THE DANGEROUS POLITICS OF OVERGROWN ADVISERS IN NIGERIA

In every democracy, advisers are meant to support leadership, not replace it. They are meant to offer insight—not overshadow the people’s mandate. Yet, across Nigeria’s political landscape, a worrying trend has matured into a culture: the elected figure seems to step back, while advisers quietly step forward. What started as technical support has evolved into a system where unelected individuals control the levers of decision-making. Policies are drafted without public accountability, national positions are defended by people who never appeared on the ballot, and the voice of the electorate is filtered through layers of personal interests. The result is a dangerous picture: a leader who looks like a figurehead, and advisers who behave like power brokers. This is not democracy. This is delegated sovereignty, where the people’s trust is passed from the one they voted for to the one they never chose. Nigeria has suffered for it. When advisers grow bigger than the office they are meant to serve, governance becomes distorted. Decisions lose moral clarity. Responsibility becomes vague. And when things go wrong—as they inevitably do—no one knows who to hold accountable. The elected leader appears distant, the advisers remain invisible, and the citizens are left with confusion, frustration, and distrust. But true leadership does not hide behind committees. It does not whisper through intermediaries. It stands in front of the people, carries the weight of its office, and owns the consequences of its choices. Nigeria does not need rulers behind the throne. Nigeria needs leaders who lead. Advisers should inform decisions, not form a parallel government. They should contribute expertise, not control the executive. They should empower leadership, not overshadow it. The future of Nigeria requires transparency—where the president, the governor, the minister, the local chairman, speaks for himself, decides for himself, and stands accountable by himself. Because that is what democracy demands. And that is what the Nigerian people deserve.