Leadership Deficit and the Monday Sit- at-Home in Southeast Region of Nigeria

Abstract

The Southeast region of Nigeria has been grappling with persistent socio-political challenges since the Fourth Republic dispensation started in 1999. However, one of the most enduring challenges is the enforcement of a "Monday sit-at-home" order, initially issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a form of protest, but has taken a life of itself since the Federal Government of Nigeria rendered Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya and incarcerated him in Directorate of State Security dungeon in Abuja since August 2021. The phenomenon which has remained unresolved by the governments at both the region and at the centre has led to significant economic disruptions and heightened insecurity in the region. At the heart of this lingering challenge in the region, lies a critical leadership deficit, characterized by the inability of political and traditional leaders to effectively address the root causes of the unrest and provide sustainable solutions. This paper explored the multifaceted dimensions of the leadership vacuum in the Southeast and attributed the lingering crisis to such a gap. It examined how the phenomenon exacerbated the region's instability and the helplessness of the government to nip it in the bud. The paper analyzes the interplay between ineffective governance, lack of public trust, and the rise of non-state actors filled the leadership void. The paper used documented materials and textual review of the sit-at-home, policy responses, and community impacts, to explain the effect of leadership deficit in the region. The paper underscored the urgent need for robust leadership and strategic engagement of leadership with the people at the grassroot to restore normalcy and foster long-term peace and development that not only impacts positively on the region but in the country as a whole.