Millions of Nigerians have expressed their agreement on this: that President Bola Tinubu’s government has performed abysmally and dismally so far. Even the most patriotic Nigerian, who has a pan-Nigerian viewpoint, cannot deny the stark fact that Nigeria has been on a steady auto-reverse gear since the inception of the Tinubu-led government in 2023. Has the Nigerian economy not taken such a beating from the misconceived economic policies executed by President Bola Tinubu that it has nose-dived to an abysmally low level?
For example, the removal of the fuel subsidy in our country caused the prevailing high cost of fuel in Nigeria. Consequently, the prices of essential food commodities have risen beyond the purchasing power of countless Nigerians, who live below the breadline. Sick Nigerians cannot buy medicine for the treatment of their illnesses because the prices of the drugs are so exorbitant.
While the economy is on life support, the security of life and property cannot be guaranteed in our dear country. In the southern part of Nigeria, kidnapping for ransom is still a thriving business. Meanwhile, bandits, terrorists, and insurgents have run amok in most northern states of Nigeria, unchallenged. Are large swathes of some northern states not ungovernable?
Moreover, the power sector and the area of infrastructure have fared no better since President Tinubu took over the reins of power in 2023. Incessant power outages have become a feature of our national life, with negative effects on our factories and industries. Those industries that rely on a regular supply of electricity for their production of goods no longer operate at their optimal capacities due to Nigeria’s seemingly intractable energy crisis. Additionally, the existence of crater-infested roads in Nigeria has highlighted our country’s infrastructural decay.
It is evident that the APC-led government, headed by President Bola Tinubu, has not lived up to our expectations. Yet President Tinubu’s long sojourn in the corridors of power ought to have prepared him adequately for the challenges of political leadership and endowed him with remarkable insights on how to tackle our country’s hydra-headed and multifaceted problems. A one-time senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he ruled Lagos State for eight years. Lagos State is Nigeria’s melting pot, as Nigerians from many different ethnic groups have made Lagos their home.
When he became the President of Nigeria, people from different walks of life expected him to re-enact the sterling leadership performance he displayed in Lagos on the national stage. But so far, President Tinubu’s tenure as President of Nigeria has been disastrous, lacklustre, abysmal, and uninspiring. President Tinubu, who claims to be a progressive-minded politician and a great disciple of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, implemented economic policies that failed to have the anticipated positive impact on the generality of Nigerians.
His removal of the fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira worsened our economic problems instead of alleviating them. The consequence is that millions of impoverished and pauperized Nigerians now scavenge in refuse dumps for leftovers, as they have no money with which to buy food. Those poor Nigerians have also reduced their inter-state travels, as bus fares have risen astronomically.
The result of the dire state of things in Nigeria was the ten-day nationwide protest, which seized the country by the jugular. The wave of protests swept through the states of Nigeria, causing huge economic losses. Poor Nigerians, who are disillusioned and disenchanted with Nigeria’s condition, poured into the streets for the protests.
Sadly and incredibly, many protesters, though peaceful and unarmed, were arrested and detained for no just cause. They were wrongly accused of committing treasonous offences. Is participating in protests to register their displeasure and discontent with the prevailing unpalatable socio-economic situation in their country a treasonable offence?
But we all know that President Tinubu, who today brooks no opposition, participated in countless protests during Nigeria’s unsettled and troubled period. During the heady days of the military dictator, Sani Abacha, he joined NADECO, a group of democracy and human rights activists and journalists that fought for the restoration of democratic rule in Nigeria. He is a beneficiary of the series of protests that contributed to the birthing of the Fourth Republic in Nigeria.
Nigerians reserve the right to stage protests to vent their emotions and air their grievances about the condition of Nigeria. The constitution of Nigeria guarantees our right to peaceful assembly and the expression of our thoughts on myriad matters. Therefore, muffling the voices of dissent and jailing protesters signify our country’s incipient descent into totalitarianism.
Instead of using high-handedness to suppress opposition, President Tinubu should think outside the box to find lasting solutions to the problems that have hobbled Nigeria. To that end, non-performing ministers should be relieved of their duties to make room for new blood in the federal executive cabinet. Furthermore, misconceived economic policies that failed to yield the desired results should be abandoned.
Sadly, however, Nigeria has been on an auto-reverse gear since this civilian government came on board. The economic indicators show that our economy is in the woods. The potholed roads in Nigeria are proof of our country’s infrastructural decay. The epidemic of kidnapping in southern Nigeria and the scourge of terrorism and insurgency in northern Nigeria point to Nigeria’s unending security challenges.
The way forward for Nigeria is this: the government should change its approach to tackling our numerous problems. President Tinubu should revamp the executive cabinet and desist from using political patronage in forming a new executive cabinet.
Furthermore, instead of imprisoning protesters and using strong-arm tactics to silence dissent, President Tinubu should tackle the problems confronting us holistically and head-on.
Chiedu Uche Okoye; Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State (08062220654, 09125204141). Okoye is a poet.
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