Mrs Bukola Adedeji, Chairman, Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA), has said that public office should be seen as a call to selfless service rather than an avenue for personal enrichment or family empowerment.
Adedeji said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, on Thursday.
She said that public office should be a platform for serving the people and impacting communities.
“Public office is a sacred trust. It is about serving the people with integrity, not enriching oneself or one’s family.”
Adedeji said that the essence of leadership was to improve the welfare of the people through transparent governance, prudent management of public resources and quality service delivery.
“Leadership should always translate into better living conditions and meaningful development for the people.
“The interest of the people must always come before personal ambition or material benefits.”
The council chairman added that leaders in many developed countries often remained in office based on performance and public confidence.
“Performance, credibility and accountability are what sustain leaders in advanced democracies.
“In developed economies, wealth is created through enterprise, while public office is primarily an opportunity to serve.”
Adedeji expressed concern that politics in Nigeria had become attractive to some because of the perceived financial rewards attached to public office.
“When politics becomes a business venture, the values of good governance and accountability are weakened.”
She called on political office holders to embrace integrity, transparency and accountability.
“The true measure of leadership is the positive difference made in the lives of citizens, not the wealth accumulated in office.”
Adedeji said Nigeria would achieve faster socio-economic development when leaders regarded public office as a responsibility to serve honestly, while citizens continued to demand accountability from those entrusted with public responsibilities.
“Nigeria’s progress depends on leaders who serve with honesty and citizens who insist on accountability at all times.”
