Running the Nigerian Government like a Business
A blueprint for rebuilding Nigeria and transforming it from a nation on the brink of collapse into a thriving and high-performing country.
August 11, 2023
Article Quotes
As the newly elected government settles into office
amidst mounting concerns
about the nation’s declining security and economic conditions, the
burning question on the minds of
Nigerians is: Can the new administration lead a successful rescue
mission to save the nation from
the brink of collapse?
In this exclusive interview, Bolaji
Olagunju, an accomplished entrepreneur, author and advisor to
Business Leaders and Companies in Africa shares his radical
blueprint for rebuilding Nigeria
and catalyzing its transformation
from a nation in crisis to a thriving,
high-performing powerhouse.
Question: It’s been a few days
since the inauguration of the new
President. Reflecting on this same
period eight years ago, during Muhammadu Buhari’s initial days in
office, there was a sense of hope
and optimism in the air. But now,
things seem different. The overall
mood of the country seems unsure
and uneasy. In your opinion, how
would you describe the current
mood of the nation?
Answer: In one sentence, Nigerians are tired and frustrated beyond
endurance. As a country, Nigeria
is barely conscious and fighting to
stay alive, which is tragic when one
considers the immense potential of
our beloved country.
The perfect analogy to convey
the nation’s current situation is to
liken Nigeria to an elephant that’s
eating like an ant. If you have elephants eating like ants, you know
that it’s only a matter of time before malnutrition sets in, and then
death. Right now, in my opinion,
Nigeria appears to be in the final
stages of malnutrition, and a major cause of this is traceable to
the way the country has been governed for decades.
What we have in Nigeria now is a
situation whereby politics appears
to have kidnapped and is holding
performance hostage. This is not
to say that politics has no value;
it has its place and no doubt its
significance. After all, we’re in a
democracy, and politics is crucial
to maintaining a democratic environment. What I am saying is that
Nigeria can no longer afford a situation whereby politics overshadows running of the government to
the point where performance is
completely undermined.
What we have in Nigeria now is a situation whereby politics appears to have kidnapped and is holding performance hostage.
Nigerians are fed up with the perpetual underperformance of their
leaders, and we are all desperate
for real change. This desperation
was well conveyed in the last
election. On the surface, the last
election appeared to have been a
contest between three dominant
parties. But at the very core, it was
a fierce battle between two ideologies: Politics and Performance.
The question that dominated the
entire political atmosphere during
the elections and the question on
the heart of every Nigerian today is simple: Will the new administration perform and save our dear
country, or will they ruin the country even further by playing politics with critical issues?
Nigerians are desperate for a courageous and capable government, one that will dare to dance to a different
tune. We need leadership that is
bold enough to chase mediocrity out of the building and go all out to prioritize performance, drive it, invest in it and celebrate it. The question then is: Can the new administration be that government? Will it prove to be
the government that Nigerians have been longing for?
On the surface, the last election appeared to have been a contest between three dominant parties. But at the very core, it was a fierce battle between two ideologies: Politics and Performance.
Question: Going by his post-election statements, it seems that the
President also believes that the
time for politicking is over and the
time for nation-building has come.
If he is to live up to his promises
and do better than his predecessors, what, in your opinion, must
he do differently to succeed where
many others have failed woefully?
Answer: I firmly believe that the
key to the president’s success
will lie in his ability to reinvent
the government by prioritizing
performance over politics and
running the government like a
high-performing business. By operating the Nigerian government
as a business, performance will be
given the preeminence and prominence it needs to transform the
nation. This approach is the only
way forward!
The president’s statement that the
time for politicking is over inspired hope in some of us. However, previous politicians have made similar promises and failed to deliver.
If the president will do better than
all his predecessors, he must be
willing and prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure that performance rises to the level it needs to
be for the nation to benefit from it.
Some may argue that governmental and political organizations
differ from the private sector and
cannot adhere to the same rules.
They may claim that businesses
and governments serve different
purposes and have distinct structures, with businesses aiming for
profit while governments cater to
all citizens and respond to various
competing interests and political
considerations.
The overbearing politically-driven agenda of previous governments must give way to a performance-oriented approach, striking a strong balance. Politics has always had its place in Government. It is now overdue to give performance its welldeserved place as well.
However, when I suggest running
the government like a business,
I do not propose disrupting its
mission. Instead, I advocate for
utilizing market economy principles, practices, and systems to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and performance. After all, don’t
we all agree that whatever the
government does, it should be
efficient, effective, and deliver on
its mission in the least costly way
possible?
One thing that the business world
excels at is designing for and driving performance, which the Nigerian
government can learn from. No organization can succeed by remaining inefficient, expensive, bloated, or out of control, and the same is true for the Nigerian government.
Question: Going beyond ideologies, how specifically can the new
administration run government
like a business successfully? How
do you propose they make this
happen? What is the first step in
this direction?
Answer: The current operating
model of Government is disproportionately skewed towards leaving performance at the mercy of politics. This will no longer serve our beloved nation. Politics and performance are not mutually exclusive and the two can and must co-exist to ensure the nation makes progress. It is time to shake things up.
It is time for transformation, it is
time for a radical change. And this
is what I know for certain: Change
begins with design.
So, my proposition is that the new
administration should run the
government like a business, by design. By this, I mean restructuring and resourcing the critical areas of government in such a way to eliminate or at least minimize undue effect of bad politics.
Every institution is designed to
achieve the result it does. If an organization is failing, it’s because it was designed to fail. In the same
way, organizations that go on to
achieve remarkable results succeed because they were designed for success.
To run Government like a business,
the first step for the new administration would be to get really clear about the purpose of their government and communicate this compellingly to all stakeholders. Purpose seeks to answer the question: Why do we exist? Why were we elected and what does this mean for the country and its citizens?
This is critical because without an understanding of its “why,” there
can be no alignment, uniformity
and consistency of action within
its members, and such an establishment is bound to underperform. As a matter of fact, there’s ample evidence to suggest that purpose-driven organizations outperform their market by at least
42%. The same evidence also
suggests that institutions without
a sense of purpose within their
vision/mission underperform the
market by 40%. The same principle applies to government.
The current operating model of Government is disproportionately skewed towards leaving performance at the mercy of politics. This will no longer serve our beloved nation. It is time for a radical change. And change begins with design.
Luckily for us, the purpose of a
democratic government is clear
and unambiguous. It is to ensure
that policies reflect the wishes of
the majority of citizens, provide
essential services, promote equality, fulfill the fundamental duties of safety, prosperity, and justice, ensure the rights of each human, and protect the country so that its citizens, businesses, and organizations have the ability to pursue happiness, live a healthy life, and make the most of opportunities.
If the new administration truly embraces this purpose, then the path before them is clear. They must then embody it, and communicate it clearly and consistently throughout the entire body of government.
This is imperative because it is
dangerous to assume that everybody knows the purpose of
Government and is in alignment.
We’ve all too often seen situations
in Nigeria where it appears like
elected officials run government
agencies as if it is their own personal property. This has to stop.
And clarifying purpose, communicating it consistently, and ensuring alignment is the way to do it. Some of this might be done by ensuring that there is a structured reorientation program for everybody in government. This is essential toward ensuring that the new government performs at the level that is desperately required for the
nation to thrive.
It is also imperative to note that
the communications machinery of the new administration must
demonstrate a significantly higher level of maturity and evolve
beyond solely engaging in empty
rhetoric and spending a significant proportion of its time reacting to the opposition. This is suboptimal, and Nigerians are tired of it. Effective communications will be extremely crucial to the success of this administration both within the government itself and with various stakeholders.
The new administration needs a
performance-oriented communications function, dedicated to effectively conveying the government’s purpose, ongoing initiatives, performance updates, engaging stakeholders, organizing town hall meetings, gathering feedback, and listening to the grassroots.
Question: After the new government clarifies its purpose for being in power, what should be its
next steps?
The communications machinery of the new administration must demonstrate a significantly higher level of maturity and evolve beyond solely engaging in empty rhetoric and spending a significant proportion of its time reacting to the opposition.
Answer: Once the purpose for
the new administration is clarified
and effectively communicated,
the next step is to carefully review
their planned agenda with which
to accomplish that purpose and
ensure they confront the brutal
realities of the nation. The agenda
should seek to ask and answer the
questions: How will we achieve
our purpose? How do we earn the
right to govern the country? What
and what must we do successfully
to fulfill the reason for our mandate? This is crucial.
I have closely studied the new
government’s high level 16-point
agenda and it is evident that the
agenda was competently put together. It is holistic, well thought
through, and has the potential to
transform the country. However,
as we all know, potential does not
necessarily translate to reality.
Although a lot of great work and
thought must have gone into creating the 16-point agenda, additional work is required to ensure strong alignment between the agenda and the reality on the ground. Therefore, the second key responsibility of the new government is to ensure very strong alignment of their agenda with harsh grassroots realities. This is essential because for successful implementation, the high-level agenda needs to be unpacked and deep issues at the
grassroots level need to be confronted and duly addressed.
The most effective way to achieve
this is to engage various stakeholders extensively to diagnose and identify the core issues and
prioritize resource allocation to
drive the 16-point agenda.
Medical professionals know that
prescription without diagnosis is
malpractice. Therefore, a comprehensive diagnosis of the deeper issues and root causes of challenges is necessary, so that these issues can be addressed at the grassroots level and not just surface level. This is the only way to achieve lasting and sustainable change.
After effectively unpacking and
fleshing out the agenda, the next
step is to build structures that can
execute the agenda. This is probably the most important, if not the most crucial step in effective governance. In structuring the government, they should ask questions such as: how will we organize to deliver on our mandate so that we can fulfill our purpose?
As far as the 16-point agenda is concerned, here’s what I know: to have any hope of executing the agenda, like the day follows the night, structure must follow the agenda.
The shape or structure of any organization plays a significant role in determining whether the organization performs or not. Therefore, how the new government chooses
to structure and organize will determine whether there will be performance or continued struggles with politics.
Considering the extreme importance of structure to the success of any organization, if the new administration is to differentiate itself and perform at an unprecedented level, it is crucial that the President thinks differently about the structure of his cabinet.
My design proposition is that the
new government intentionally
structure to guarantee performance by appointing, for example, two Chiefs of Staff. Chief of Staff A should be responsible for driving the political agenda, and
Chief of Staff B should be responsible for driving the performance agenda.
My design proposition is that the new government intentionally structure to guarantee performance by appointing, for example, two Chiefs of Staff. Chief of Staff A should be responsible for driving the political agenda, and Chief of Staff B should be responsible for driving the performance agenda.
Question: Having two Chiefs of Staff is definitely an unconventional approach. Wouldn’t that constitute an unnecessary duplication of roles and create further
problems?
Answer: Look, I recognize that this
is a radical approach but desperate times call for desperate measures, and Nigeria is in a desperate situation.
Understand that we’re talking
about the critical measures that
the new administration must put in
place to ensure that performance
does not suffer at the hands of
politics as it has for decades.
When it comes to designing for performance, one of the most difficult challenges that organizations face is a concept known as Role pollution. A role is polluted when that role is expected to fulfil too many diverse and unrelated objectives, like politics and performance.
Here we have a situation whereby
the government needs to structure to ensure that performance
happens, and handling the responsibility of managing politics and performance to a single role is a recipe for non-performance. One
cannot serve two masters. No
matter how good or lofty the intention of the new government is, at the end of the day, their success
will be a function of whether they
have structured and organized for
success. Performance require focus, period.
The 16-point agenda will not stand
a chance if the government does
not structure to execute it. It is as
simple as that.
If the constitution of Nigeria does
not allow for two Chiefs of Staff,
then at least there should be two
deputy chiefs of staff, with one
focused on politics and the other
focused on performance. I am just
using the role of the Chief of Staff as an example due to its significance. This same logic applies to other important roles that are mission-critical to the successful execution of the new government’s agenda.
Some people may worry, and rightly so, that this approach might
result in the government becoming even more bloated. On the
contrary, a performance-oriented
structure is an optimization strategy. If implemented competently, it will help identify and streamline areas of inefficiency within the government, freeing up resources for areas of strategic significance.
However the new government
chooses to do it, the president
must ensure that he structures
for performance, because success requires structure. You don’t
succeed by wish or by hope, you
succeed by design.
Question: Given the complexity of the 16-point agenda and the
possible challenges that may accompany its effective implementation, what specific approach would you recommend to the new administration to ensure unprecedented success?
Answer: To tackle each item on the
agenda, a powerful question to begin with is: Where specifically must performance happen to guarantee that we achieve this agenda?
This is where the government will
need to ensure alignment between
its agenda and the different Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the government. There has to be a clear line of sight between the mandates and activities of the MDAs and the 16-point agenda, and the structure of the government must reflect that.
The implication of this is that the
new government cannot afford to
design its structure based on people or titles; rather, it must design a deliverable-based structure if it is to succeed. For instance, the deliverables for the Chief of Staff or Deputy Chief of Staff responsible for performance must be well-defined before selecting a candidate. This is crucial.
To cite a more concrete example,
one of the items on the 16-point
agenda of the government is youth
empowerment and entrepreneurship. The question to ask is which ministries, departments, and agencies of the government will directly impact that mandate? And what exactly are they expected to do to impact it? It’s important to think this way because success requires structure and only by structuring for results can you structure for success.
Once there is clarity regarding how
the new government will organize
to execute on its agenda, the next
step is to identify the critical roles
required to implement the structure and execute the agenda. And
so here, the new administration
should answer the question: What
roles are mission-critical to successfully achieving our agenda? Note that every one of these roles should be deliverable and performance -based. The government must be clear on what every role is expected to deliver upfront.
For each of those roles, there
should be a clear definition of success. They should be able to say for this or that role, “this is what success looks like.” The key responsibilities, key accountabilities,
key performance areas, key performance indicators, and metrics for success for each role within government must be clearly defined. This is how to drive performance!
You must be clear. There must be
no ambiguity whatsoever. No role
clarity, no appointment!
Once role clarity has been
achieved, the next step is people.
And it seeks to answer the question: Who are those people with the differentiating competencies required to fill the critical roles identified as essential to success?
It is instructive to note that the
“people” component comes after
“role” and “structure”. You do not
put people before structure! First,
you define the structure, the role,
and what you expect, and then you
go find the people that are fully
capable of executing the deliverables of the role. Find people with the expertise, the experience, and the behavioral profile to competently and consistently get things done. No institution succeeds by putting people before structure,
and none ever will.
You do not put people before structure! First, you define the structure, the role, and what you expect, and then you go find the people that are fully capable of executing the deliverables of the role. No institution succeeds by putting people before structure, and none ever will.
Consider the formation of the
human body. Which comes first,
the flesh or the skeleton? Without the skeleton, the body will be deformed. And that is the biggest challenge that the Nigerian
government faces today: previous governments put people before structure. When there is no
structure and the roles are not
defined properly, performance is
deformed, and you don’t get the
required result.
Question: Now, let’s delve into the all-important topic of people. The
president emphatically stated that
he needs ‘every hand from wherever it may come to be on deck.’ Just how vital are the right people to the success of a government? And how can the new administration effectively attract the best and brightest individuals to fulfill its mandate? Are there any proven people acquisition strategies that can be employed to achieve success?
Answer: In 2019, I authored an
Amazon best-selling book titled
Hiring Right: A Matter of Life and
Death for Businesses and Business Owners. The book should
have been titled Hiring Right: A
Matter of Life and Death for Nations and Businesses, because we need to have the right people in
government driving performance
for our nation to survive and
thrive. Unfortunately, the process
required to get the right people
appointed into key positions in
past administrations lacked the
required level of rigor and due diligence it deserves. This shouldn’t be the case.
The term “political appointment”
deeply concerns me. While it is
necessary to make appointments
based on political considerations,
we must also prioritize “performance appointments” where individuals are selected based on their ability to deliver results. In such instances, it is crucial for the new government to make every effort to identify individuals with the proven track record, expertise, and capability to perform. This is of utmost importance because when decisions regarding people are driven by politics only, rather
than in conjunction with merit, the
consequences can be devastating,
as history has shown.
One does not need to be a longtime student of history to recognize that some of the least productive leaders have been those who prioritized personal agendas and politics over performance, engaging in blatant nepotism to the detriment of the nations they were entrusted with.
In contrast, there are compelling
instances of exceptional presidents who prioritized making
people-related decisions based on
performance rather than political
considerations or personal biases.
One prime example is Abraham
Lincoln, the 16th President of the
United States. In the book Team
of Rivals: The Political Genius of
Abraham Lincoln, you’ll find a detailed account of how President
Lincoln, after winning the elections, was determined to justify the mandate bestowed upon him by the American people. When assembling his presidential cabinet
and department heads, his strategy was crystal clear: find the best
and brightest. He sought out the
most qualified individuals for each
role, regardless of their political
affiliations. As a result, he extended invitations to three formidable rivals who had competed against him, enlisting their collaboration in nation-building and appointing them to influential positions such as Secretary of State, Attorney General, and Head of the Treasury
Department.
With these surprising choices,
Lincoln created a team of rivals
and demonstrated his absolute
commitment to prioritizing performance over politics. In instances where those entrusted with significant responsibilities betrayed the nation through corruption, he promptly took action to replace them. History remembers him favorably for this, hailing him as a courageous and visionary leader who, instead of selecting close friends and allies who would blindly support his opinions, chose a group of intelligent and ambitious individuals capable of voicing diverse perspectives to help him make the best decisions. His political brilliance, capacity to inspire, and unwavering vision
transformed his country significantly. It’s no wonder that even today, over 150 years after his death, the American people still consider him their greatest president.
I delve into these details to prove a simple yet profound point: history remembers those whose performance elevated lives and
impacted the state of the nation,
not those who only played politics.
If this administration aims to be
remembered for generations to
come, it must make room for performance.
Just imagine a newly elected administration asking this question: “If the opposition party had won, whom would they have chosen for strategic roles in their government, and how do those individuals compare in terms of competency and capacity to the shortlist of people we plan to appoint?”
The significance of this question
is simple: If a new government is
truly committed to performance,
then their focus should be on
ensuring that only the best people—regardless of political affiliation—occupy strategic roles within
the government to transform the
nation.
But will politics allow that? Will
the new government rise above
politics and refrain from saying,
“That person didn’t vote for us” or
“That person is LP’s ally or PDP’s
loyalist,” when those individuals
are undeniably the best for the
job? For the sake of our beloved
country, we certainly hope they do.
If a new government is truly committed to performance, then their focus should be on ensuring that only the best people regardless of political affiliation occupy strategic roles within the government to transform the nation.
Now, to the question of strategies
for finding highly skilled people.
In the private sector, we employ a
strategy called the 6Bs for making
people decisions, and the government will benefit significantly
from adopting this strategy as
well.
The first B, “Buy,” means to invest
in hiring people with the right expertise. The second B, “Borrow,”
is to temporarily hire skilled individuals and tie their pay to performance. The third B, “Build,” is
to empower talented individuals
within government institutions.
The fourth B, “Bounce,” is to remove unproductive employees
and replace them with skilled
young individuals. The fifth B,
“Boost,” is to promote and motivate capable junior officers. The
final B, “Balance,” is to maintain
a balanced approach between all
the other Bs as well as politics and
performance in appointments.
To sum it up, hiring must be competency-based, as opposed to being strictly quota-based. Using
the quota system can be criteria
number one. Criteria number two
must be competence. We must begin to prioritize the people with the
knowledge, skills, and the right behavior that the government needs
to drive this agenda. The right people will make all the difference and
they will be game-changing for the
nation.
Question: Beyond having the
right agenda, deliverable-based
structures and the right people,
is there anything else that must
be put in place to ensure the new
government’s success?
Answer: There certainly is. In addition to all that has been said, two more things are imperative for the new administration’s success: the right culture and systems.
Let’s talk a bit about culture. The
late management guru Peter
Drucker left behind a critically
important piece of advice: Culture eats strategy for breakfast.
In my two and a half decades of
building and advising businesses,
I have witnessed the unwavering
truth of this advice: culture eats
even the most brilliant strategy for
breakfast.
One of the most detrimental effects of prioritizing politics over
performance is its impact on the
culture and work environment
within the government. When excessive politics permeates the
work culture, it not only hampers
the government’s ability to optimize the talented individuals within its ranks but also significantly impairs its capacity to attract the best people.
Here’s a thought-provoking question: Why weren’t accomplished
individuals like Atedo Peterside,
Fola Adeola, Dr. Chichi Aniagolu
Okoye, Ibukun Awosika, Tony Elumelu, Adebayo Ogunlesi, Herbert
Wigwe, Tope Awotona, Abubakar Suleiman, Austin Okere, and
many other Nigerians, who have
achieved remarkable feats and
possess the necessary qualities to
propel our nation forward, actively
involved in the previous government administration?
Many of these individuals are
business icons who have achieved
great success and built solid institutions, even in challenging
circumstances. They possess the
skills and know-how to drive the
much-needed changes in Nigeria.
So, why aren’t they in government?
As a matter of my personal opinion, I am willing to bet they are
aware that the culture and environment within the government would hinder their ability to perform effectively, and they do not want to subject themselves and their reputation to unnecessary ridicule.
Nigeria is blessed with an abundance of natural resources, but our most valuable resource is
our people. We have some of the
brightest minds in the world, and it
is crucial to harness their abilities
and talents for the nation’s progress. However, would these individuals be willing to join a politically-driven government that lacks commitment to performance? I think they will be wary of doing so without a level of assurance that they will be allowed to perform.
Without the right culture, even the
most exceptional individuals will
struggle or fail outright. Regardless of the quality of people the
new government recruits, if the
environment is unfavorable and
those individuals have to contend
with politics or the cabal system,
and if they cannot be shielded
from these influences, then even
individuals with the right competencies, drive, commitment, and patriotism will underperform. It
is a known fact that environment
trumps will. That’s why fostering a
culture of performance is vital for
the new government.
The crucial question the President must address is: “What kind
of environment or culture must
we create to enable the right individuals we appoint to excel and
perform without being hindered
by politics?” This is not just important; it is everything. The new
administration must answer this
question and commit to building
a supportive environment for the
right people to perform and transform the nation.
Fortunately, the right culture can
be built, but it will need to start
from the top. The President must
lead by example. He must demonstrate his commitment to performance, and not just politics. All eyes will be on him, and it will not matter what he says. All that matters will be what he does. So he must be determined and remain
resolute to establish an environment that not only attracts the very best but also empowers them to contribute their talent and expertise to drive our nation forward without being hindered by political games.
His must be a government that
encourages and celebrates performance. We need role models. We
need more inspiring leaders like
the late Dr. Dora Akunyili—a brave
woman who was aptly described
as the scourge of drug counterfeiters. She exemplifies how a single
visionary leader can transform a
government agency and create
immense value. When she started
out, there wasn’t much confidence
in her. She was young, knew little
about regulation, and had no party
political affiliation. Yet, consider
how she fearlessly took on the
drug counterfeiting cabal in Nigeria, saving countless lives in the
process. Under her leadership at
NAFDAC, the structure and system
she built was so powerful that the
proportion of fake drugs in Nigeria
dropped from 70% to about 10%.
Just imagine the possibilities if we
have 16 leaders, like Dora, driving
each of the 16-point agenda of the
new government—individuals with
a performance mindset, tenacity,
commitment, and patriotism. They
would revolutionize our nation. I
firmly believe there are thousands
of people like Dora Akunyili among
us today. If the President dedicates himself to identifying more of this breed of individuals, the
challenges of corruption, poverty,
insecurity, and unemployment will
fade away, giving rise to a new
Nigeria.
Regardless of the quality of people the new government recruits, if the environment is unfavorable and those individuals have to contend with politics or the cabal system, and if they cannot be shielded from these influences, then even individuals with the right competencies, drive, commitment, and patriotism will underperform. The crucial question the President must therefore address is: “What kind of environment or culture must we create to enable the right individuals we appoint to excel and perform without being hindered by politics?
Finally, in addition to fostering the
right culture, it is crucial to establish robust systems to support this new government. In the realm of business, a powerful maxim holds true: “The system is the solution.” When it comes to developing effective systems, the key question we must ask and answer is: What policies, processes, procedures, and principles must we put in place to drive our agenda? This is the clincher.
It is essential that the government
operates in a manner that relies
on systems, not individuals. When
an organization becomes overly
people-dependent, it starts to run
based on body language. This can
be dangerous since human beings
are inherently unpredictable and
influenced by various subtleties
and issues. People should operate the system but people must
not and cannot possibly be the
system.
To guarantee a successful tenure, the President must run his
government based on systems,
agreed and signed off systems.
And one of such systems should
be a robust performance management structure that sees MDAs operating monthly performance reviews, working towards the scorecards and reporting on their
deliverables.
The performance reports of the
MDAs should not be viewed by a
few eyes within government and
then shelved. They should be published quarterly; the nation should be informed and updated on the performance of each area of government. Without exception, the people appointed to fill every role in government must give an account of what exactly they are doing. Every one of the government’s projects must be monitored to ensure that promises made are promises kept.
Implementing such a transparent “name and shame” system may seem hardline, but it is essential for keeping politicking in check and establishing a performance-driven culture.
To achieve all of the above, the
new administration needs to set
up a fully autonomous Agency focused solely on ensuring Policies, Projects and People Performance. This agency can be Performance Management and Reporting Council of Nigeria with responsibility for ensuring that the government performs and successfully delivers on its mandate.
This is the only way to ensure that
policies, projects and people are
working and performance is at the
level of quality that is expected. It
is also the most effective strategy
to raise awareness and hold the
entire public sector accountable
for meeting expectations. That is
why the system is the solution.
People don’t scale, systems do.
And you can’t manage what you
can’t measure.
Question: What direct and unfiltered message or advise do you have for the new President of our great nation?
Answer: This will be my direct and
unfiltered message to him:
Mr. President, sir, Awa l’okan, and
by this, I mean it is now the turn
of all Nigerians. The long-awaited
moment to heal Nigeria and its
people has finally arrived. You, sir,
have passionately sought the opportunity to lead this great nation, and now that chance has been entrusted to you. It is an extraordinary privilege that comes with the significant task of reshaping the trajectory of our nation’s future.
The crucial question is: How will
you approach this sacred responsibility?
Mr. President, sir, for too long,
one of the biggest challenges
facing our nation is the extreme
imbalance between politics and
performance. You are aware of
this, sir, and you must not allow
this menace to continue. It is
clearly time for performance. The
definition of insanity is doing the
same thing over and over and expecting different results. It is time to do something different. The
potential devastation resulting
from a failure of your government
to deliver effective performance
would be etched in the annals of
history, considering Nigeria’s already declining economy and society. Your Excellency, the enemy
we face is not politics itself but
rather the extent to which politics
has permeated our system and
hindered performance. The passionate outcry of Nigerians during the elections stemmed from their deep frustration with the Nigerian governance system and lack of performance. You made a solemn pledge to address their grievances and concerns, and it is crucial that you honor that commitment, no matter what it costs you.
Mr. President, sir, you have what
it takes to get the job done! Your
early career has equipped you with
not only the necessary experience
to lead at a world-class level but
also the capabilities and intelligence needed to accomplish the task at hand. I dare say that you may be the most astute businessperson to ever grace Aso Rock. This is why our expectations are high, way higher than those placed on any of the leaders who have governed our nation since its independence. We implore you not to disappoint us.
The enemy we face in Nigeria is not politics itself, but rather the extent to which politics has permeated our system and hindered performance.
Your Excellency, sir, you have been
in the political arena long enough
to understand the detrimental
consequences of sycophancy. You
must not surround yourself with
sycophants, sir. You will not succeed in leading our nation towards redemption if you do. Already, sycophants are flocking around you like vultures, ready to prey upon any opportunity to flatter and deceive, blurring the line between right and wrong. We need your discernment, strength, and determination to lead us on the path of true progress.
Mr. President, Nigeria is at an
impasse; a deadlock. Your government stands in the position
to either mend Nigeria or break it
beyond repair, and I daresay it will
be upon your conscience if Nigeria
were to break. You have to make
a choice, sir: what do you want to
be remembered for? You need to
see the failings of prior governments as lessons in what not to do and convert these lessons into progress. Ninu ofi, ninu ola, ni omo pandoro n’dagba.
A lot of people expect you to fail,
Mr. President, but I have a feeling
that you will pleasantly and positively surprise the entire Nigeria, prove your critics wrong and leave a legacy to rival Nelson Mandela. Call me a dreamer, but this dream is Nigeria’s hope because the alternative is too dire and scary to
even fathom. Sir, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
This is an opportunity for you to
be immortalized, not because you
became President, but because
you awoke a sleeping giant and
achieved what seemed impossible
by changing the fortune of this
country for the better. For the sake
of our beloved country Nigeria, I
pray that God grants you true courage to apply the drastic measures
we desperately need. On behalf of
all well-meaning Nigerians, I am
enthusiastic to say ‘Awa l’okan o’.
‘Performance l’okan o’.
Interviewer: Your insights have been
truly enlightening. Thank you for
generously sharing your valuable
time and wealth of knowledge with
us. Is there anything else you would
like to add before we conclude?
Answer: Only this: the Nigeria that
we all long to see, the Nigeria of
our highest dreams, is possible.
However, it can only be realized
through a leader who is driven by
performance and patriotism and
citizens who play their part in fostering good governance by contributing their quota, monitoring
and holding leaders accountable
for their performance.
The heartfelt desire of every patriotic Nigerian, from the market
woman struggling to make a living
to the influential captain of industry, is for a leader who possesses a genuine commitment to change and progress, accompanied by the strength of character to achieve it. Will the new administration be ready to make the necessary sacrifices and embody such leadership? Will the President have the courage and determination to prioritize performance over politics?
If he is willing, then it is imperative
that the Nigerian government be
run like a business under his leadership. The potential benefits of adopting this approach for Nigeria can prove to be profound and game-changing.
Nigeria must no longer remain an
enigma or an object of ridicule in
the eyes of the world. It is time
for politics to step aside and for
performance to take center stage.
I pray and hope that the President
possesses the strength required
to turn this vision into reality. By
implementing the seven transformational disciplines of Purpose, Strategy, Structure, Roles, People, Culture, and Systems, he can liberate Nigeria from the constraints of reckless political maneuvering and place performance at the core
of all government decisions and
activities. It is worth noting that
this blueprint can also be adopted
by other branches of the government, including the Legislative, State, and Local government.
I am certain that if we apply the
principles, practices, and performance-driven mindset with which businesses are run to running Nigerian government, we stand a chance to transform Nigeria from an underperforming nation with huge potential to a high-performing one that is truly the pride of Africa.