In a powerful reflection on the state of politics and leadership, Onyekachukwu Mabel Adinkwu, PhD, calls for a fundamental shift in how society defines strength, power, and political intelligence.
According to Dr. Adinkwu, politics and leadership should never be about eliminating opponents or silencing the opposition. True strength, she argues, is not measured by one’s ability to cause harm, spread fear, or impose dictatorship. Rather, real courage lies in the discipline and moral restraint to choose humanity even when one has the power to do otherwise.
She emphasizes that authentic leadership is about putting the lives and welfare of the people above personal ambition. When the blood of those one is meant to serve becomes the price of political aspiration, she insists, such a person forfeits any moral right to lead.
Dr. Adinkwu also challenges the popular notion of “get mind” — a phrase often used to describe boldness or street-smart toughness. If “get mind” means the willingness to kill, steal, or destroy in pursuit of power, she contends, then it is not strength but wickedness. Society, she says, must redefine what it celebrates as intelligence and bravery.
Reflecting on her personal experiences, she notes that she has often been told she is “too honest” and “too open-minded” for politics. Yet she raises a pressing question: if principled individuals withdraw from public life, who will reform the system? Who will cleanse institutions if they are left in the hands of the dishonest and the heartless?
Acknowledging that every human being possesses the capacity for both good and evil, Dr. Adinkwu stresses that leadership is ultimately defined by consistent moral choices especially when wrongdoing appears easier or more rewarding. The deliberate choice of good over evil, she argues, is what qualifies a person to lead and to be followed.
Despite acknowledging deep-rooted corruption and systemic decay, she remains hopeful. Evil, she believes, can be overcome with good. Citizens must choose to stand on the right side of history and actively participate in rebuilding the nation.
Her message is clear and resolute: Nigerians can be good people and still engage in politics. The country can do better. A new Nigeria is possible and it must be built collectively.
