Leadership expert and former presidential candidate, Fela Durotoye, has urged Nigerians to fundamentally rethink how they assess political leaders, warning that campaign promises are among the weakest indicators of leadership quality.
Durotoye made the call during an interview on The Exchange Podcast, hosted by Olufemi Soneye.
“Every politician sounds good during elections. They all promise heaven on earth,” Durotoye stated further.
According to him, the real test of leadership lies far away from campaign seasons. “If you want to know who a person really is, don’t listen to what they are saying now. Go and look at what they did when nothing was at stake.”
Durotoye stressed that leadership character leaves evidence. “Good people leave a trail of goodness behind them,” he said. “Integrity has receipts.”
He warned voters against emotional decision-making. “Nigerians vote based on tribe, religion, fear and sentiment, but leadership does not respond to sentiment; leadership responds to character.”
Using philanthropy as an example, Durotoye said generosity that emerges only during campaigns is suspicious. “If somebody never cared about education before politics, how can you trust them with free education?”
He emphasised that leadership is consistent. “A leader does not suddenly become good because he wants your vote,” Durotoye said. “Goodness is a habit.”
According to him, Nigerians often ignore obvious warning signs. “We reward people who have never managed anything successfully and then we are shocked when they fail at governance,” he said.
He argued that competence must be proven, not assumed. “Leadership is not about intentions; it is about capacity,” he said. “You don’t test-drive leadership with a whole nation.”
Durotoye urged voters to interrogate candidates’ past roles. “Where have you worked? Who have you led? What did people say after you left?” he asked.
He linked Nigeria’s leadership crisis to low expectations. “When citizens don’t demand excellence, mediocrity thrives,” he said.
According to him, cynicism has become normalised. “People say, ‘They are all the same,’ and that lie has destroyed our standards,” Durotoye said.
He insisted that credible leaders exist. “There are good people with solid track records,” he said. “But they are often ignored because they don’t have money or godfathers.”
Durotoye called for voter education and civic responsibility. “Democracy only works when citizens do their homework,” he said.
He warned that shortcuts have consequences. “When you elect leaders without character, you pay for it in insecurity, poverty and broken institutions,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s future, Durotoye remained optimistic. “Nigeria will change when Nigerians decide to change what they reward,” he said.
He concluded with a simple rule. “If the past is empty, the future will be disastrous.”
