Back to: Civic Education Primary 5
Hello.
Ever heard the word ‘leader’? What came to your mind when you did?
PROBLEMS CREATED BY BAD LEADERSHIP
Meaning of Leadership
Whenever human beings are found living together or doing things together, leaders emerge in one way or the other, to organize the group and control its affairs. The leaders of a country are those people who direct and control the country.
‘Leadership’ refers to the position of being a leader. It also refers to the group of people who rule a country or an organisation.
Bad leadership refers to a situation in which some of the leaders of a country are bad. Sometimes, it could be the president or the state governors. It could also be the other leaders who work with the president or any of the state governors.
A country ruled by bad leaders will have very many problems. Some of such problems include:
- Dissatisfaction: When the leaders of a country are bad, they will be corrupt and wicked. The citizens will be disappointed because they will not be satisfied. Many times, such people show their dissatisfaction by taking to the streets in protests or demonstrations. At other times, workers may go on strike (especially when they are unpaid or when government services are poor).
- Destruction of lives or property: When the citizens of a country get angry with their leaders, they carry out protests and demonstrations to show their displeasure. Many times, these protests turn out to be riotous. A riotous crowd usually rob shops, manhandle and rob passersby, destroy property and even kill innocent people.
- Poor health: When people live in a country ruled by bad leaders, they would experience several problems because things which should have been easy would become difficult.
- Insecurity: Bad leadership promotes insecurity. Many people would feel unsafe because they know their leaders are wicked. Besides, criminals would love to operate and harass innocent citizens because they know the law enforcement agents may not care about protecting the people.
- Injustice: Very often, bad leaders support wicked people and are unfair to good people.
- Mismanagement of resources: Usually, bad leaders are corrupt and do not care for the people. They divert the money meant for the improvement of social amenities into their own personal bank accounts. Sometimes, they convert the equipment or facility which is meant to serve the public to their own private use.
- Ineffective and inefficient labor force: When a person feels disturbed by a particular thing, such a person would be unable to reason correctly and would be unable to do things properly. So it is the same thing with a country.
When the leadership (the head) is bad, the people, especially the workers (the body) would be ineffective and inefficient.
How to Check the Excesses of Bad Leaders
The word excesses refers to those actions that are bad and not acceptable in a society. On the other hand, the word check means to stop something bad from getting worse. ‘
Checking the excesses of bad leaders’ therefore, refers to the ways in which citizens of a country or people in a group can stop the harmful and unacceptable actions of bad leaders from becoming worse.
The following are some of the ways in which people can stop the harmful actions of bad leaders, especially political leaders:
- Discussion: Those who feel their leaders are taking harmful decisions may select some representatives who would visit such leaders and hold peaceful discussions with them, in order to persuade them to change their ways. When this kind of discussion takes place between two groups of people (for instance, the leaders and those who are being led), it is called a dialogue.
- Employing the services of elder statesmen: Some older men and women who were leaders in the past (or are still leaders) are noted and respected for their wisdom and fairness. They are generally referred to as statesmen. People who want their leaders to change their bad ways could ask groups of elder statesmen to visit such leaders and advise them on good governance.
- Publicity: When leaders seem not to respond to peaceful discussion, members of the society who have details of the excesses of such leaders could publish such details in the media. This will make the public to investigate the matter and then rise up against such leaders.
- Public demonstrations and protests: Different pressure groups could organize public protests against the evil behavior of bad leaders. Public demonstrations should not result in riots. They should not result in the destruction of lives and property. They should be properly organised and peaceful.
- Strikes: Workers could go on strike for a specified period of time, to register their displeasure over the actions of their leaders.
- Reducing the leaders’ authority: When leaders consistently behave badly, those in charge of the law guiding the country or organisation could reduce the power and authority of such leaders by amending the laws.
- Impeachment: Political leaders whose actions are harmful and against the progress of the society could be charged to a special government court, meant for such purposes. During the process, they are charged with whatever serious crimes they may have committed. Usually, such leaders are removed from office and replaced with those who would serve the society with integrity.
Quiz
- Highlight the good and bad aspects of the current leadership of your country during a class debate.
2a. List five ways in which we can check the excesses of our leaders.
b.Explain each item on your list in a few sentences.
3.Identify three problems created by bad leadership. Explain each of the problems you have identified.
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