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By Our Reporter
Ken Robinson, former spokesman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), has said that for things to work again in Nigeria, leaders of the country must change their attitude and approach to governance.
He made this known at the launch his book titled ‘The Zaccheaus Manifesto,’ in Port Harcourt.
Robinson said the book which is an adoption of the Biblical account of Zaccheaus to present real life experience, seeks to draw attention of leaders of the various strata of society to the need for transformational approach to governance.
He charged Nigerian leaders to change their approach to governance to gain societal backing.
“If we change our ways, this country that looks as if things are not working, will work. Government has to change its ways for things to work. The book is about leadership, it’s about transformation and that until the citizens of a country change their ways and their actions, the country will remain the same.
“The book is a tool for young people, it’s a tool for leaders of our country and leaders in various sectors to accept the fact that to lead well, you need to change how you do things,” he said.
The author announced plans to drive the Zaccheaus manifesto to the grassroots by working with the schools in the Niger Delta states to begin teaching of attitudinal change in schools beginning from the primary and secondary levels.
“We’ll be organising book banquet in collaboration with schools and the ministries of education and the various education boards beginning with the Niger Delta states. It’s a movement that we want to drive and we have called it the Zaccheaus Movement to engender personal change, ” he added.
In a his keynote address, a traditional ruler in Ulakwo Kingdom, Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chief Onyeche Promise Obinna emphasized the need for restitution on the part of leaders especially those from the Niger Delta region to be at peace with nature.
He accused leaders of the region of short changing the region in terms derivatives from the resources on their land, saying such is an offense against nature.
“As natural beings, when you take what doesn’t belong to you, you owe nature and that’s why some of our past leaders die mysteriously. So the best thing to do when you owe nature is to pay back nature.
“As Niger Deltans, we have been dealt with by our own people, forming alliance with foreign bodies to distort what belongs to us and to shortchanged us in terms of direvatives, so the best thing for them is to restitute,” he said.
The monarch charged leaders of the region to emulate Zaccheaus by not only restituting but giving back fourfold of what they have stolen to the region. He also called for a public apology from the region’s leaders.
“Our leaders in the Niger Delta should restitute not just what they have taken but four times of it and they should tender a public apology. They should summon the courage to set up foundations that will enhance development in the region, skill acquisition and capacity training in the Niger Delta, ” the traditional ruler added.
He maintained that Niger Delta region has what it takes to develop itself but blamed leaders for squandering the resources of the region.
The book reviewer and a former vice chancellor of the Rivers State University (RSU), Professor Barineme Fakae said the book seeks to re-examine the intersection of Christian ethics, socio-economic justice and public life drawing on the Biblical narrative of Zaccheaus.
He said the book is a challenge to contemporary Christian communities especially in a society plagued by corruption inequality and moral decay.
Fakae charged leaders to embrace accountability and transparency in carrying out their responsibilities.
