President Jonathan Goodluck                Photo courtesy

Before Nigeria's President  Goodluck E. Jonathan (GEJ) came to power, some Nigerians said that were the country to get someone with a PhD, it would emerge from the clutches of a headless and moribund leadership. Well, one has to be careful of what they ask for because they may very well get it. Not only did Nigeria get a PhD holder as president, they got a homegrown one; someone in GEJ who never lived outside of Nigeria. In fact, Jonathan never lived outside of Rivers area and was never much of an adventurer to have traveled all over the country before his national role. NYSC was what exposed GEJ to some parts of Nigeria outside his geographic comfort zone.

I wonder if the same Nigerians are now saying, “Maybe if we got a Nigerian from outside with a PhD, things will be better.” Well, there are a bunch of them in the federal and state cabinets, though not as president or governors, but they sit in council in every federal or state executive meetings to deliberate and decide on Nigeria. How is that working out for Nigerians?

Since Ms Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, PhD, debut as finance minister; first time and now, with acclaimed World Bank experience and executive position to booth, has Naira gained any significant movement on any foreign currency? If she heads the cabinet on national economic development agenda because GEJ wants to pass the buck to absolve himself of blame, how is that working out for Nigerians? Before Ms Okonjo-Iweala, was Charles Soludo, PhD, UNN, who served as Economic Adviser and CBN Governor.

When Ms Okonjo-Iweala debut the first time, Naira was exchanging at N135 to a dollar. Now on a second merry go-round, Naira is exchanging at N160 to a dollar. How is that working for Nigerians? The interest rate on borrowed money keeps going up and Nigerians keep running overseas to look for capital from 'shylock' lenders. The result? Naira is always weakened and Nigeria foreign reserve is never at a mark to afford the naira a stabilized cushion against the dollar or pound.

PhD can be 'Permanent Head Damage' or PHD - Passion Hardwork Dedication/Devotion, I prefer the latter, to make things right and stand firm for the overall benefit of this odd 160m+ folks. It's never in the paper qualifications Nigerians flash and hang their hopes on. Leadership calls for a broad understanding of diverse views and ability to coral them into a working theme for delivery of agenda and programs that will appeal to and carry majority of the populace. What is GEJ leadership theme?

As Nigerians celebrate degrees, it may serve as a reminder that President Kibaki of Kenya, earned a first class in Economics from London School of Economics, an Ivy League institution compared to Jonathan's Uniport; no down-grade intended. Under Kibaki, how has Kenya fared with his first class degree?

While GEJ may pile up on more degrees, with a cabinet that looks like a college faculty with Doctorates and professors, the country remains headless and its rudder blade turning in awful sail direction. I have no expectations when I see a Nigerian in leadership with PhD: They are often not 'Smarter than a Fifth (5th) Grader.' Just my take and I like to be proven wrong.

A country that runs on life support as in generators, bore holes and potholed roads, creating conditions that infringes on the lives of its hapless citizens, is what is called Nigeria. Isn't that the story of African leadership exemplified by its giant - Nigeria? Let's see how the subsidy matter makes GEJ a mirage or miracle worker. Stay tuned.

By Ejike Okpa, II
Dallas, Texas.