Civic Education and Leadership: The Nexus in Good Governance

Abstract

This research examined civic education and leadership: the nexus in good governance. The research focused on the leadership crises being experienced in many countries, states, communities, institutions, and even churches, in the world today. The leadership impasse is more predominant in third-world countries. This study provided elucidation of concepts of civic education and leadership, investigated the relationship between civic education and leadership, the impact of civic education on leadership traits, the nexible role of civic education and good leadership in good governance. It revealed that the leadership crises at different strata, levels and contexts are a function of absence of civic education in schools. It contended that civic education is the only solution to varying leadership challenges, especially in Africa and Nigeria. In order to give credence to our arguments, the research used the functional theory of leadership which argues that the essence of leadership is to provide necessities and needs of a group, and that a leader is acknowledged as having done his job well only when he has contributed to the group’s effectiveness and cohesion. The researcher recommended, among others, conscious efforts to inculcate in young students/children the value of civic responsibilities which breeds good leadership and good governance.