It was John F. Kennedy, former American president who said it: “Do not think of what your country can do for you, rather think of what you can do for your country.”

In recent times, Nigeria has been wobbling, stumbling and fumbling in her social, economic and political roads to greatness, like a rolling mass of stones. This is purely due largely to the absence of a true dedicated,committed, disciplined, focused and result-oriented leadership in our body polity.

A country that is more dominated by biographic write-ups, praise singers and writers than real achievers. No doubt, this shameless act of nose-winking by our so called writers is not helping matters in this regard, rather it is helping in rekindling the embers of national looting and thievery.

Certainly, they have left Nigeria flat-bellied like an adult still crawling on his knees after 64 years of adulthood.

Nigeria, so far, has failed to follow the natural path of growth that is synonymous with developed countries, even in plants (root-buds-twigs-fruits) but rather, she has remained fixated at the root level. One then wonders if the seed-planting stage has been surpassed.

If it has, then, the root has not been able to germinate into either the tap root system-there lies the pain in our growth. In every decent ship, there is a captain; In every bus, there is a driver; In every ‘okada’ riding, there is a rider; In every airplane flying, there is a pilot. One thing that has precluded them from getting involved in an accident is that they are focused.

So in the affairs of any state, there should be statesmen to steer and control, with a deep sense of honesty, unity, accountability and result-orientedness, the steering of states craft in the desired direction that would engender growth, stability, wealth and advancement for the nation; taking her on a bearing that shall lead to a port.

There can be no real state without statesmen, for they simply help in moulding the destinies of the people of any Nation. However, the dearth of statesmen in our midst is acting as a brake to the forward movement and betterment of our nation.

Nigeria and Nigerians are left on the precipice of a cross road because we still exist on some inconsequential fault lines, including religion, ethnicity, tribe and beliefs. Everyday, we see these fault lines manifest in both public and private sectors of Nigeria, thus robbing us of the very fundamental ingredients of merits required for socio-economic and political prosperity.

History is replete with nations who have advanced both in economic and political parameters. For instance, Singapore was led by a visionary leader, Lee Kuan Yew, twentieth century leader who transformed Singapore from a third world nation to an advanced country.

He was a Singaporean statesman, politician, and lawyer who served as the first Prime Minister of Singapore from 1959 to 1990. During his period as PM, Singapore experienced economic boom and political stability. In fact, his transformation of Singapore took place in the second half of the 20th century and his government reformed the civil service which had hitherto was moribond, especially in the area of public service.

Ask an average Chinese person about Chairman Mao Tse-Tung, the man reputed for building modern China, they did be glad to tell you of his impact on the socio-economic and political growth and development of China.

Mao Tse-Tung was a Chinese politician, revolutionary, and political theorist who founded the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and led the country from its establishment in 1949 until his death in 1976. Mao served as the chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 1943 until his death, and as the party’s de facto leader from 1935.

His theories, which he advocated as a Chinese adaptation of Marxism–Leninism, are known as Mao Zedong Thought (or Maoism). Today, China is reaping the fruits of the foundational seeds of economic prosperity. China is not just only a continental giant, it is also a global giants in terms of economic and political control. The country is regarded as the second largest economy in the world, coming after the United States.

Also, ask an average Hong Kong about Deng? Deng helped negotiate the eventual return of Hong Kong and Macau to China (which took place after his death) and developed the principle of “one country, two systems” for their governance. During the course of his leadership, Deng was named the Time Person of the Year for 1978 and 1985.

Nelson Mandela was a South African statesman who exchanged his youthful vigour that modern South Africans can live as equal with their white minority citizens in South Africa.

Mandela was jailed for 27 years because of his anti-apartheid philosophy which discriminated against his fellow black country men. South Africa had been under white minority rule until it was dismantled in 1990.

Sadly, these countries were at parity with Nigeria in terms of economic growth in the early part of the 19th century, but their purposeful political leaders set forth the vision for economic prosperity.

Emeka Monye Is An Award-Winning Journalist, Commentator And Speaker.