It became regrettably obvious that many political leaders abandoned their lofty principles of honesty for trappings of office. The high hopes and expectations of good governance were replaced with politics of ethnicism, religious jingoism, thuggery, Godfatherism, corruption, greed and moral

laxity. The activiües of political leaders breed a criminal society whereby the followers also imbibed the culture of moral decadence. Thus, this paper examines a moral re-think of leadership and followership in the political terrain of Nigeria. Keywords: Moral rethink, leadership, followership, political terrain, Nigeria.