Perhaps one might have expected the land flowing with milk and honey to have become the dream nation of its citizens after six decades of emancipation from European colonialism. However, Nigeria has been plagued by a series of leadership failures, especially since the dawn of its Fourth Republic in 1999.
From President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration (1999-2007) to the current administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria has experienced four major recurring shortcomings: economy, education, health, and security challenges. While many public affairs analysts have claimed that the economy and security fared better between 1999 and 2007, a closer examination reveals that, unless we are content with mediocrity, this was not the best Nigeria could have achieved despite its abundant mineral and human resources.
“Their hopes for continued existence seem to have been quickly dashed under Tinubu’s presidency, making the #RenewedHope agenda, a central theme of his campaign, appears increasingly deceptive.”
Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, the situation in Nigeria appears to have worsened, particularly in terms of widespread insecurity, economic decline, and a drop in the quality of education. A once-thriving economy now threatens the survival of industries and companies, leaving the fate of emerging businesses and startups uncertain. Their hopes for continued existence seem to have been quickly dashed under Tinubu’s presidency, making the #RenewedHope agenda, a central theme of his campaign, appears increasingly deceptive.
Research conducted by FactCheckHub reveals that five multinational companies that had been doing business in Nigeria for decades left the country between 2023 and 2024 under Tinubu’s presidency. Some other companies sold their shares or changed ownership. This exodus is not only detrimental to Nigeria’s revenue; it further exacerbates the unemployment rate and signals that the economy is not viable for investment. Meanwhile, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has reported that, due to economic challenges such as rising inflation and exchange rate volatility since 2023, over 500 manufacturing companies have either shut down or are experiencing economic distress. These economic woes, coupled with widespread insecurity, continue to deter prospective investors from Nigeria. This situation represents a shortage of economic prosperity rather than progress for the country.
On the other hand, the ongoing hardship arising from the removal of fuel subsidies persists. The recent #EndBadGovernance protest that greeted the new month of August, with widespread demonstrations in the South West and a notable turnout in Northern states such as Kano, Borno, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, and the FCT Abuja, highlights the severe economic impact on the populace. In the North, some protesters were seen calling for a coup while others were captured on video raising the Russian flag—a likely indication of the masses’ deep distrust in the workability of a civilian government and a significant loss of confidence in the government at the centre.
Similarly, the educational sector has faced significant failures in 2024, which cannot be left unsaid. The results analysis from the April 19 to 26 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by JAMB revealed a troubling trend: 77 percent of the 1,904,189 candidates who took the CBT examination failed to achieve an average score of 200 out of 400. Since examinations and results thereof, among other strategies, are the most reliable determinants of how functioning an educational system is, and the test of content assimilation by learners suggests serious issues with the curriculum, its implementation, or the quality of teachers.
Although Nigeria recorded 86 percent mass failure in the UTME 2021—its worst ever in this republic—the results for 2024 are no better and lack any justifiable excuse like the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, which many experts cited for the widespread failure in 2021. Due to this year’s mass failure, JAM was compelled to lower its cutoff mark. Despite this, it must be noted that the average students admitted to universities most likely would graduate as half-baked professionals. Amongst the same average and half-baked graduates would come teachers who will train the next generation of learners. This creates a troubling cycle. The big question is whether UTME and WASSCE results can improve and become more outstanding in such a generation compared to recent trends.
Regarding teachers, an examination of the ongoing Oyo State teachers’ recruitment exercise and the CBT results released by the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (OYOSUBEB) and the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) reveal a decline in the quality of teachers, who are crucial for implementing the Nigerian curriculum across all educational levels. According to Pastor Akinade Alamu, Chairman of Oyo State TESCOM, the CBT result analysis shows that only 43,000 out of 52,000 applicants who took the computer-based test between July 29 and 31, 2024, failed the examination. This means that less than 17.5 percent of the applicants scored above 50 marks out of a possible 100 marks. These results are concerning for any nation. If teachers from various states, who are expected to train students for examinations by professional bodies like WAEC and JAMB (CBT), fail a recruitment CBT so drastically, it signals a gloomy outlook for the nation’s education system. This trend suggests that future UTME results could be even worse than the mass failures recorded in 2021 and 2024. The poor performance of applicants in the recruitment exercise underscores the lack of quality teachers and not just a need for curriculum review.
Amid the numerous failures of 2024, the lacklustre performance of the Nigerian team at the recently concluded Paris 2024 Olympic Games highlights the nation’s decline in sports. Despite President Tinubu’s approval of $12 billion for the Olympics and Paralympics, the country dubbed “Giant of Africa” came home without a medal. This poor performance, a “medal-less” outcome, was last experienced by Nigeria in the 2012 London Summer Olympics and the 1988 Seoul Olympics. This represents another failure for a country that once took pride in its sports achievements and produced outstanding athletes.
Unless President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reassesses his current policies and implements effective measures that would yield a fast and far-reaching effect on the people at the grassroots level, Nigeria’s trajectory from Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to Muhammadu Buhari and now to Tinubu will become a case of from ‘bad to worse and to the worst ever’. It is therefore crucial for the president to declare a state of emergency in the education sector and take decisive action. Beyond the ongoing curriculum review set for nationwide introduction by September, there is an urgent need to provide quality learning materials, upgrade the learning facilities available in public schools, and motivate teachers who are essential for effective curriculum implementation.
At any rate, teachers at the primary and secondary levels must be held in high esteem and well remunerated to enable them to produce brilliant students and excellent results in all professional examinations, as it is a fact that no nation can be great or rise above the quality of its educational system, and no educational system can rise above the quality of its teachers. Nigeria cannot afford to continue failing. The alarming failures of 2024 must be addressed to fulfil the promised renewed hope and overcome current shortcomings. A hope that would outshine the shame.
Oyebanjo Oluwaseun Abiola; History tutor, Trinity International College Ofada, Ogun State, writes from Iperu, Remo, Ogun State. Email: [email protected]
