By Adesina Adetola
No doubt, Nigeria is going through one of its most rough patches in recent times, and if one wants to realistically interrogate it, we would realize that the entire world is not smiling at the moment. However, whichever way we look at it and whatever narrative we bring forward, what matters to an average Nigerian is Nigeria. Whatever song they sing elsewhere, it is the tune available here that we are going to dance to.
Available data will explain that, Nigeria’s economic growth has slowed on the back of declining oil output and moderating non-oil activity. It further noted that real gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 3.1 percent year-on-year (y-o-y) in the first three quarters of 2022, little more than the annual population growth of” 2.6 percent. Despite being recorded as the biggest economy in Africa, the Nigerian economy is said to be too vulnerable to crisis. In Nigeria, 40.1% of people are poor, according to the 2018/19 national monetary poverty line, and 63% are multi-dimensionally poor according to the National MPI 2022. Multidimensional poverty is higher in rural areas, where 72% of people are poor, compared to 42% of people in urban areas.
The aforementioned stats may mainly appear academic, but the reality on ground is mind-boggling. Everywhere, the noise about the biting economy or in the regular parlance, hard time, is deafening. Despite the outgoing government’s effort to keep economic situation within a reasonable level, the negative effects of the crippling economy situation couldn’t be pushed aside.
Obviously, years of maladministration and lack of formidable strategy to productively manage the people’s commonwealth since 1999 have continued to wane on the federal government’s current efforts in revitalizing the general economy. Today’s situation is the apparent results of the years of lack of visionary calculations perpetrated by previous economic hyenas with their reckless diversion of nation’s economic fortunes into private purses.
It is therefore important to say that, in times like this, Nigeria needs someone with proven record of achievements in creating wealth and prosperous economy to lead the country out of the woods. The global economic challenges have brought to the fore the need to reinforce a country that works. Meanwhile, making Nigeria a nation that works in all ramifications is not going to be a layman’s job. It needs a leadership led by a man who would constantly keep his eye on the ball and assiduously approach the matter of state with the practicality that speaks to our peculiar situation. This is where Asiwaju, with Lagos example, comes to play.
Just like it was done in Lagos under a difficult situation when the federal powers withheld its statutory fund, Bola Tinubu who held the ace at that time, looked inwards and rendered the yearly ritual of reliance on monthly allocation, commonplace. This is what a pragmatic leader would do under acute economic challenges. Today, Nigeria situation beckons on such leader in Asiwaju Tinubu for a prosperous nation that works for all. One of the most formidable and effective ways to develop a nation’s economy is through infrastructural development. Once upon a time, the Atlantic Ocean was threatening the existence of the Lagos Island, but it took the visionary leader in Governor Tinubu to initiate an idea which today, has not only give Lagos Island a resounding hope of more rewarding future, but also make a considerable part of the hitherto “bullish” Atlantic Ocean one of the greatest emerging mega cities of the 21st century.
Our youths should not be carried away with unrealistic formulas and ambiguous statistics being thrown at their faces. No doubt, the major challenges facing an average Nigerian youth and the society at large today, are ravaging poverty, unemployment among others, the realistic solutions lie in getting a leader that can guarantee a sustainable future that works for everyone of us by looking inwards. This is what Asiwaju Tinubu represents with his experience in creation of wealth and revenue generation that have made Lagos State to become one of the fastest growing economies in Africa.
Our youths are no longer conversant with history. There has been a vacuum in our history education based on years of removal of history from the education curriculum by the then PDP-led governments. They now rely on distorted information on the social media chronicled by the ignoramus that dominated the opposition. We sincerely need to talk to our youths, especially the contemporary generation who are ignorant of how we get to this cul-de-sac, and those who were aware but are suffering amnesia.
They should know that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has a formidable record of propelling youths and young Nigerians to success. This is not just in academics, but also in corporate leadership and political governance. Through his inspirational leadership, he took an uncommon step in 2000 with the unprecedented “one day governor”, where a young Nigeria “ruled” Lagos State for one day. Today, the initiative has become an enduring legacy of producing young leaders and prosperous youths. The winner of the maiden edition of “one day governor”, Ebuka Anisiobi, in appreciation once said; “by making me the first one day governor in Lagos, Asiwaju inspired me to be successful today.”
At the threshold in our national life that Nigeria craves for redirection, our youths expected to transcend transcendentalism to sieving between realities and assumptions in arriving at candidate of their choice. They should genuinely check the record and see who the country really needs at this particular time. They should know that most of the developmental ideas initiated by Asiwaju Tinubu as the governor of Lagos State have come to be role models to be replicated by not just many states of the federation, but also copied by the Federal government, irrespective of the political parties of such states or federal government. From effective financial management strategy through Single Treasury Account, waste management ideas (LAWMA), traffic control strategy (LASTMA) city mass transportation (BRT & LAGBUS) to genuine grassroots developmental initiatives (LCDAs), among others which guaranteed mass employment of Nigerians.
More so, Asiwaju Tinubu is in the race to promote an all-inclusive governance. it is established that he is an iconic detribalized Nigerian who, as a state governor, provided a platform for every average Nigerian to make impact as reflected in the composition of his cabinet and management team. He gave people opportunities in his government irrespective of where they came from or the religion they professed
In time like this, it should not also be forgotten that one of the surest ways to add value to our democratic governance is to have a government led by someone who believes in democratic ethos. For decades, Asiwaju Tinubu has been in the forefront of advocating for true federalism and championing the course of genuine democratic governance. Since 1991 he has remained on the side of government of the people and for the people. It is an unarguable fact that, in time like this, in the face of the current realities Nigeria and Nigerians need a renewed hope.
Adesina Adetola, a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (Media & Publicity) is the author of the book, NIGERIA & DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE: The Seats, The Battles & The Prospects.