The former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Edo, Henry Idahagboon, says empathy from leaders is the panacea to curbing graft in public officers.

Mr Idahagbon now the federal commissioner representing Edo, Ekiti and Ondo States at the Federal Civil Service Commission, said this in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Sunday.

He said that every citizen of the country was entitled to the good life.

According to him, if we have people in government who have empathy, who have human feelings for our people, it will be very easy to develop our country.

“Now we are on the right trajectory. We must give it to President Bola Tinubu’s government, because for the past two and a half years now, he has done a lot to change the economy of Nigeria.

“Yes, things are tough, no doubt about that, because rebuilding any country or building any institution, even building a house, it’s a difficult and tough process. But there’s a silver lining at the end of the sky.

“This is because the policies that are implemented now are not policies that any subsequent government can just jettison and go back to where we are coming from.

“So a proper foundation has already been laid in Nigeria, and some state governors are doing very well.

“Citizens just need people in government with human heart, people with empathy. You know, we as Africans, and Nigerians, have suffered for too long.”

The former attorney general said that the country started with pre slavery and underdevelopment and a lot of poverty.

He noted that life was crude and in the obese state of nature as things were barbaric.

“And after that, we went through slavery, after slavery, we went through colonialism, after colonialism, we got independence.

“But even from independence, I am talking generally now for Africa; the black race, we are still suffering.

“If you look at all the continents today, Africa is the least developed. While other continents are really working hard to develop, we Africans are still suffering, and that’s why you see a lot of migration issues.

“Nigeria and indeed Africa is blessed with so many natural resources and all that, and so People are buying from Nigeria, from all over Africa and taking to Europe.

“Yet many people are still leaving Nigeria and the continent, because everybody needs a good life. Everybody wants a good life,” he said.

Mr Idahagbon listed Governor Alex Otti of Abia, as well as his Borno counterpart, Babagana Zulum, Monday Okpebholo of Edo, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State among few others as some of the governors who were turning the economy of theirs states around positively.

He emphasised that it was time leaders of the country gave the people quality governance to make things improve.

“The president is already leading in that aspect. I just mentioned a few governors that I know are already also doing so in that aspect.

“I am sure there are some other governors who are also doing it because there should be healthy competition among governors now.

“That is why our state, Edo cannot afforded to be left behind. You drive to everywhere in Nigeria, you see flyover, you come to our own state, it still remains an ancient city.

“The governor says he doesn’t want Benin to remain an ancient city. He wants the ancient attributes to remain while building modern infrastructure.

“Delta government just approved the building of a 59 billion dollar flyover in Agbor. So imagine if Agbor had had a flyover before Benin,” he added. 

(NAN)