The Aare Mayegun of Owu kingdom, Aare Kazeem Bakinson, has lamented that Nigeria ought not to have any business with poverty, insecurity, or political division, saying challenges the nation was facing were due to bad leadership.
According to him, lack of leadership breeds problems besetting the nation today. He cited unemployment, youth decadence, corruption which has permeated virtually every aspect of the Country, the deplorable state of necessary infrastructures such as roads, hospitals, educational institutions, as effects of bad, deficient and poor leadership.
Aare Kazeem Bakinson stated this on Saturday while briefing newsmen on the programme lined up for the second edition of the Ajibosin platform annual symposium scheduled to hold on Friday, 24th of October, 2025 at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta.
Bakinson, an expert in regional and urban planning lamented that despite the abundant rich natural resources and promises, Nigeria still remains a troubled country due to the leadership crisis.
He described the attitude of many leaders as self serving, adding that while Nigeria is blessed with natural resources and hardworking people, it lacks morally upright leaders and has inadequate law enforcement.
He expressed regret over the decline in accountability and contended that the nation will experience significant changes in its infrastructure, security, and health sector, among other areas, once the right leadership was in place.
His words, “We are blessed with natural resources, we’re blessed with hard working people but leadership is the problem in Nigeria, we do not have leaders.
“Leadership is about integrity and integrity is what you do when no one is looking at you. If we get our leadership right, our roads will be better, the hospital will be well managed, cultism will reduce in the universities and the family unit will be better.
Bakinson criticized the gap between political leaders and the communities they serve, noting that many local government chairmen do not live in their constituencies, while 70 percent of buildings are unapproved by the government.
“We are in a situation where the chairman of a local government does not live in the local government, 70 percent of our buildings do not even have approval. A country that is successful is because of its leadership, we have leaders that don’t know what they are doing”.
Speaking on the theme for the Symposium tagged, ‘Importance of Leadership in Governance’, Aare Bakinson who is also the Converner of Ajibosin Platform Annual Symposium, said Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde will chair the event, while former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), and Osita Chidoka, former Minister of Aviation, will serve as guest speakers with Dr Muiz Banire, SAN, delivering the keynote address.
He revealed that the Platform’s aim is to reorientate the young generation, giving them a platform to achieve their dream of becoming better leaders.
He atressed that there are gaps everywhere, Bakinson insisted that the Ajibosin platform is a non-political intellectual movement designed to promote integrity, accountability, and excellence in leadership.
