Moses as a Model for Peaceful Succession in Nigerian Democratic Political Leadership (Numbers 27:12-23)

Abstract

This study unravelled the succession problem in Nigerian democratic political leadership using Moses as a model from the text of Numbers 27: 12-23. Over the years, succession in Nigerian political leadership has not followed the due and laid down processes befitting of a democratic state and dispensation. This is because some of the Nigerian political leaders approach the leadership of the country from a selfish perspective. They want to be covertly or overtly politically relevant till death and this to them is of greater importance than the welfare of the country and its citizens. This attitude of Nigerian political leaders against the handover of power in an orderly and prescribed manner has brought about retrogression underdevelopment, backwardness and untold hardship in the country and upon the masses. This study employed the historical-critical method and also the narrative analysis method of research. The historical–critical method of research used, took into consideration the historical development of the text studied and the historical development of the problem of succession in Nigerian democratic political leadership, while the narrative analysis was used in analyzing the text studied as a biblical narrative. These methodologies were employed to reach the target of unearthing Moses’ model of leadership succession as conveyed by the text. It was discovered in the text studied that Moses’ succession efforts and prayers concerned generations after him. In line with his request, God appoints a leader, a successor who has the spirit of wisdom. In leadership succession exercise, present leaders are to be prepared to leave and allow the people to make choice of their own leaders after God’s direction in a manner after Moses who considered God’s interest and the People’s interest in appointing a successor. Nigeria as a nation cannot prosper without faithful and gifted leadership, hence the significance of Mosaic leadership succession model.