Connect with us

Politics

Independence to Irrelevance: How Nigeria Is Now Governed in Exile

Published

on

Independence to Irrelevance: How Nigeria Is Now Governed in Exile

By George Omagbemi Sylvester

 

When Nigeria gained independence in 1960, there was a collective sigh of relief and pride. The shackles of colonial domination were cast off, and a new dawn beckoned with promises of self-determination, prosperity, and national dignity. But over six decades later, the hope that once inspired our founding fathers now lies buried under the rubble of poor leadership, foreign dependence, and a shocking lack of direction. Today, the bitter truth is this: Nigeria is no longer governed from Abuja, but from hotel suites and foreign palaces abroad.

Independence to Irrelevance: How Nigeria Is Now Governed in Exile
By George Omagbemi Sylvester

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is currently in France on what is being described—rather vaguely—as a “working visit,” while his Vice President, Kashim Shettima, is in Senegal for another official engagement. These frequent overseas excursions have become a defining feature of their administration. Far from isolated diplomatic efforts, they now represent a disturbing pattern: the government of Nigeria is effectively run from abroad, disconnected from the people and indifferent to the nation’s crises.

Since assuming office in May 2023, President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima have embarked on nearly 50 trips to over 30 countries, spending a combined total of nearly 200 days outside Nigeria. Countries visited include France (multiple times), the United Kingdom, the United States, Saudi Arabia, India, Qatar, Kenya, South Africa, the Netherlands, and the UAE. While some of these visits were linked to multilateral conferences or investment summits, the opacity surrounding many of the trips—especially those to France and the UK—raises serious questions. Are these truly “working visits,” or are they cleverly disguised medical vacations?

Even if we concede the need for international diplomacy and outreach, the timing, frequency, and sheer disregard for domestic issues are appalling. Nigeria today is a nation in distress. From widespread insecurity—banditry, kidnappings, assassinations—to rampant unemployment, food inflation, and a collapsing naira, the country is bleeding on all fronts. In such a moment of national crisis, one would expect a president to stay grounded, to lead from the front, not from Paris or Dubai.

What is even more infuriating is the repeated justification for these junkets: “securing foreign investment.” But must we travel cap in hand to foreign lands begging for investment? What have these trips yielded in tangible economic value? Where are the factories built, the jobs created, or the capital inflows attributed directly to these travels? Apart from the Obasanjo/Atiku administration—which famously negotiated the Paris Club debt relief and expanded the telecoms and banking sectors—what legacy of foreign investment has any administration after 2007 left behind?

Tinubu’s handlers claim his economic diplomacy is strategic, but the reality on the ground says otherwise. Foreign investors are not flocking to Nigeria. In fact, they are leaving in droves. In the past year alone, major multinational firms like Procter & Gamble, GlaxoSmithKline, and Sanofi have either scaled down operations or exited Nigeria entirely. Why? The reasons are glaring: harsh business conditions, unpredictable policies, skyrocketing inflation, over-taxation, and a regulatory environment that chokes innovation.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), capital importation into Nigeria dropped by over 30% in 2023, with many investors citing insecurity, policy inconsistency, and forex instability as major deterrents. No investor wants to commit capital to a nation where there is no power, no infrastructure, and no clear plan.

Instead of chasing foreign capital abroad, why not fix the fundamentals at home? Provide power. Ensure security. Simplify taxation. Uphold the rule of law. These are the things that attract investors—not foreign handshakes and photo ops in European capitals.

Furthermore, no foreign investor will commit to a nation that cannot feed itself. Nigeria’s food crisis is spiraling out of control. Inflation on staple items has crossed 30%, and hunger now stares millions in the face. Yet, farmers cannot access their farmlands due to insecurity. What serious economic policy can ignore food security as a cornerstone of national development?

If Tinubu truly seeks to attract investment, let him start by making the country safe. Investors—local or foreign—thrive in a climate of peace and predictability. No businessman will invest in a country where kidnappers roam free, terrorists ambush highways, and the national grid collapses every other week.

It is also worth noting that Nigeria’s foreign policy has become one of aimless wandering. Where is our national interest in all these trips? What bilateral gains have we negotiated? What trade deals have been signed? What is our Africa policy? Are we leading the continent or being led? A nation of over 200 million people—Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation—should not be a diplomatic drifter without compass or credibility.

The truth is that Nigeria’s leadership under the current APC administration lacks a coherent vision. This is a government that believes in photo-ops more than policy, appearances more than substance. Leadership is not travel. Leadership is staying close to the people, understanding their pain, and crafting bold solutions that inspire hope.

But there is hope. Nigeria has not completely run out of options. One man, who played a significant role in steering Nigeria towards prosperity in the early 2000s, still stands tall with a track record that speaks louder than rhetoric. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Waziri of Adamawa, remains a voice of reason and a repository of experience.

Atiku was instrumental in the economic transformation witnessed during the Obasanjo years—privatizing inefficient public enterprises, attracting foreign investment, and securing international debt forgiveness. He understands governance. He understands economics. And more importantly, he understands the Nigerian people.

While others run from the nation’s problems, Atiku has consistently offered solutions. He has warned against excessive borrowing, called for restructuring, and emphasized the need for economic diversification. He is not a perfect man, but he is a prepared man—prepared to rescue Nigeria from the edge of the abyss.

It is time Nigerians looked beyond propaganda and tribal loyalty. We must rise and demand accountability, dignity, and real leadership. The presidency is not a retirement home or a travel agency. It is the most sacred responsibility in the land. Let us not continue in silence as our nation is governed remotely by absentee leaders more concerned with their comfort than our future.

Let us support leaders who live among us, feel our pain, and are willing to make the hard choices needed to reposition our country. Let us support Atiku Abubakar and others like him in their effort to recover, rebuild, and reimagine Nigeria. Our country deserves more than foreign pity—it deserves true leadership.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

George Omagbemi Sylvester writes from Johannesburg, South Africa.

Politics

Top Reps Aspirant, Abudu-Balogun Assures Constituents of Inclusive, Progressive Representation

Published

on

Top Reps Aspirant, Abudu-Balogun Assures Constituents of Inclusive, Progressive Representation

 

It is an incontrovertible fact that Watersiders should GET IT RIGHT this time around by overwhelmingly support this distinguished Watersider, Hon. Abudu-Balogun to emerge as the Candidate of APC for the Federal House of Representative in the 2027 elections.

Apart from being a respected politician among the creme-de-la-creme professionals in politics in Ogun State, and undoubtedly a prominent grassroots politician of Waterside extraction, Hon. Abudu-Balogun has seen it all in National politics that will be of great benefits to the Federal Constituency if eventually elected.

 

Hmmm! With the emergence of the distinguished Senator Solomon Adeola (Yayi) as the consensus Governorship candidate of APC in Ogun State, Waterside agitation for enduring developmental projects and its realisation like Deep Sea Port, assumption of Oil producing LGA via Eba Oil deposits, sustainable Electricity Supply would be a walk-over. This anaysis is predicated upon a scientifically established empirical evidence that Hon Abudu-Balogun is a sustainable Bridge between this Federal Constituency and the Powers that be at Federal level.

 

He has the competence, he posseses the Capacity, he has the cognate political experience, he has fortified the developmental blueprint, he has worked tirelessly, and earned the link to facilitate the expected developmental projects to this Federal Constituency.

 

Above all, Hon Abudu-Balogun has concluded political and economic arrangements to galvanise support in all respects from the main actors at the National and sub-national levels in the country for the tasks ahead.

 

TENI NI TENI. This is the time TIME FOR “ACTION” in the realisation of the enduring Developmental Agenda (that has been eluding us from time immemorial) for the entire Federal Constituency, particularly, our dear Ogun Waterside LGA.

 

Distinguished Watersiders, particularly, the comrade professional politicians and the astute Professionals in politics, please factcheck this. Hon Abudu-Balogun is a very popular and honoured politician in Ijebu-North LGA, he is cherished and respected professional in politics in Ijebu-East LGA, he is a consistently consistent rare breed politician in Waterside who has the interest of Waterside development at heart.

 

ACTION needs our support, he needs our endorsement at this political turning point of our dear LGA, the Wealth Side of Ogun State.

Iwe teni, iwe teni, iwe teni o.

Ajuse ri Dede Eni o.

Happy Sunday to us all.

Continue Reading

Politics

ADC Unstoppable, Like the Sun — Aregbesola Declares at 8th National Convention

Published

on

ADC Unstoppable, Like the Sun — Aregbesola Declares at 8th National Convention

 

 

ABUJA — Former Osun State Governor and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rauf Aregbesola, has declared that the party remains “unstoppable,” likening its rise to the inevitability of the sun, despite what he described as attempts by the ruling establishment to weaken opposition forces.

Speaking at the ADC’s 8th National Convention, Aregbesola said the party’s existence is rooted in the will of Nigerians and protected by the constitution, insisting that no political pressure or institutional interference could halt its progress.

“Just as no power can stop the sun from rising, so can the ADC not be stopped,” he told delegates.

Blasts Political System, Accuses Ruling Forces of Undermining Democracy

The ADC leader accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of actions he described as anti-democratic, alleging efforts to frustrate opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

He criticized what he termed the normalization of political “criminality,” arguing that recent political realignments and electoral practices undermine democratic integrity.

According to him, ADC does not owe its existence to any individual or institution but to Nigerians “tired of deceit and mismanagement.”

Harsh Assessment of Economy, Security, and Governance

Aregbesola painted a grim picture of the nation’s condition, citing economic decline, rising inflation, and worsening living standards.

He noted that the naira’s depreciation from about ₦700 to ₦1,400 per dollar reflects what he described as poor economic management, while fuel prices have surged significantly, making daily life difficult for citizens.

On security, he described the current situation as one of the worst in Nigeria’s history, raising concerns about increasing violence and what he called a lack of empathy from leadership in responding to national tragedies.

ADC Positions Itself as Nigeria’s “Rescue Mission”

The former minister said the ADC has, within months, transformed into a major opposition force, claiming it now represents the “hope of the Nigerian people.”

He outlined the party’s rapid structural expansion, ongoing membership drive, and efforts to build alliances with other opposition groups including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Aregbesola emphasized that the party is preparing to challenge the APC in the 2027 general elections through what he described as a “united opposition front.”

Defends Party Leadership Changes, Convention Legitimacy

Providing details of internal restructuring, Aregbesola said the emergence of new leadership, including David Mark as caretaker national chairman, followed due constitutional process and was duly communicated to INEC.

He argued that the commission’s refusal to monitor the convention violates provisions of the Electoral Act, insisting that ADC fulfilled all legal requirements.

Alleges Persecution of Opposition Figures

The ADC leader further accused the government of using state institutions such as anti-corruption agencies and security services to intimidate opposition politicians.

He cited cases involving figures like Nasir El-Rufai and Aminu Tambuwal, describing the trend as a dangerous signal for democracy.

Calls for United Front Ahead of 2027

Aregbesola concluded with a rallying call for Nigerians to support the ADC’s mission to restore “freedom, security, and prosperity,” warning against political apathy.

“A democracy without opposition is an autocracy,” he said, urging citizens to reject what he termed any attempt at political “coronation.”

Closing Note

The convention, themed “So that Nigeria will work for Freedom, Security and Prosperity,” brought together party delegates and stakeholders, marking a significant step in ADC’s preparations for the 2027 elections.

 

Continue Reading

Politics

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO APC CONSENSUS GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE, SENATOR SOLOMON OLAMILEKAN ADEOLA YAYI

Published

on

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO APC CONSENSUS GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE, SENATOR SOLOMON OLAMILEKAN ADEOLA YAYI*

 

On behalf of our Grand Patron, Dr. Tunde Osinowo (Pepperito Jnr.), we leaders and Members of Ogun East for Yayi heartily congratulate Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) for being the consensus Governorship candidate of our party, APC, in the 2027 election.

This is marvelous and indeed great in the sight of God.

Without mincing words, the choice of Yayi by the party stakeholders is the best and the most surest assurance to coast the Party to victory at the general elections come February, 2027.

We commend the maturity, dispositions and spirit of sportsmanship with which all the Gubernatorial aspirants embraced the decision and extended hands of fellowship to Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Yayi, the Gubernatorial Hopeful.

We beseech God to grant Yayi and all of us, leaders, followers and supporters, the enablements to see him duly elected as Governor of Ogun State at the general election in Jesus mighty name.

We congratulate the incoming Governor of Ogun State and our Excellency in waiting, Yayi.

This is Yayi O’clock.

Praise God!

Mo yo fun e, mo yo fun ra mi.

 

 

Continue Reading

Cover Of The Week

Trending