November 05, (THEWILL) – The recent revelation that President Tinubu was aware of the presence of his son and some unauthorised persons in the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa where the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting is held has raised some eyebrows among Nigerians. The President had declared that only those officials with clearance should be at the meeting because he had watched videos and seen a photograph of his son in the council area.
This statement contradicts the popular notion that leaders are disconnected from reality and shielded from events as they occur. It also implies that the President is well informed of what is happening in the country and how bad things really are for the majority of Nigerians and the growing frustrations.
In the wake of that FEC meeting declaration, it has become apparent that Tinubu is not as disconnected from reality as many have assumed of presidents. His declaration was a clear indication of his awareness of things and certain anomalies. I will seize this opportunity to remind him of the terrible state of things in the country so that he gives it the urgency and attention that it requires.
It is essential to highlight the realities that may have escaped his attention. Nigeria is currently grappling with a myriad of challenges. The streets are filled with destitution, hunger and desperation. The scarcity of resources, exacerbated by acute inflation, has led to a quadrupling of the prices of basic goods and services. Sharp levels of immiseration have turned people into desperados ready to engage in every activity as a means of survival. The scarce resources that used to help put food on the table have dried up due to acute inflation which has seen the quadrupling of the price of even the simplest goods and services. Many bare necessities are out of reach for most people across the board.
The fortunate minority who used to earn monthly income in the half-a-million to one million bracket have seen the value of their pay witness acute depreciation to the point of insufficiency as the dollar presently exchanges for over NGN1,000 to USD$1. This economic downturn has made daily living a crisis for many Nigerians. A Nigerian who earned N500, 000 in 2014 at the conversion rate of N178 earned $2, 840. Today, the value of N500, 000 is $480. Salaries have barely remained the same for most people since 2014, while some have seen slight increments with the national minimum wage not seen any significant review upwards. Are we then not all poorer today!
The state of federal roads has worsened the cost of transporting goods and services across states, a very critical part of the economy. The lack of power supply has hindered industrialisation and development, leading to the closure of many businesses. The high cost of self-power generation has made a bad situation even worse for the average Nigerian.
Insecurity has driven farmers from their farms, putting local sources of agricultural produce at risk and worsening the food situation. The high cost of stable foods, such as garri, rice and yam has made them inaccessible to the poorest of the poor. The issue of insecurity has further consequences for travel, investments, tourism and general disillusionment.
The oil sector is in a dismal state, with high fuel prices and the lack of local refining of petroleum products. The cost of transportation remains high, and the general outlook for the sector is bleak.
In the midst of these, while the government has asked for time and for Nigerians to make sacrifices, we have seen nothing to demonstrate that there is an appreciation of what Nigerians are going through. This lack of empathy is obvious in the frivolous spending on avoidable luxuries in all arms of government.
The hotel bills racked up by the President at the last UNGA, the overpriced bills for SUVs for the lawmakers, the supplementary budget for renovation of Aso Rock facilities, presidential yacht, luxury cars for the office of the First lady and other poorly intentioned and badly timed luxuries which we can all do without, point to a lack of awareness of the realities that avail the common Nigerian.
Yet, Tinubu’s declaration at the FEC meeting tells us that he knows. He knows what is happening and he knows what is being reported. Therefore, it is crucial for him to use his position to effect positive change in the country. Amid all the controversies that attended his election as president, he has an unvarnished opportunity to write his name in gold and leave a legacy that will stand the test of time. Now that we know that Tinubu knows, it is time for him to act. It is time for him to address the agonies of the average Nigerian and work towards improving the state of the nation.
As a leader who is aware of the realities on the ground, Tinubu has a unique opportunity to address the pressing issues facing the country. From the economic crisis to the state of infrastructure, power supply, insecurity and the dismal state of the oil sector, there is a lot that needs to be done. He asked for the job and went on to grab it and should be ready to get us out of this mess that the elites dug us into.
The average Nigerian is looking up to leaders like Tinubu to set the road map to bring about positive change. The current state of affairs is a call to action for all leaders to step up and address the challenges facing the country. It is not enough to be aware of the issues; it is time to act and bring about the much-needed change.
When the President was being congratulated for his victory at the Supreme Court, the visuals had him sitting in front of a local newspaper with the assumption being that he must have flipped through the pages and seen some headlines highlighting the worrisome state of the country. So, we are convinced that he is aware of the realities on the ground.
Now that we know that Tinubu knows, it is time for him to address the agonies of the average Nigerian and work towards improving the state of the nation. The time for action is now, and the people are watching and waiting. I am of the opinion that Tinubu has the opportunity to become Nigeria’s best president ever and leave a legacy that will stand the test of time. The question is, will he seize this opportunity? Only time will tell.
