Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

By Sani Bello Hamza

Mr. President, before I delve into my concerns, it is indeed important to lay a proper foundation. As an aspiring lawyer and an opinion leader in my own capacity, I am not unaware of the challenges and intricacies of leadership. The stress, strain, and challenges are sometimes daunting and discouraging.

However, Mr. President, even your enemies and those from the opposition party can not doubt your capacity to lead and your unique style of leadership. Your ability to lead and manage successful politicians, industry men and academics leaves us in awe and surprise.

Your ability to understand and provide lasting solutions to national issues ought to be given careful consideration and serve as an exercise for students at various levels. Your unique style of leadership is indeed worthy of emulation and study. The Asiwaju school of thought!

Dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, It has been a year since Nigerians qued in mass to support you and the renewed hope agenda. They voted for you and supported your candidacy. Nigerians, from every nook and cranny of the country, shun the nay-sayers and triumph to support you and the APC to make sure you make it to the Villa. It has now become history and forms a special part of the Asiwaju school of thought! 

Mr. President, sir, Before you declared your intention to run for president in early 2022, Nigerians were lost in search of a trusted and reliable leader, a qualified politician capable of steering them to the promised land. The APC seems to be falling after eight years of sheer disappointing tenure, and the PDP was not an option to be considered, given its 16-year tenure.

The resurgence and emergence of the renewed hope agenda and the “emilokan” slogan gave Nigerians a sigh of relief and hope that the table would turn around. That is, it’s time to reap what they sow and enjoy the fruit of their labour and hard work. 

Mr. President, I wish I could write this letter and deliver it directly to your mail or doorstep. Sadly, it’s not possible. I still wish I could be featured on national television to address you and beg you for one thing, yes, just one thing, Mr. President. 

If I were given the opportunity to meet you, the president, in a one-on-one conversation, I wouldn’t talk much. I promise to make the conversation short, brief, and succinct. Who will give me this golden opportunity? 

Anyway, the popular Hausa adage; “guntun gatarin ka ya fi sari ka bani” meaning your short axe is better than cut and give me” is what kept resounding in my skull. I will use the little I have to achieve what I don’t have. I will send this letter out, hoping that one day it’ll reach you, Mr. President. In a one-on-one meeting with the president, I will tell him to put aside anything that has to do with salary increases for the working class and concentrate on bringing back to life the already dead Naira. A stronger Naira is the only option.

Okay, back to the subject matter: Nigeria is indeed a blessed country with abundant natural resources (Minerals and Humans). Yet, our economy keeps dilapidating day in and day out. It always seems that yesterday was better than today, last month was better than the current month, and we wish to be taken back to the previous administrations. 

Why is this happening? What is the problem with Nigeria?

I was tempted to share a post on my Facebook timeline from March 2015 (nine years ago) in which the writer lamented how the prices of commodities skyrocketed during the fasting period. The only price that caught my attention was the price of spaghetti, which rose from 60 – 70 naira. Man! How much are you buying spaghetti now? They’ll say the dollar has risen.

Mr. President, back then, in 2014, the exchange rate of dollar to naira was 60-70 per dollar. The minimum wage then was 18,000 naira, which is enough for an average Nigerian to buy a bag of rice and other commodities to sustain himself throughout the month.

Fast forward to 2024, 10 years later, the Naira hit an all-time record of 1900 to a dollar, and the minimum wage has graciously increased from 18,000 to 30,000. The 30k will not be enough for the average Nigerian to buy half a bag of rice, not to talk of other daily life struggles.

Mr. President, I strongly believe a salary increase will only increase the amount of money in circulation, thereby making inflation the front seat of our economic discourse. They say more money, more problems. 

Mr President, sir, a good road network connecting rural to urban areas spiced up with increased exports will benefit the country more than an increased salary for less than five per cent of the country’s population. 

Dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I equally believe the renowned economists in your midst understand the intricacies of our economy and where it’s heading to. With your continuous support, dedication and unwavering commitment to the progress of our nation, Nigerians will one day smile and say Alhamdulillah!

Sani Bello Hamza is a Law Student at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. He writes from Zaria and can be reached via sanibellohamza@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, is bracing himself for a multifaceted showdown with President Bola Tinubu, poised to unfold in both courtrooms and the court of public opinion.

El-Rufai’s legal offensive is aimed at vindicating himself from allegations of being a security risk, which have tarnished his reputation and dashed his ministerial aspirations.

Despite his instrumental support in Tinubu’s rise to power, El-Rufai was abruptly dropped during Senate ministerial screenings, citing purported security clearance failures.

This stunning turn of events has spurred El-Rufai to action, with plans underway to challenge the accusations in court. Sources close to him have affirmed his resolve to clear his name and restore his integrity, leveraging his extensive international connections and legal resources.

Simultaneously, El-Rufai is mobilizing politically to challenge Tinubu’s influence in the court of public opinion, setting the stage for a potentially contentious lead-up to the 2027 elections.

While his exact role in the upcoming political landscape remains uncertain, El-Rufai’s strategic maneuvering against Tinubu underscores a rift that has emerged despite their past collaboration.

El-Rufai’s journey from a key ally to a formidable opponent of Tinubu reflects a complex dynamic within Nigerian politics, where alliances can shift rapidly, driven by personal ambitions and ideological differences.

As the battle lines are drawn, the nation watches with bated breath to see how this clash of titans will reshape the political landscape in the years to come.

By Uzair Adam Imam

On orders from President Bola Tinubu, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will return seized food items to their rightful owners, on the condition that the items must be sold in Nigerian markets.

NCS Comptroller Adewale Adeniyi made this announcement yesterday in Katsina during meetings with residents of border communities at the Kongolam and Mai’Adua border posts.

The Customs chief mentioned that President Tinubu had made a decision to use his authority, not based on legal guidelines, “but rather reflecting the deep sense of generosity he holds toward Nigeria.”

Adeniyi said: “In doing so, he has directed that those food items that were going out of the country that have been seized in various border areas should be returned to the owners on the condition that those goods would be sold in the Nigerian markets.

“So, we will be monitoring you to know if there is a violation of this. Those food items will be returned, and it is a directive that we will pass them back into the Nigerian markets,” Adeniyi said.