I Am Voting for Kingsley Moghalu and This Is Why I Think You Should Too

Interesting that I have managed to get sucked into writing about Politics, but I have always considered this quote by Ancient Greek Statesman, Pericles to be very apt:

“Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you.”

In Nigeria, Politics drives everything (and I say that fully aware that some might call it hyperbole). The Nigerian Federal Government is ubiquitous, with its hand in practically every pie. It is an all powerful central government that is strengthened by laws that put the levers of the economy, firmly in state hands. For example, the Land Use Act vests ownership of all land in the respective state governments, while the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007 vests all resources beneath the ground in the hands of the Federal Government. While successive governments since 1999 have pursued liberalization and deregulation, there remains much more to be done, especially as some of the gains have been reversed in recent times.

Given my bias for the economy and preference for market led economic outcomes, my political choices have always been largely been framed in that regard. 2019 promises to be no different. In my view, Nigeria has no viable path to sustainability and survival unless it unshackles its people and enables them to be more productive and ultimately, more prosperous. To accomplish this, the choice of who shall become President remains as critical as ever, perhaps even more so after the past 3 years of abject failure and excruciatingly painful regression. To put this in context, Nigeria refused to be a part of of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), locking us out of a market of more than 1 billion people, missing out on the opportunity to set the terms that will be favorable to us. Think of all the jobs that could be created through access to that market.

Nigeria has gone from an economy growing at 6–7% to one that went through a 5 quarter recession, with less than 1% growth in 2017 and projected less than 2% growth in 2018 despite the rally in oil prices that has benefited other oil producing states. The country continues to stumble, seemingly punch drunk and unable to right itself. We have sunk further into debt faster than at any point since 2006, when the external debt slate was wiped clean. Yet, there is nothing meaningful to show for it. Consequently, government finances have become less transparent as Budget Implementation Reports are no longer released in a timely fashion as done in the recent past. Revenue generation reports by the Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS) are also well behind due date, even the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has also been bitten by same bug.

It is with this in mind that I have looked at the candidates who have indicated their interest and settled on one — Professor Kingsley Moghalu. Born on May 7, 1963, if elected Moghalu will be Nigeria’s first leader born after independence, a clear departure from the old guard. Moghalu’s economic management credentials are stellar; he is a former Deputy Governor of the CBN and was responsible for Financial System Stability between 2009 to 2014 with great success. Prior to this appointment he had an outstanding 17 year professional career with the United Nations, rising through the ranks and taking on several major assignments along the way. In this regard, there is no Nigerian who has contested for the Nigerian Presidency, better educated or prepared than Professor Kingsley Moghalu. You can find more details on Moghalu’s background on his personal website.

Three key factors have further convinced me of Moghalu’s candidacy and they are as follows:

Proven Capability

I am a firm believer that the best among us should lead us and as mentioned above, Kingsley Moghalu stands head and shoulders above any other candidate, in terms of his body of work and experience at the highest levels. He has a multi disciplinary background as a Lawyer, International Relations Expert and Risk Management Professional. His experience cuts across legal frameworks, development initiatives (especially in emerging markets), international diplomacy and economic management with proven success over a 30 year career.

It is time that Nigeria has a President that will more often than not be one of the brightest in any room he walks into, one that can hold his own in any conversation. A President that will be aware and able to address any issue and won’t go off on a tangent when asked a relatively simple question. A President who is in tune with the modern world and can bring best practice from different parts of the world to solve Nigeria’s problems. A President who is used to working with the brightest and the best and will not hesitate to surround himself with high caliber individuals to help plan and execute the ideas that will drive Nigeria forward. Kingsley Moghalu ticks all these boxes and much more.

Vision

Nigeria’s next President must have a clear understanding of Nigeria’s issues and more importantly, a clear idea of what good looks like and how to achieve it. Kingsley Moghalu has written a book titled Build, Innovate and Grow (B.I.G., a must read) that clearly outlines his ideas on how to fix Nigeria and he strikes all the right notes. His ideas are Strategic with also clear Tactical initiatives that will be executed to bring the expected outcomes to fruition. Moghalu talks about having a National Philosophy which is important for a country of so many nations with ethnic and religious differences. It is fundamental that we find a way to co-exist peacefully and he puts this at the forefront of his agenda.

Moghalu also speaks about Constitutional Restructuring towards achieving true Federalism as an imperative. He is also focused on National Security with a clear plan to strengthen the Nigerian Police Force, increasing its manpower by more than 300% to about 1.5 million men and women. His economic plan is clear with focus on diversification beyond oil (NNPC to be privatized), repeal of the Land Use Act, job creation with focus on private led investment and key focus on education and healthcare. More details of Moghalu’s B.I.G. Vision.

Empathy and Commitment To Leadership

Empathy is a crucial element that any Nigerian leader must have and too often we have had leaders who have had no trace of this at all, the current incumbent a clear example. Nigeria’s culture (which becomes more evident as you go north) is one that has a high degree of power distance, with leaders revered to a debilitating degree. If Nigeria must do well, we need a new breed of leaders who are in tune with the people at the bottom of the pyramid, who understand the issues and have in one way or the other have tried to help the less privileged. Kingsley Moghalu demonstrates this empathy through the Isaac Moghalu Foundation which was founded 13 years ago, using his own resources and time to help others. The manner in which he has sought out the young and old, students, professionals and market women as he has gone round the country holding Town Halls to share his vision also speaks to his values and his commitment to the people.

Moghalu’s commitment to sound leadership is obvious and he has clearly outlined this at every opportunity. The type of leadership that Nigeria needs is one that stands up to be counted at every opportunity, one that embraces accountability and holds self and team to the highest standards. For too long Nigeria has held on to a culture of “Anyhowness”, one in which anything goes and people in power act with impunity. Moghalu expresses his vision for leadership as follows:

• Uphold high ethical and moral standards of governance
• Lead by example based on the principles of transformative governance
• Personally hold town hall meetings across the country to communicate a new vision of leadership and governance in Nigeria
• Empower the “Office of the Citizen” to hold the government and governance accountable
• Organize and execute intensive leadership training for the leadership of all political parties in Nigeria in order to begin to inculcate the true meaning and values of leadership

This is a significant departure from what we have had in the past and given Moghalu’s background, there is some level of comfort that he will be true to his word.

A Call To Action

Nigeria must chart a new course with the 2019 elections and that means the choice of who will lead us going forward is fundamental and critical. We have no choice but to put our best foot forward and ensure that only the very best with the right values, passion and commitment to lift everyone and leave none behind, gets to lead us. I believe Kingsley Moghalu to be that man and I am convinced that if we all truly want the best for our country, we must support him and help him help us all.