By Tajuddeen Ahmad Tijjani
On Tuesday, August 13, 2024, President Bola Ahmad Tinubu presided over a significant Council of State meeting. Former Presidents, Vice Presidents, a former Chief Justice of the Federation, and several key ministers were in attendance. The highlight of the meeting was the President’s stance that Nigeria’s democracy must not be undermined. “Any change of government must be through the ballot box, not through violence, insurrection, or any other unconstitutional means,” he asserted. This is a position I, along with all patriots, fully support.
However, while the President’s commitment to democracy is commendable, his economic policies must reflect the urgency and needs of the people. The excuse of “fixing the economy” cannot be used to justify slow progress. Nigerians expect the leadership to hit the ground running from day one. The Council of State must convey the truth to the President: the nation is in a precarious state, and decisive, people-centred action is required.
Today, wealth in Nigeria is increasingly concentrated in the hands of a select few. At the same time, the majority struggle without access to necessities like quality education, healthcare, housing, and employment. It’s not that Nigerians envy the success of the rich; instead, they want access to the essentials for a decent life.
Unfortunately, greedy leaders deliberately subject many ordinary citizens to hardship. Endemic corruption has become the norm, and the promise of equal opportunities seems like a distant dream despite the blessings of natural resources across the six geopolitical zones.
Poverty remains a pervasive issue. Nigeria is rich with potential—oil and gas in the South, commerce in the Southeast, and fertile land in the North. There is no excuse for hunger or deprivation. The government should prioritize modern farming systems, where a single machine can achieve in an hour what once took a thousand hands.
State governors must fully support federal initiatives, but these efforts must go beyond the token gestures like distributing rice, which too often ends up siphoned off by officials or recycled into the market. Nigerians are not beggars; we have the talent and drive to achieve greatness, but we need an enabling environment, affordable fertilizers, and access to reliable electricity.
The time for excuses is over. The government must adjust to the realities on the ground. Removing fuel subsidies and floating the naira has brought unbearable hardship to ordinary people. These policies need to be revisited. We elected this government to make Nigeria work for everyone, not just the privileged few. A stitch in time saves nine: adjust the policies before it’s too late.
Tajuddeen Ahmad Tijjani wrote from Galadima Mahmoud Street, Kasuwar Kaji Azare, Bauchi State.