Ayobamiji Komolafe 
2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has emphasized the urgent need for competent and responsible leadership to drive disciplined execution of policies in Nigeria, saying it is the missing link in the country’s development.
Obi delivered the keynote address at the 1st Lagos Business School All MBA Students Conference, which also hosted visiting MBA students from the University of Cambridge’s Judge Business School.
Speaking on the theme, “Execution as a Competitive Edge,” the former Anambra State governor stressed that while planning and strategizing are essential, they remain meaningless without effective execution.
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“Execution is what delivers results or desired outcomes. When we speak about execution that delivers results, it is driven by competent and responsible leadership with capacity, compassion, and character,” Obi stated.
Drawing comparisons, Obi cited examples from China, India, and Vietnam, which, through disciplined execution of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), collectively lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty. He contrasted this with Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan African nations, where weak leadership and inconsistent implementation have left over 130 million Nigerians classified as multidimensionally poor.
Obi further noted that both the public and private sectors require competent leadership to achieve sustainable growth, arguing that many globally successful firms thrive because of responsible boards and management that ensure effective execution of strategies.
He concluded by stressing that Nigeria’s path to prosperity lies in disciplined execution anchored on leadership with capacity, compassion, and character, adding:
“That is what Nigeria needs today. A New Nigeria is Possible.”
