The President Muhammadu Buhari administration was inaugurated on 29th May, 2015, a time of
monumental changes across the world. There are a lot of changes taking place with increasing uncertainty,
growing ambiguity, increasing complexity, access to massive information and new technology.
The past five decades have witnessed monumental changes in the economic sphere. Global economic
wealth has increased sevenfold and average incomes have tripled. Yet, poverty has increased to record
high levels. The major problem is that wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few people while majority
of the people live in abject poverty. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its 1998
report documented that the three richest people in the world have assets that exceed the combined Gross
Domestic Product of the 48 least developed countries. In 2014, eighty five richest people in the world had
the same wealth as the poorest 50 percent (3.4 billion people). By 2015, only 80 richest people have the
same wealth as the poorest 50 percent. In the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) countries, income inequality is at its highest level in the last fifty years. The average income of the
richest 10 percent of the population is about nine times that of the poorest 10 percent. It has been
documented that the drivers of inequalities include globalization, skilled biased technological change and
changes in countries policy approaches (ascendancy of neo-liberalism).
In the last ten years, there has been a lot of changes in political leadership across the world. In 2008, the
political leadership of the United States of America changed from the Conservative Party to the
Democratic Party. In 2011, the political leadership in the United Kingdom changed from Labour Party to
Conservative Party. In the last decade, there has been changes in many countries across the world
including France, Italy, Greece, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Cote D’Voire, and Senegal. One slogan that has
reverberated across the world is change.
We have always argued that change will happen in any society when the conditions are ripe. In our view,
for change to occur in any society requires the presence of objective and subjective conditions. Objective
conditions exist when situations are evidently abnormal with huge contradictions which can only be
resolved by change. The subjective conditions are the organizational preparations required to bring about
change. There is no doubt that the objective conditions for change has been existing in Nigeria for a very
long time. There is high level of poverty in the midst of plenty. Corruption is widespread, endemic and
stifling progress. The wealth of the country is concentrated in the hands of a few. There is social
disintegration with high levels of promiscuity and divorce. Rape is on the increase. There are several cases
of incest. There is high level of greed, selfishness and nepotism. The state of affairs is not sustainable. The
challenge has been the absence of the subjective conditions with the requisite organization and platform
to mobilize for social change. It was therefore easy for Nigerians to buy into the change agenda of the All
Progressives Congress leading to the inauguration of the government on 29th May, 2015. The challenge
before the government and the Nigerian people is the nature of change and how to actualize the change.
We have argued elsewhere that the kind of change required in Nigeria must be comprehensive affecting
all facets of life. The change must affect the four key areas of economy, politics, social and technological.
In the economic arena, there should be change in the structures and institutions of economic
management; diversification of the economy; promotion of transparency and accountability and
promotion of pro-poor policies. In politics, there should be change of the 1999 Constitution; institutions
of horizontal accountability; the electoral system; democratic culture; party financing, campaign finance
and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In the socio-cultural arena, there should be reorientation
on social values; re-orientation on work ethics and corporate Social responsibility and
investment. Finally, there should be focus on acquisition and utilization of new technology. In addition,
there should be change in the way public administration is organized.
In any case, it must be recognised that to bring about change in any country is a process that must be
meticulously thought out and implemented. It should start with accessing the need for change. This
assessment should affect all aspects of life of the country including structure, culture, strategies, human
resources, organisational processes and leadership. It is on the basis of this assessment that the
government can decide on the change to make. While deciding on the change to make, cognisance should
be given to possible resistance. There are many reasons why people resist change. Some people are
establishment or status-quo prone and will resist change. Others resist change because of self-interest or
misunderstanding of the content or nature of change. Studies have shown that globally, about 70 percent
of all change efforts have failed.
The challenge before the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is to put in place a strategy for
change and a model for managing resistance to change. A strategy for change should recognise the three
basic stages of unfreezing, moving and refreezing in the change process. Unfreezing is the stage where
you conduct a diagnosis and then unfreeze the old organisational culture. This involves clear
communication on the negative consequences of old ways while developing new modes of operation.
Moving is when you produce a new strategy and initiate new ways of doing things to effect structural,
cultural and individual change through effective leadership. Refreezing is a systematic way of
strengthening new behaviours that support change and reinforcing the new behaviour continuously.
A model of managing resistance to change will include specific strategies to enlist co-operation of the
people to support the change process. Several approaches can be used to enlist co-operation. The citizens
should be educated about upcoming changes before they occur. The nature and logic of the change should
be clearly communicated. As the change process is going on, the government should listen to the people
affected by the change. Training and resources should be provided to the people who need to carry out
the change and perform their roles under the new circumstances. Incentives should be offered for cooperation
and punishment should be applied to those who resist change.
In addition, government should recruit change champions. These are people who are passionate about
change, know the nature of change required and are prepared to lead the process of change. They should
be able to develop a vision and strategy for the change process including a description of the state of
affairs after the change has been implemented. The vision must be clearly communicated and the people
mobilised to support it.
Nigeria was ripe for change. The Buhari Administration promised change. Nigerians are waiting for the
change to manifest in every facet of life. The government and the people of Nigeria must understand that
change is a process and must be prepared to go through the process to bring the required change to
Nigerians. Nigeria and Nigerians do not deserve anything less. For the change process in Nigeria to
succeed, the change leaders must live by example; constantly link the change process to the change vision,
mission and values; build a sense of urgency and support for the change process; align every process,
structure and system to the change agenda and build the capacity of the people to manage the change
process. Finally, the change leaders must not only establish and monitor measurable goals, they must also
empower the people and ensure accountability in all actions.
Dr. Otive Igbuzor is a Pharmacist, Human Rights Activist, Policy Analyst, Development Expert and
Strategist. He holds a doctorate degree in Public Administration.
