Former presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pioneer Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of FSB International Bank Plc, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has called on Nigerian leaders at all levels to rebuild public trust and commit to transforming society to elevate the nation’s democracy and development.
Speaking in Abuja as Chairman of the occasion during the public presentation of two books Beneath the Surface and Leading in a Storm authored by Dr. Dakuku Peterside, a former member of the House of Representatives and erstwhile Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Hayatu-Deen underscored the moral and ethical dimensions of leadership.
He said that as Nigeria continues to strengthen its democratic journey, political leaders at the federal, state, and local government levels must embody integrity, empathy, and accountability in their service to the people.
According to him, “A leader must be the chief moral agent of his society. He is our alter ego the one we house, protect, and entrust with our collective destiny. To whom much is given, much is expected. A leader must conduct himself with decency, honour, and integrity, and through the power of personal example, become a beacon of hope for the nation.”
Hayatu-Deen stressed that true leadership requires an emotional connection with citizens similar to the bond between a spiritual leader and their congregation.
“Whenever a society is in doubt or confusion about its political journey,” he said, “it is the leader’s task to rise to the occasion and serve as a pathfinder to replace despondency with hope, and lethargy with action.”
He identified the creation of a strong sense of national identity as another essential principle of leadership, noting that patriotism cannot thrive in isolation.
“The President, the Governor, or the Local Government Chairman must take the lead by setting the tone through both words and deeds,” he stated. “Leaders must rebuild trust by offering credible and sustainable programmes that revitalise and transform society. Once leaders respect and fulfil the social contract with the people, citizens will rally around the flag. Poverty and deprivation are what often drive people into ethnic and regional enclaves.”
Turning to Dr. Peterside’s books, Hayatu-Deen praised them as timely and thought-provoking works that reflect Nigeria’s current realities while offering hope for renewal.
“These books are more than literary works,” he said. “They are a mirror and a compass a mirror that reflects our present with honesty, and a compass that points us toward a better future.”
Commenting on Beneath the Surface, he noted that it captures “the contradictions of our nation a land of abundant resources yet mired in hardship; a people of great talent yet burdened by brain drain; a democracy full of promise yet weakened by fragile institutions.”
He added that Peterside’s essays tackle critical national issues such as hunger, energy challenges, accountability, secessionist agitations, youth unemployment, and governance lessons from around the world.
“He does not write to despair,” Hayatu-Deen emphasized. “He writes to awaken, to provoke dialogue, and to inspire new thinking.”
On Leading in a Storm, the former bank chief said the author “takes readers to the heart of leadership in uncertain times,” reminding them that crises are no longer temporary disruptions but part of the new normal.
“Leadership is not just about surviving storms but learning to sail through them,” he said. “In a nation where challenges are frequent and fierce, these insights could not be more timely.”
He concluded that the two books form “a powerful combination one diagnosing the nation’s condition, the other providing tools to navigate the storms ahead.”
The well-attended event drew dignitaries, policymakers, and professionals from across Nigeria and beyond
