By Waziri Isa Adam Gwantu
“Political leadership is the fulcrum for development.” With that declaration, Professor Andrew E. Zamani set the tone for a radical diagnosis of Africa’s governance failures at the 58th Inaugural Lecture of Nasarawa State University, Keffi. He argued that if leadership spurs self-determination and allows citizens to engage freely and debate ideas, then psychosocial wellbeing is guaranteed, human security is firmly established, and “the risk of dysfunctional behavior will not arise because of a well-nourished psyche.”
Zamani argued that the African psyche operates at three levels: personal, social, and cultural. A disruption at the cultural level creates dissonance that shows up as ego defense mechanisms like denial, rationalization, and displacement. These have been carried into post-colonial governance. The result is a view of leadership as “a position one occupies, not a role one plays.” This mindset breeds the “this is my time, I can do as I wish” syndrome.
True leadership, he insisted, must combine position with role. It should be a platform to influence positive change, guided by philosophy, values, a sense of history, and accountability to posterity. He anchored his solutions in the African Union’s Development Agenda 2063. The agenda envisions an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa driven by its own citizens. Its seven pillars include inclusive growth, political unity, good governance, peace and security, strong cultural identity, people-driven development, and global partnership.
From this framework, he issued three major prescriptions. First, a minimum of a graduate degree for all political office holders. Leaders must understand global governance, economic diversification, and international relations. Second, psychological training for leaders in emotional and social intelligence, decision making, and intergroup relations. This would boost empathy and safeguard the fractured psyche. Third, the creation of Departments of Behavioral Analysis in every African Presidency, Commission, and Parliament. Psychologists would provide psychological profiling and interpret how policies affect behavior.
He praised Burkina Faso’s Captain Ibrahim Traoré as an example of new leadership rejecting colonial affiliations for Pan-African solidarity. “Africans must be seen as Africans and not surrogates of some colonial authorities,” he declared.
Zamani linked Africa’s poor performance on the 2015 Millennium Development Goals directly to the fractured psyche. He said African countries chased UN targets for funding, not from initiatives rooted in their own contexts. Without willpower to sustain them, there was no ownership. “A corrupted leadership will always go for the attraction in the externally set goal — money — then the imperatives of it — service to the people.” This mindset, he said, leads to debt servicing and perpetual financial enslavement.
His remedy is visionary leadership. Leaders must see the future, dream dreams, believe in themselves, and assert sovereignty. He recommended quick wins in commodity trade, tourism, arts, and culture, but said they require peace. He then outlined a seven-point plan: institutional reforms to strengthen anti-corruption agencies and judicial independence; an education overhaul focused on practical “to know and to do” learning; inclusive governance to bridge ethnic divides; women’s advancement through girl-child education and political inclusion; youth empowerment via education, innovation, and entrepreneurship; economic growth by leveraging foreign direct investment and diaspora remittances; and empowering regional bodies like the AU, ECOWAS, and SADC.
“National development remains an agenda for all to pursue, not a gold-mine for corrupt leaders,” he warned. He called for leaders to partner with the intelligentsia to build trust and revamp the rule of law.
Professor Andrew E. Zamani, PhD, C. Psych, FNPA, FNACP, FAppN, is Professor of Psychology at NSUK. His education began at Baptist Transferred School, Keffi, 1969-1973, followed by Baptist School, Shendam, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1974. He attended Baptist High School, Jos for his West African School Certificate in 1979. He earned his BSc Honours in Psychology in 1984, MSc in Clinical Psychology in 1989, and PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2001, all from the University of Jos.
At NSUK, he served as Head of Psychology from 2013 to 2015, Dean of Social Sciences from 2013 to 2017, Director of Quality Assurance from 2018 to 2019, and Director of the Institute of Governance and Development Studies from 2019 to 2025. He also chaired the Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Programme from 2022 to 2024, the NSUK Security Committee from 2021 to 2023, and the Committee for Review of Guidelines for Appointments and Promotions in 2025.
He currently serves as University Orator since 2017, Management Committee member since 2018, Inaugural Lecture Committee member since 2019, Chairman of the NSUK Students Profiling and Psychosocial Support Programme, and Chairman of the Governing Board of the Institute of Governance and Development Studies since 2025. Known in Keffi as “Professor na Talakawa” for his altruism, he is described as a smooth operator and go-getter with adaptive leadership skills.
His community roles include the Nigerian Correctional Service Parole Board for the FCT, Governing Councils of Bowen University and the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, the Nigeria National Order of Merit Award Assessment Committee, Board Member of Gede Foundation, Chairman of the African Institute of Behavioral Research, and Chairman of Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative. He provides psychological support to victims of violent conflicts, focusing on trauma mitigation, adjustment, and social integration.
Professionally, he is President of the Pan-African Psychology Union, Executive Committee Member of the International Union of Psychological Science, member of the International Association of Applied Psychology, three-time President of the Nigerian Psychological Association, and Founding President of the Association of Practicing Psychologists of Nigeria.