In the animal kingdom, the lion is often referred to as the ‘King of the Beast’. This four-footed guile beast, a member of the family Leo, is highly regarded amongst mammals. They are revered for their boldness, fierce instincts, agility, and dominance amongst their peers. In terms of taxonomy, Lions (Panthera Leo), are large, powerfully built cats of the family Felidae. Not many people actually know that the Lion is second in size to the Tiger. However, and worthy of note is that the Lion is a famous ‘apex predator’, meaning it is without a natural predator or enemy. It is the ultimate hunter without any rival.

Like the Lion, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation. It is the most populous black nation on planet earth and with all due respect, just like the Lion, she can be termed the 'apex' black country. Nigeria is blessed with vast natural and Human Resources. Buried beneath this country is the famous black gold of sulphur free quality and a myriad of other minerals. Its landscape is dotted with forests, beautiful hills, valleys and mountains. Adorning this attractive natural environment are people of diverse tribes, culture, and religion. The land of Nigeria is one hundred percent potentate making her a country that can actually be whatever it wants to be. With a roar that can make other nations tremble but alas, it is looking like this nation needs to find her voice first.

At independence from Great Britain on October 1st, 1960, when the Union Jack was lowered for the raising of the Green-White-Green, hopes were high for the birth of an African giant. The feeling 64 years ago was one laced with a vision of how the ‘phoenix’ of our black race is born. However, what is on ground today is that in the last 64 years, we have managed to keep the country Nigeria but have failed to create Nigerians. There is a seeming lack of ‘Nigerianess’ in our demography. It is almost as though we do not know who we are. Ours has been a nation with essentially weak institutions thereby lacking the raw material which ought to be the bedrock for national development as obtainable in other climes. Not wanting to sound repetitive, let it trumpet once again (for sake of emphasis) that ours is a nation of different nationalities with over 200 million people and over 500 tribes. North, South, East and West, our country is blessed with highly innovative and creative minds, dynamic and youthful population, who can reboot any crashed system. We have got it all yet why have we lost the voice to roar?

Upon the departure of the British colonial masters in 1960, the adopted Westminster parliamentary system of government lasted only 6 years. The civilian leadership of that era could not hold it together owing to the terse and volatile political crisis witnessed at the time. So, it was, that young military officers led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu struck on 15th January 1966 in a bloody putsch. The then Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafewa Balewa and some other senior officials paid the supreme sacrifice. The most senior officer and Head of the military government at the time, General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was toppled by a new junta in July 1966 in another bloodbath. The men in uniform continued in government; it was General Yakubu Gowon until July 1975 when he too was kicked out in a bloodless coup by General Murtala Muhammed. The latter was assassinated in another bloody coup in February 1976. General Olusegun Obasanjo who took the reins of power midwifed a transition to a civilian administration on October 1st, 1979. Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief when the ‘men in agbada’ stepped in again after a 13-year hiatus.

It was however not to be the roar all expected as the ghost of 1966 played out again. Civilian President, Shehu Usman Shagari was removed from office in the early hours of December 31, 1983 and General Muhammadu Buhari became military Head of State. A cycle of military cum civilian interregnum followed with General Ibrahim Babangida (August 1985 - August 1993), Chief Earnest Shonekan (August 1993 – November 1993), General Sanni Abacha (November 1993 – June 1998) and finally General Abdulsalami Abubakar (June 1998 – May 1999) who again midwifed the current democratic dispensation in the country today when General Olusegun Obasanjo returned as a civilian President on 29th May 1999. Half a decade on this democratic journey, Nigerians are recounting their experiences and are yet to find their roar.

If Nigeria must move forward, our approach to governance must change. Many have called for the devolution of power to the subnational governments (states). Others like this writer have advocated for the practice of true federalism. Some have called for the reversal to the parliamentary system of government with which independent Nigeria began. Yet, a few have argued for a hybrid presidential/parliamentary democratic system and the various methodology goes on and on. My take is that systems work via the instrumentality of human touch. A system is only as good as its operators. A major crux for the reoxygenation of Nigeria is the strengthening of our institutions with the emergence of 'servant leaders'. The civil service, academia, police, judiciary, electoral commission, civil society, student groups, community associations must be truly functional and political parties ideologically distinct. Government at the subnational level (states) and the local government councils should take the bulls by their horns and work for their people. The current scenario of heaping all the blames at the federal centre is simply unacceptable. A lot of financial resources get to states without tangible outcomes on ground. Also, citizens of the various states must coalesce to hold state governors accountable instead of the recurrent ‘finger pointing’ at whoever is President.

As for the federal level, their work is very well cut out. The current bogus bureaucracy, duplication of functions, high cost of governance, leakages, and wastages in our public expenditure has to stop. The other two arms of government – legislature and judiciary must play their constitutional role to the letter. Democracy cannot survive if they abandon their responsibilities for filthy lucre and sleaze. The legislature and the judiciary are neither an extension nor an appendage of the Executive. The Legislature in particular needs to do more as representatives of the people. They must wake up to their duties and responsibilities and not ‘kowtow’ to the whims and caprices of the Executive arm. They must provide the needed checks and balances for our country to roar. The Judiciary remains the last hope (supposedly) of the common man and all of us Nigerians to find our voices. Justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done. Justice should not be sold to the highest bidder. The rule of law must be upheld at all times without fear or favour. There should be no sacred cows. Every Nigerian must be equal in the face of the law. Any deviation from the foregoing will be a ticket to self-help, jungle justice and anarchy in the land.

According to the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Allusions, The Lion in Winter is a proud, prominent, strong man whose great strength and dignity has been eroded by age and adversity. The title of the play combines the image of the British royal lion with the winter of old age, adversity and the cold drafts of a medieval castle in December. The quintessential example is England's King Henry II, portrayed in James Goldman's play 'The Lion in Winter`, which was made into a successful film in 1968 (winning 3 academy awards). In the film, King Henry II's three sons all wanted to inherit the throne, but the King won't commit to a choice. When he allows his imprisoned wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine out for a Christmas visit, they all variously plot to force him into a decision. `The Lion in Winter` is about love and hate between a man and a woman and their sons. It is also about politics, vengeance, greed and ambition. As Nigeria marks her 64th independence anniversary, many Nigerians are not impressed with the political intrigues and brigandage going on within our ecosystem and where we are as a nation. We are sad that we cannot find our voice... our roar is stifled.

Nigeria is in dire need of servant-leadership to `pilot’ the ship of our state. We must not allow the labour of our heroes’ past to be in vain. There is palpable dissatisfaction and disappointment etched on the faces of majority of Nigerians. The cost of living is biting hard as inflation of goods and services hit the roof tops. The present government is saying they are carrying out reforms. As lofty as this seems, citizens are yet to see exemplary sacrifices made by the ruling political class. The open display of opulence and affluence is mind boggling and sickening. These send wrong signals to the ordinary citizens who are strangulating to death. We the Nigerian people are in dire need of caring, compassionate and empathetic leaders who will serve us and not those who want to be served by us.

Many of us may not know, but the King of the jungle only hunts when they are hungry. Lions do not over feed. Once full, a Lion can watch an antelope stroll past without moving a muscle. So why then do our Nigerian rulers keep feeding fat off suffering Nigerians? They keep eating even when they are over fed and rotund.  A few days ago, I stumbled into these beautiful words on the Facebook wall of Lingui Ilo. “Talent is not enough. You need discipline. You need dedication. You need character. More men have failed, not for lack of talent but for lack of character”. Juxtaposing it to our nationhood, I would say that for us to achieve the Nigeria of our dreams, endowment is not enough. It takes sincere effort to build a strong, virile nation. It will take the discipline of the Lion in our nation for us to roar! We must get out of our self-imposed winter and cat walk in our Niger area ... as the true giant of Africa.

Dr Agbons is Lead, Institute of Leadership and Good Governance @www.twin2.org