Nigeria, Feb. 27 -- Nigeria's governance predicament is no longer subtle. The patterns are visible in the way public offices are distributed, key institutions are staffed, and qualified professionals are sidelined in favor of political or personal loyalty. For too long, governance has been entangled in "Emilokan" politics; a style of leadership framing public office as a turn-by-turn entitlement rather than a responsibility earned through performance and accountability. If the country is to restore trust in its institutions and deliver tangible progress, leaders must move beyond this entitlement mindset.

For clarity, "Emilokan" politics, popularized in Nigerian discourse by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, literally means "it's my turn." In...