One Of The Many Sins Of President Tinubu -Part 1

When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office as the President and Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces, there was some expectation, at least from the citizens who voted him in (though I'm not one of those), that he would, to replicate some of the economic development and growth seen in Lagos at the national level. I recall a good number of my friends, colleagues and acquittances who championed his cause and almost declared 'war' on those of us who seemed to have titled towards the school of thought that clamoured for a new crop of responsible and responsive leadership in Nigeria, at both the national and state level.

Notwithstanding the seemly lack of faith in President Tinubu’s ability, particularly given his age on assumption of office and the unsavoury news - allegedly about his relatively fragile health condition at the time, nothing could have prepared one for the shocker that would come with the announcement President Tinubu made on the very same day he assumed office. While one might have understood he meant business about hitting the ground running from day one, having been crystal clear about the Presidency being his 'birthright' and his turn at the time via his "EMILOKAN" campaign, I for one, could remember how utterly shocked I was when he fired at Nigerians on the same day he took his oath of office as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and commended the decision of the Buhari led administration in phasing out the petrol subsidy regime arguing that petrol subsidy "has increasingly favoured the rich more than the poor" and that "Subsidy can no longer justify its ever-increasing costs in the wake of drying resources" and therefore, subsequently makes a case to "re-channel the funds into better investment in public infrastructure, education, health care and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions."

In the considered view of the present author and with the attendant effects of the petrol subsidy removal on majority of Nigerians as well as sky rocketed prices of commodities since 29 May 2023, the argument that petrol subsidy 'favoured the rich more than poor' would appear to be in bad taste, not well thought through and hastily arrived at as the President Tinubu seemed to have based its spontaneous decision to abolish subsidy removal on the very same day he took office, without taking into cognisance, the sufferings of Nigeria post fuel subsidy removal. While it is possible that President Tinubu might have had access to some high-level advisory notes and also been advised by some seasoned advisors/professionals who I have a lot of respect for - being one, it is my candid view that whatever economic advice given by some suit wearing advisors or not - seated in their fully air-conditioned office in Washington, London or Paris or anywhere else, without having their boots on the ground here in Nigeria and interact directly with the average person living in Nigeria - where such policies would have direct impacts on one's living costs and standard of living, with a view to understanding what actual impacts and in real time, those arguably "economic best practices" working in some other established economies would have if and when applied in Nigeria, leaves a lot to be desired and ought to be reconsidered by President Tinubu going forward.

The earlier President Tinubu can come to the realisation that he might have surrounded himself with a lot of insincere advisors or sycophants only interested in singing his praises but failing to draw his attention to the sufferings in the land and the looming disaster that could arise from if citizens decide to resort to self help to address whatever grievances they have against his led government, including the severe hunger in the land and skyrocketed prices of essential goods and services with a lot citizens now struggling to make ends meet and almost without hope, the better it will be for all as a stitch in time will save not just the citizens but also the government institutions as well as there is no government without the people and governance can only thrive where there is peace. President Tinubu will do well to accord to good reason and officially revisit the subsidy policy as it would appear that despite the pronouncement made by President Tinubu in May 2023 - a sum of N3.6 trillion was still reported as paid for subsidy, ensure that whatever arrangements had with Indigenous crude oil refineries are such that takes cognizance of our unique situation as Nigerians. For example, it makes no patriotic sense for an Indigenous refinery to pay for crude oil obtained from the NNPC in USD when our currency is Naira and also anti-people to frustrate attempts by an Indigenous refinery to ensure the price for fuel comes down, by placing different obstacles on the path of such entity, on account of some oligarchs' self interests and self preservation needs.

In Yoruba language, there is this saying- "orisa bo ba le gbe mi, se mi bo se bami" best interpreted as saying - that if you can't better the life or prospect of someone, best to leave them the way you met them or let them remain in the position you found them. President Tinubu ought to have realised that while he might not have been expected to perform magic to better the lives of Nigerians upon his assumption of office as the Nigerian President, he was not expected, at the very least, to have made life harder or even worse for majority of the good people of Nigeria, who are currently bearing the grave effects and negative impacts of his glaring failure to better citizens lives - no thanks to his anti-people policies. President Tinubu seems to have forgotten that the welfare of the people, should at all times, be the primary foundation of any policy and where any policy fails the people's ultimate test, such is not worth whatever piece it is written on. After all, (wo)man, is the measure of all things.

Joseph Onele, a legal practitioner, writes from Lagos, Nigeria and can be reached via [email protected]