26/08/2026
LEADERSHIP IN HEALTHCARE AND POLITICS : THE ROLE OF YOUTH IN BUILDING BETTER NIGERIA.
Leadership is not merely a position, a title, or the authority to give instructions. Leadership is the responsibility to influence people positively, make sound decisions, manage resources responsibly, solve problems, and serve the interests of those entrusted to one's care.
In Nigeria today, one of the greatest contradictions we face is that many young people complain passionately about bad leadership and poor governance, yet remain reluctant to participate actively in the processes that determine who leads them. We criticize political leaders for incompetence, corruption, lack of accountability and poor management, but when opportunities arise to participate in elections, political organizations, community leadership and other decision-making processes, many youths withdraw. This raises an important question: How can we demand better leadership if we are unwilling to participate in choosing, developing and providing better leaders?
Leadership Begins Beyond Politics
Leadership does not begin in the National Assembly, Government House or the Presidential Villa. It begins in the everyday spaces where people interact and responsibilities are entrusted to individuals.
A healthcare professional who supervises a department, a student who leads an association, a nurse coordinating a team, a radiographer managing patients and colleagues, or an individual entrusted with the finances of an organization is already exercising leadership.
Therefore, if we desire competent political leaders, we must also build a culture of competent leadership at these foundational levels.You cannot reasonably expect a society to suddenly produce excellent political leaders when its smaller institutions have failed to cultivate the values required for effective leadership.
Leadership in healthcare requires more than academic qualifications. A person may possess impressive degrees and professional credentials and still lack the qualities necessary to lead people effectively.
Leadership should be measured by character and performance.
Does the person have principles?
Are they transparent?
Can they be trusted with public resources?
Are they accountable to the people?
Can they manage finances prudently?
Do they listen to the concerns of their constituents?
Do they understand the realities faced by ordinary citizens?
Can they formulate and implement practical solutions?
Do they have the courage to put public interest above personal interest?
These are the questions that should guide our choices.
Nigeria has a large youthful population, yet many young people remain disconnected from political participation. Some have become disillusioned because they believe their votes do not matter. Others believe politics is inherently corrupt or that the system is too powerful for ordinary citizens to influence. Some participate only when there is a financial incentive, while others have simply decided to remain spectators. But political apathy comes with a cost. When responsible citizens withdraw from the political process, they create more room for people with questionable motives and character to dominate it.
If competent people refuse to participate, incompetence can become organized.
Politics does not become better because good people avoid it. It becomes better when good people enter it and demand better standards and system.
Youth participation is more than voting.Youth political participation should not begin and end on election day.
Young people should also learn to look beyond political parties and personalities.
Instead of asking only, Who is supporting my candidate?, we should ask:
What has this person achieved?
What are their principles?
How have they managed responsibilities in the past?
Can they be trusted with public resources?
What solutions are they proposing?
Are they accountable to the people?
What happens when they are given power?
These questions can help move political participation from emotional loyalty to informed citizenship.
There is nothing wrong with criticizing bad governance. But criticism without participation can become a cycle.
We complain about corruption, yet sometimes support individuals because of money, connections, ethnicity, religion or personal relationships.
If we want a different outcome, we must change the process that produces that outcome.We cannot consistently elect leaders based on sentiment and then expect competence to emerge from the results.
We must reward competence rather than mediocrity, accountability rather than impunity, service rather than selfishness, and integrity rather than manipulation.
The future of Nigeria cannot be secured by complaining alone.
We must participate!
We must register and vote where eligible!
We must understand the issues!
We must scrutinize candidates!
We must reject the idea that our votes should be exchanged for temporary gifts!
We must encourage competent young people to seek leadership positions!
We must hold leaders accountable after elections, not only during campaigns!
And most importantly, we must begin by practicing the leadership qualities we demand from those above us!
Nigeria does not merely need new faces in leadership. Nigeria needs a new culture of leadership!
The Nigeria We Want Requires Our Participation!
The time has come for Nigerian youths to wake up, become informed, participate actively and demand better standards.
The change we seek in our hospitals, schools, communities and government will not happen by chance.
It will happen when we decide to become part of the solution.
ANTHO1WORLDWIDE
Thestudentradiographer✍️
