Leaders fail to protect the interest of their followers for some of the following reasons:
1. Party Interest: Leaders fail to protect their followers’ interest because of the pressure from party leaders and members. They are put under intense pressure to satisfy the needs of their party members or otherwise they frustrate them out of office.
2. Godfatherism: Most leaders emerge based on the financial support from their godfathers. They sometimes enter into an agreement to keep servicing their godfathers until they leave office. The money met for public projects are diverted to settle these political godfathers.
3. Selfishness:Leaders may fail to protect the interest of their followers because of selfish motives. They are greedy and want to satisfy their personal interest without responding to the yearnings of their followers.
4. High cost of Electioneering Campaign: The cost of canvassing for vote is high. The fee for collection of nomination form is expensive. Printing of posters, handbills and advertisement on radio and television is money consuming. The leader would want to recoup the money spent during election before thinking about the followers.
5. Poor Financial Attitude of the Electorates: Many voters collect money from candidates by selling out their votes. When the candidate eventually emerge as leader he assume that the people have already been settled by the money they collected from him during election.
6. Manipulation of Election Result by Leaders: Leaders who emerge as a result of election rigging may not protect the interest of their followers because they did not get to office through the votes of the electorates.
HOW TO CONTROL LEADERS THAT FAIL TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF THEIR FOLLOWERS
The following measures will help to reduce the neglect of followers by their leaders in the community.
1. Voting should be done based on personal conviction and not monetary gains.
2. A non-performing representative should be recalled.
3. There should be promotion of transparency, probity and accountability at all levels in the conduct of government business.
4. The cost of nomination forms should be reduced and made affordable.
5. Public offices should be made less attractive, allowances and salaries should be reduced. This will enable people who have the interest of the masses to seek for public position.
EVALUATION
1. Mention five reasons leaders fail to protect the interest of their followers.
2. List five ways to reduce leaders’ poor attitude towards their followers.
GENERAL EVALUATION
1. List the three organs of government.
2. What is the full meaning of UDHR?
3. Outline the seven core freedom in UDHR.
4. Define citizenship.
5 List four ways of citizenship acquisition.
READING ASSIGNMENT
Why Leaders Fail to Protect the Interest of their Followers – Fundamentals of Civic Education for SS Book 2, Sola Akinyemi, Pages 33-34.
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
SECTION A
Instruction: From the options lettered A-D, choose the letter that is most appropriate for the following questions. Answer all the questions.
1. Which of the following is NOT a political leader?
A. Governor B. President C. Councilor D. Candidate
2. Which of these is an attribute of a good leader?
A. Selflessness B. Selfishness C. Pride D. Arrogance.
3. A party leader who sponsors candidates for elective position for the purpose of rewards is called A. sponsor B. mediator C. electorate D. godfather.
4. The following are reasons why leaders fail to protect the interest of their followers EXCEPT A. selfishness B. greed C. accountability D. party interest.
5. A leader who fails to protect the interest of his followers should be
A. commended B. promoted C. recalled D. rewarded.
SECTION B
1. Outline six qualities of a good leader.
2. State five ways to control selfish leaders in a state.
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