A respected Nigerian statesman and leader of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has recalled his experiences with the late Nigerian president, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. In his interview on AIT , Hakeem recalled what Ya’Adua told him and others about corrupt leaders.
Addressing the topic, Hakeem said, “Yar’Adua started well, and he confronted the critical issues holding back Nigeria. He also led by example. Yar’Adua used to tell us that a corrupt leader could never be a good leader. Yar’Adua was right, as you can never be a good leader if you are corrupt. Why?
He added, “Because you will allow corruption to thrive while surrounding yourself with corrupt people like you. There were people around Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, and Buhari, but they reinforced the president’s vision of what he wanted to do. The people around you are not the problem, as they take their cues from you. A president has to permit the probe and interrogation of past systems. Many things have happened in the country, and you cannot simply ask the people to move on.
You can watch the interview here. (17:25 minute)
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