1.1 Introduction
Leadership is defined as the process through which an individual influences a group of people toward achieving common goals, while followership is defined as the willingness and ability of individuals to support, engage, and contribute positively to leadership direction in order to achieve organizational and national objectives (Northouse, 2021; Kellerman, 2019). In the context of national development, leadership and followership are interdependent processes that determine the effectiveness of governance systems, policy implementation, and overall societal progress. In many developing nations, leadership challenges such as corruption, poor accountability, and lack of strategic vision have continued to affect development outcomes. Similarly, weak followership practices such as political apathy, lack of civic responsibility, and poor engagement in governance processes have further worsened developmental challenges.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the aim and objectives of the study. Others are significance of the study, scope of work, research hypothesis and questions, limitation of the study and definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
The historical development of leadership and followership as concepts in national development can be traced to early political and organizational theories that emphasized authority, influence, and social coordination. Leadership in early civilization was primarily based on hereditary rule, where kings, chiefs, and traditional rulers exercised absolute authority over their subjects, while followership was largely passive and obedience-driven. According to Northouse (2021), early leadership systems were hierarchical and centralized, with minimal emphasis on participation or shared decision-making, which limited the role of followers in governance processes.
Leadership and followership are two interconnected concepts that play a critical role in shaping the development trajectory of any nation. According to Northouse (2021), leadership is defined as a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal, while followership represents the active role individuals play in supporting, responding to, and contributing to the achievement of those goals. In modern societies, national development is no longer viewed as the responsibility of leaders alone but as a shared responsibility between leaders and followers working collaboratively toward common objectives.
Bass and Riggio (2018) reported that, transformational leadership focuses on inspiring and motivating followers to exceed their own self-interests for the sake of collective goals. Such leadership style enhances productivity, strengthens institutional performance, and promotes sustainable development when effectively applied in governance systems. In many countries, leadership effectiveness has been linked to the ability of leaders to create shared vision and encourage active participation from followers in policy implementation and development initiatives.
Kellerman (2019) asserted that, followership is not a passive role but an active and influential component of the leadership process. Followers significantly shape leadership outcomes through engagement, compliance, resistance, and participation in governance activities. He further stated that the quality of followership determines the success or failure of leadership decisions, especially in democratic settings where citizen participation is essential for accountability and transparency.
According to UNDP (2022), governance systems in developing countries are often weakened by poor accountability, weak institutions, and limited civic participation. The organization affirmed that sustainable national development requires both effective leadership and active citizen engagement to ensure transparency, efficient resource management, and equitable development outcomes. It further stated that countries with strong leadership-followership relationships tend to experience better economic growth, social stability, and improved public service delivery.
Yukl (2020) reported that, leadership effectiveness depends not only on the behavior of leaders but also on the responsiveness and cooperation of followers. Leadership processes involve continuous interaction between leaders and followers, where both parties influence each other in achieving organizational and national goals (Yukl, 2020). According to Kelley (2012), effective followership is characterized by critical thinking, active engagement, and independent decision-making. He asserted that followers are not merely subordinates but partners in the leadership process who contribute to innovation, accountability, and organizational success. According to Chaleff (2015), courageous followership involves supporting leaders while also challenging unethical or ineffective decisions. He affirmed that such followership behavior strengthens governance systems by promoting accountability and reducing abuse of power. He also contended that national development is more sustainable when followers are willing to speak up and take responsibility for improving leadership outcomes.
In the Nigerian context, leadership and followership dynamics have been shaped by historical, political, and socio-economic factors. According to Onah (2020), public administration in Nigeria has experienced challenges such as corruption, weak institutional capacity, and poor policy implementation. He reported that these challenges are often linked to both ineffective leadership and passive followership, which hinder national development efforts across various sectors. This study is set against the backdrop of increasing concerns about governance inefficiencies, weak accountability systems, corruption, and limited citizen participation in Nigeria's development process, where the relationship between leadership and followership continues to play a critical role in determining national development outcomes.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that leadership and followership in Nigeria is characterized by persistent inefficiencies that is reflected in weak governance structures, poor accountability, and limited citizen participation in developmental processes. Leadership in many public institutions is often driven by personal interests rather than collective national goals, resulting in policy inconsistency and inadequate implementation of development programmes (Northouse, 2021).
Followership, on the other hand, is frequently passive, with citizens and subordinates showing limited engagement in holding leaders accountable or contributing meaningfully to governance processes, thereby weakening democratic development outcomes (Kellerman, 2019). Furthermore, weak followership culture has contributed to the normalization of unethical leadership practices, as citizens often fail to demand transparency and accountability from those in authority. It is against this backdrop that this study seeks to examine followership and leadership as a means of improving national development in Nigeria.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to assess how leadership and followership practices influence national development in Lagos State, Nigeria. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To examine the effect of leadership styles on national development in Lagos State.
- To assess the role of followership behavior in achieving effective governance.
- To identify the challenges affecting leadership and followership in public institutions.
- To evaluate the relationship between leadership accountability and national development outcomes.
- To determine strategies for improving leadership and followership practices for better development results.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What is the effect of leadership styles on national development in Lagos State?
- How does followership behavior influence effective governance?
- What challenges affect leadership and followership in public institutions?
- What is the relationship between leadership accountability and national development outcomes?
- What strategies can improve leadership and followership for better development?
1.6 Research Hypotheses
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: Leadership styles have no significant effect on national development in Lagos State.
- H1: Leadership styles have significant effect on national development in Lagos State.
Hypothesis Two
- H0: Followership behavior has no significant influence on effective governance in Lagos State.
- H1: Followership behavior has significant influence on effective governance in Lagos State.
Hypothesis Three
- H0: Leadership accountability has no significant relationship with national development outcomes.
- H1: Leadership accountability has significant relationship with national development outcomes.
1.7 Significance of Study
It is believed that at the completion of the study, government policymakers will use the findings to design better governance systems, thereby improving national development planning. Also, educators will integrate leadership and followership concepts into curricula, thereby improving civic education.
Furthermore, civil servants will better understand their roles in governance, thereby increasing efficiency in public administration. In addition, citizens will develop stronger civic responsibility, thereby promoting accountability in leadership systems.
Lastly, researchers will gain reference material for further studies, thereby expanding academic knowledge in leadership studies.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on leadership and followership as instruments of national development in Lagos State, Nigeria, with emphasis on selected public institutions and governance structures.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, there were some problems encountered which stood as limitations to the research work. Some of the limitations include:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
- Initial Cooperation Delay from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.
1.10 Definition of Terms
Leadership:
Leadership refers to the ability of an individual to influence, guide, and direct others toward achieving organizational or national goals effectively (Northouse, 2021).
Followership:
Followership is the capacity of individuals to actively support, engage, and respond constructively to leadership decisions in a way that promotes organizational success (Kellerman, 2019).
National Development:
National development refers to the overall improvement in economic, social, political, and infrastructural conditions of a country aimed at improving citizens' quality of life (Todaro & Smith, 2020).
Leadership Style:
Leadership style refers to the approach and method used by a leader to provide direction, implement plans, and motivate people (Bass & Riggio, 2018).
Accountability:
Accountability is the obligation of leaders and institutions to be answerable for their actions and decisions in governance and public service delivery (UNDP, 2022).
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