TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page
Approval page
Dedication
Acknowledgment
Abstract
Table of content
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Statement of problem
1.3 Objective of the study
1.4 Research question
1.5 Significance of the study
1.6 Scope and limitation of the study
1.7 Definition of terms
1.8 Organization of the study
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 theoretical review
2.2 Conceptual review
2.3 empirical review
CHAPETR THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 sources of data collection
3.3 Population of the study
3.4 Sampling and sampling distribution
3.5 Area of the study
3.5 Validation of research instrument
3.6 Method of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introductions
4.2 Data analysis
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendation
Appendix
Abstract
The penury in the midst of plenty that pervade the walls of many Nigerian states is a perplexing paradox that begs for a critical evaluation. That most failed states are richly endowed is a common cliché albeit a truthful one. But that penury is highest in Southern Ijaw is indicative of the impact of corruption on the plenty present within the state- ‘with an average per capital income of roughly US one dollar a day, part of Africa remains the poorest in the world.’ Cursory survey reveals that the tempo of corruption in Nigeria is becoming a cultural phenomenon. In a country like Nigeria, it holds true that the spread of corruption extends to even the little infants in primary school. This study postulates that even the most primary agent of socialization the family is not speared the marauding finger of corruption.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Southern ijaw is currently experiencing the paradox of her being. Poverty and squalor are but hallmarks of a great continent that has richly being blessed by nature. A continent that often has been spared of untold natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes (except for few landslides in pockets of places) and the likes. In various states of the country, there are myriads of natural endowment, oil, coal, Gold, Iron- ore, precious stones and others too numerous to be mentioned. Yet in the midst of these endowments, persist also mismanagement, self-interest and unimaginable forms of corruption. In fact, some have commented that these resources have often become a curse rather than a blessing to the continent. This obvious gap between the God given opportunities and its meaningful utilization in a purposive manner, calls to the question the problematic nature of leadership and its centrality to the discourse on development.
One must acknowledge that praxis of democracy and the fundamentals of rule of law is universally difficult considering the number of years it took developed nations to arrive at their current stage. As Mike Igini argued “the process of democracy building took between 27 and 256 years in Britain, between 78 and 168 years in France, between 30-80 years in Germany, between 30 and 70 years in the USA and about 50 years in Japan” (The Nation, 2012). Considering these number of years, we may perhaps appreciate the efforts of the different states in the continent. Be that as it may, we must still remark that the overall task and vision of democracy aimed at ensuring a prosperous and secured continent with her citizens being given opportunities for self-actualization is still a far cry in many African nations. Democracy may not be achieving its full fruit in many nations of the world but the African case is still a more problematic one owing to the character of leaders. It is within the plethora of yet to be achieved vision that the inevitability of leadership is thus projected. The inevitability of the role of leadership in driving the process of development is seen from the perspective of agenda setting, resource mobilization and utilization as well as political action. History is often marked with the stories of the revolutions engineered by great political figures often addressed as “Heroes of History” for those that have positively influenced development or ‘Evil Men’ for negative drivers of history. The socio-economic and political development of any country depends largely on the ability of its leadership to facilitate, entrench and sustain good governance. Essentially, good governance is a function of committed, patriotic and discipline leadership. Nigeria A leader can be described as any body that can influence others to perform beyond their formal authority. Leadership emerge because every society is organized. The masses cannot lead. There is a need to have a few people who will lead (Ujo, 2001). Leadership is both the adhesive that binds a work group together and the catalyst that triggers employee motivation, thereby having major influence on organization performance. Omolayo (2005) describes leadership as an essential oil that keeps the wheel of government working without any difficulty. According to him, leadership makes the difference between success and failure in a country. It involves giving direction to citizens who are the critical assets of the nation. Leadership is a bundle of attributes including knowledge, vision, courage, imagination, determination, transparency, decisiveness, motivation, patriotism and nationalism deployed by occupants of strategic positions to lead their citizens and or followers towards profound and positive societal transformations. Profound society changes require extraordinary leadership exemplified in transformational policies and actions (Ukaegbu, 2010). Transformational leadership makes bold statements of goals, has bold visions, takes bold steps to unite with followers to achieve those goals, takes initiative in mobilizing people for participation in the process of change, and encourages a sense of collective identity and collective efficacy. Importantly, transformation leadership makes leaders out of followers. The leaders so generated and dispersed across sectors and geographic areas ensure that the goals and visions of progress established at various centres of power are implemented in accordance with the needs of citizens and that the later actively participate on goal implementation.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
A leader can be described as anybody that can influence others to perform beyond their formal authority. Leadership emerge because every society is organized. The masses cannot lead. There is a need to have a few people who will lead (Ujo, 2001). Leadership is both the adhesive that binds a work group together and the catalyst that triggers employee motivation, thereby having major influence on organization performance. Nigeria’s leadership is characterized by such negative features as lack of direction, neglect and drift, fraud and insensitivity to the needs and plights of the citizens. It is no longer news that while the poor in Nigeria are languishing in abject poverty and hunger, squalor, disease and destitution, Nigerian leaders are only after working out strategies on how to enrich and perpetuate themselves in office. The major problem that the country is facing today is the insincerity and insensitivity of her leaders to the needs of the ordinary people whom they have been elected to serve. Today, at the national, States and Local government level, mismanagement and corruption has become the norms of the leaders, while the masses are dying of hunger. It is against this backdrop that the researcher intend to investigate the nemesis of state and leadership failure in Nigeria with emphasis on southern Ijaw local government area.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to investigate the state and leadership failure in Nigeria with emphasis on southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa state. But to aid the completion of the study, the researcher intends to achieve the following specific objectives:
- i) to examine the role of bad leadership in worsening the economic development of the state
- ii) to examine the relationship between state leadership failure and the standard of living of the inhabitant of southern Ijaw local government area
iii) to ascertain the effect of state failure on the quality of her leaders in southern Ijaw
- iv) To examine impact of leaders quality in yielding dividend of democracy in southern Ijaw local government area
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION
The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study:
- i) Does bad leadership play any role in worsening the economic development of the state?
- ii) Is there any significant relationship between state leadership failure and the standard of living of the inhabitant of southern Ijaw local government area?
iii) Does state failure has any effect on the quality of her leaders in southern Ijaw?
- iv) Does the quality leaders has any impact in yielding dividend of democracy in southern Ijaw local government area?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
It is believe that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of great importance to the state and local government leaders as the study seek to examine the effect of leadership failure on the quality of life of the inhabitant and citizens of the state, the study will also be of importance to the political class as the recommendations of the study can be inculcated in policy formation so as to improve the leadership quality and the quality of life of the inhabitant of the state. The study will also be of importance to researchers who intend to embark on a study in a similar topic as the study will serve as a pathfinder to further studies, finally, the study will also be of importance to teachers, students, academia's and the general public as the study will contribute to the pool of existing literature on the subject matter and also contribute to knowledge.
1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covers state and leadership failure in Nigeria with emphasis on southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa state, but in the cause of the study, there are some factors that limit the scope of the study;
- a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
- b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
- c) Finance: Limited Access to the required finance was a major constrain to the scope of the study as it become cumbersome to cover more grounds and to print more.
1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
State
A state is a political organization with a centralized government that maintains a monopoly by use of force within a certain geographical territory. Some states are sovereign, other states are subject to external sovereignty or hegemony, where supreme authority lies in another state.
Leadership
Leadership is both a research area and a practical skill encompassing the ability of an individual or organization to “lead” or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations.
Leadership failure
Leaders who fail to provide true and proper command, inspiration and strategic vision for their company leave a battered organization. They delude themselves and mislead others within a losing legacy.
Democracy
Democracy is a system of government where the citizens exercise power by voting. In a direct democracy, the citizens as a whole form a governing body and vote directly on each issue.
1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows
Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), historical background, statement of problem, objectives of the study, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlights the theoretical framework on which the study is based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding. Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study
