Nigerians expecting immediate dividends to validate confidence in newly elected government have been urged to stop expecting miracles.

This came from new minister and former Ekiti Stae Governor Dr Kayoide Fayemi who spoke as guest speaker at the 2015 Akintola Williams Distinguished Lecture Series in Lagos, former Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi yesterday warned them to desist.

The minister-designate said, government needs time to deliver such dividends to their people adding that long-term visioning and succession planning were essential to avoid failed leadership.

He presented a paper titled: “Leadership factors and good corporate governance: Key to national growth and development”.

He warned politicians who often make “wild promises” before they are voted into office.

Participants at the lecture included the renowned chartered accountant in whose name the lecture was held, Mr. Akintola Williams, former Head of Interim National Government Chief Ernest Shonekan, Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun and one- time Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Wale Edun.

Fayemi said people want immediate results from their elected officials, but governments must realise that succession planning takes time.

“The electorate tend to want immediate and tangible dividends to validate their confidence in their elected governments. Politicians, especially in our clime, are prone to crude populism, often making wild promises to perform immediate miracles once they are voted into office. The result is often mutual disappointment,” the former governor said.

He added: “Successful development planning, like succession planning, is a long-term endeavour. The economic miracle of Southeast Asian nations was built on the back of long-term planning.

“China’s emergence, which is perhaps the most talked about and analysed development story of recent time, was nurtured over the course of 30 years. These are the countries we want to emulate.”

Fayemi suggested that Nigeria’s long-term plans must be protected from negative political influences, such as those exhibited by certain African leaders, who continually perpetrate themselves in power.

He said: “We simply cannot afford to legitimise the reasons given by some of our African leaders for perpetuating themselves in power indefinitely.

“In this regard, it has to be said that Africa’s legacy of developmental under-achievement has something to do with lack of careful succession planning. What we see in Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi today in terms of the pursuit of perpetuation of power clearly attests to this.”

Culled from thenationonlineng.net