Research literature identifies ethical leadership, a leadership grounded in ethical norms
and practice, as a critical vehicle for achieving organizational goals and fostering good
governance. However, little research on leadership has focused on the public sector,
leaving a gap in the literature. Leadership in governance is a concern in local government
in Nigeria; in spite of the 1976 reforms, the country still lacks good governance and
corresponding socioeconomic development. The purpose of this qualitative case study
was to explore an ethical leadership model, and determine how such a model could
inspire and sustain good governance in Nigerian local government administration. Ethical
theories of utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics comprised the theoretical
frameworks for this study. Research questions focused on the ways in which Nigerian
local council officials attempted to foster and sustain good governance via ethical
leadership. Face-to-face interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with 25
civil service employees purposefully selected from a local government. Data were
analyzed by identifying themes utilizing constant comparison; these themes included
honesty, concern for people, citizen participation, accountability, transparency, and rule
of law. Results indicated a preference for an ethical leadership style, with the potential to
harness resources to develop Nigeria’s socioeconomic situation and improve the quality
of governance. The implications for positive social change lie in informing public
officials of the value and attributes of an ethical leadership style as well as training
institutional leaders on this model. As ethical leadership is fostered in public
administration, socioeconomic and human development may follow.
Research literature identifies ethical leadership, a leadership grounded in ethical normsand practice, as a critical vehicle for achieving organizational goals and fostering goodgovernance. However, little research on leadership has focused on the public sector,leaving a gap in the literature. Leadership in governance is a concern in local governmentin Nigeria; in spite of the 1976 reforms, the country still lacks good governance andcorresponding socioeconomic development. The purpose of this qualitative case studywas to explore an ethical leadership model, and determine how such a model couldinspire and sustain good governance in Nigerian local government administration. Ethicaltheories of utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics comprised the theoreticalframeworks for this study. Research questions focused on the ways in which Nigerianlocal council officials attempted to foster and sustain good governance via ethicalleadership. Face-to-face interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with 25civil service employees purposefully selected from a local government. Data wereanalyzed by identifying themes utilizing constant comparison; these themes includedhonesty, concern for people, citizen participation, accountability, transparency, and ruleof law. Results indicated a preference for an ethical leadership style, with the potential toharness resources to develop Nigeria’s socioeconomic situation and improve the qualityof governance. The implications for positive social change lie in informing publicofficials of the value and attributes of an ethical leadership style as well as traininginstitutional leaders on this model. As ethical leadership is fostered in publicadministration, socioeconomic and human development may follow.
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