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When you are an
Editor of national media organisation and also have the rare privilege
of writing a regular column, you have to exercise great judgment in
deciding what your topics should be. But this isn’t as easy or
straightforward as it sounds.

The ability to be
fair and balanced is an essential quality in an editor. But that is not
enough; you must also be seen to be fair and balanced. And as the umpire
that directs newsgathering and has the final word on what gets into the
paper and what does not, perception is important and can help determine
the level of trust established between a media organisation and its
audience.

In a complex and
potentially volatile place like Nigeria, the decision on what subject to
write on, can sometimes be a fine balancing act entailing some tough
judgment calls. Some subjects can even be taboo; not because I do not
have an opinion about these things, or that I lack the courage or
conviction to publicise those beliefs but because there is a real danger
that my beliefs could be mistaken for the opinion of the paper and some
may even assume it influences the way we gather and disseminate news
and information.

I have been
pondering for some time the question of attributes that need to be
present in the man or woman we elect as president in next year’s
elections. But, I have also been wary of writing about it to avoid the
perception that I am endorsing this or that other candidate. Yet I have
not been able to completely push the issue out of my mind.

So I have come up
with a solution, a list of attributes that I believe we should be
looking for in the next Nigerian president and indeed everyone we are
putting in an elective office.

Some will find the
list simplistic and naive and say it does not take into account all the
various nuances and paradoxes inherent in human character and present
day Nigeria. I think it is a decent list and invite you to add to it.
Maybe when we have put together a list that we believe is complete, we
can circulate it and encourage voters to use it as check before they
cast their vote.

So here goes:

It is my judgment, that the following qualities are essential in anyone seeking to lead Nigeria successfully –

1. A truly
detribalised Nigerian- A person who will take decisions based on the
overall interest of Nigeria and not a single state or region. A person
who although proud of his or her roots, does not feel a sense of
superiority and genuinely judges people based on their actions and not
their place of origin.

2. A person with
integrity – A man or woman who has no record of enriching himself or
herself from public coffers. A person whose wealth can be measured and
traced, who has not shown any indication of the rapacious greed we have
come to associate with Nigerian politicians. A leader who will put
national interest above the need for personal enrichment and monetary
benefits.

3. A smart person –
Someone with the brain, or to put it another way, the processing power
to deal with the complexity of the Nigerian situation and with the
intellectual capacity to craft plans for addressing its many problems
and actually execute those plans.

4. A ‘unifying’
candidate- A person that will be acceptable and trusted by all regions
across the nation, with the capacity to unite the country and ensure buy
in for his or her policies across the tribal and political spectrum in
this nation. A candidate that will not exacerbate further, the divisions
that already exist, but lead Nigeria to celebrate its diversity while
harnessing it for cultural and economic growth: A man or woman who
passionately believes in the Nigerian project and will work diligently
to realise it.

5. A candidate with
the strength and courage – to take tough decisions, to stand up to
politicians who refuse to pursue an agenda of national growth. A man or
woman with he dogged determination and audacity to do the right thing no
matter whose ox is gored.

6. A spiritual
person – Someone who has genuine faith and spirituality and is not
merely religious in the way many Nigerians are. It should not be about
how often the candidate goes to the mosque or church or how many times
the person proclaims their religiosity. It should be an examination of
the person’s life, both the public and the private to see if God plays a
part in that life. Does he do good by his neighbours, is he or she
honest in everyday dealings? Does he or she conduct their affairs with
honour and fairness? Does the person’s behaviour make them the ideal
role model for the society we are trying to build?

These are my six. Should the candidate we vote for be in possession
of all of these attributes or would the possession of 5 out of 6 be
acceptable for president, vice – president, governor, senator, house of
representative member, local government chairman etc?