Abstract: The essential argument of this study is that Nigeria has remained in lockstep with violence and instability since independence in 1960, mainly due to the failure of past and present leaders to effectively manage and/or reduce conflict drivers within the country. To surmount this problem and prevent the country from careening towards the vortex of a failed state, the study recommends the emergence of leaders that are honest, sincere and committed to social justice, equity, rule of law and other democratic values that help to bond society and promote stability. This is what the library retrieval technique, the methodology employed in writing this study, suggests.