President Jonathan promotes sycophancy in his govt – Ezekwesili

A former Minister of Education and an advocate of the Bring Back Our Girls Group, Oby Ezekwesili, has said when a reviewof President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration is completed, Nigerians will realise just how much damage sycophancy did to governance under the outgoing President’s watch.

In some tweets late on Thursday, the former minister suggested that the kidnapping and failed rescue of the Chibok girls were samples of how a President allowed sycophants destroy governance.

The Chibok girls were abducted at Government Girls School, Chibok, Borno State, on April 14, 2014 by Boko Haram militants and are yet to be rescued by the Federal Government.

“When a review of President Jonathan’s administration is done, we’ll realise how much damage sycophancy did to governance. Example? Chibok Girls,” she said.

She further elaborated on how the President allowed sycophants in his cabinet.

She added,

“A leader must be without an inordinate desire to be serenaded with ‘good news’ or their team will never let them know the true state of affairs.

“An environment that rewards sycophancy encourages team to withhold accurate ‘bad’ news (problems) from the leader while serving up ‘good news’.

” When a leader makes hero worshipping costly to those who engage in it, he/she deprives the ‘sellers’ market to set the ‘Mediocrity Benchmark.’

“A critical success factor in governance is for the leader to both in word and deed convey a culture that abhors sycophancy. No hero worshipping.”