ABSTRACT:

Nigeria, a country richly endowed with human and material resources critical for national development is yet to find its rightful place among the comity of nations. The major reason for her socio-economic development stagnation is leadership crisis and corruption. Since independence, Nigerian government is replete of clueless, parochial, uninspiring, attitudinal debauchery and selfish leaders. The kernel of this paper rest in the fact that leadership crisis and corruption were interwoven and it is against this background that it explored the leadership failures and corrupt tendencies of the leadership class especially at the National level in Nigeria since 1960 and its implication for socio-economic development. The paper concludes that for Nigeria to experience sustainable socio-economic development, responsible, credible and true leaders who will build strong and transparent institutions as well as leaders who are dedicated to how history will remember them for transforming the society rather than accumulation of private wealth must emerge to implant the act of good and selfless governance in Nigeria.