Nigeria at 58: Charlyboy’s Ourmumudondo group blames nation’s woes on leadership failure

OurMumuDonDo, a civil society group led Charles Oputa, a.k.a Charlyboy, has blamed leadership failure at all levels over the years as the cause of Nigeria’s challenges.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the group made the assertion at the “State of the Nation” news conference addressed by its National Coordinator Charlyboy, to mark Nigeria’s 58 Independence celebrations on Monday in Abuja.
Charlyboy expressed regret that Nigeria was still economically and politically dependent with little or no opportunities for its citizens, especially the youths, after 58 years of self-rule.
He said: “What we are suffering as a nation is the effect of leadership failure after independence.
“The leaders are selfish and corrupt, and the followers, especially the youths have also abandoned good governance of their country to this clique of oppressive leaders.
“We started with countries like Brazil, Singapore and others; today they are among strong and self-sustaining nations.
“Nigeria as a nation blessed with huge human and natural resources cannot boost of basic amenities for its citizens,and it is rated among the poor nations of the world.
“Is it not pathetic to see a 58 years-old adult who cannot take care of him or herself?” Charlyboy noted that the country found itself at this cross road not because it lacked human and natural resources, but because it was bedevilled by corrupt and self-serving leaders over the years.
He added that leaders at all levels in the country were insensitive to the collective interests of the people because the youths of the present generation were passive.
He said: “The youths of the 70s used to stand up and agitate against policies and programmes of government that are not people-oriented thereby holding the leaders accountable.
“Today, our youths have decided to suffer and smile, while others have chosen to be political tugs and body guards to the same people who have traded off their future.”
The “Areafada” as he is fondly called by youths, therefore, urged them to produce a consensus candidate that they would support in the 2019 presidential election to realise the “Not Too Young To Run” dream.
Charlyboy stressed that young people needed to achieve a paradigm shift in Nigeria’s political history by supporting young consensus candidates that would contest and win elective positions in the 2019 general elections.
He said: “The youths must refuse to be divided as a people with common struggle and destiny so that they can win together.
“The Nigerian youths have been manipulated too long along tribal and religious sentiments by their leaders.
“It is time they stand up and save their future together by making sure that the old and recycled leaders leave the stage come 2019.”