Rebirth of A New Nigeria - Never Again Shall Mediocrity Lead!

While the rest of the civilised world could very well expect to live a peaceful and fulfilled 365 days in this New Year, Nigerians continue to live by faith and a prayer because their "GOD", aka Government of the Day would not do what other GODs in sane societies does routinely.

We knew this was another one chance when BAT stole his way into the presidency in the 2023 presidential elections. Once a thief and a con man, always one. A leopard can not change its sports.

True to character, he quickly started his "Renewed Hope" agenda by first breaking one leg of the stool many were barely managing to gain support from. In an act that revealed how callous and insensitive Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) is, without cautionary provisions, he removed oil subsidy, and Nigerians and the economy were thrown into a seismic shock wave. Inflation went beyond the roof. The cost of living was as if people were suddenly in war time crises. Fuel already being lamented as overpriced, went from N180 to nearly N2000 per litre! Forex, of course, sky rocketed. The dollar/ pound rates meant hitherto affordable commodities became impossible. In one single senseless act, the average worker suddenly discovered their monthly wage was worthless and equivalent to servitude.

In this same circumstance, what did BAT do? He bought the elites to secure himself in office. So called savings from subsidy removal funded extra allowances for the legislators and judiciary. He secured the "safety" of NASS members by purchasing bullet-proof SUVs worth over $65 million dollars each. He refurbished the Lagos presidential residence, "Dodan barracks." He embarked on renovation of VP residence for $21 million dollars. His wife, the RAT, was not left out from the splash. And when everyone thought we had seen enough, he announced the procurement of a presidential yacht and a brand new presidential jet.

All of these were done when the rest of the country was in penury and agonising over hunger. Well, the illusion of any Renewed Hope has since disappeared in the face of the stack reality.

All in his first 100 days, Nigerians experienced what they thought was the worst of BAT's chicanery.

But it was only the beginning. From frequent health trips to France, to plane-load entourages to foreign events, this hapless APC government really showed its true colours. Appointees soon confirmed it was all a "turn by turn" chop-I-chop matter, just as Emilokan-1 himself asserted.

Unwise Leadership decisions

The scourge of insecurity demanded considered choices. Its not clear why a select group of APC (All Progressives Congress) party members would think that a secular state with diverse people groups and of different faiths should be constrained to be led by a President and Vice-president from one faith. This so-called Muslim-Muslim ticket, represents the height of disdain for the other half of the population who might consider themselves Christians, predominantly Southern but also from the North and Middle Belt. Little wonder this now ridiculed "Mu-Mu" ticket, ensured terrorist abetters were foisted into sensitive positions in the Ministry of Defence. Persons with no evidence of competence and whose only qualifications was non-descript and a disgrace to that office. Indeed the saying "Those whom the gods wishes to destroy, he first deprives of reason”, is so apt.

With ravaging poverty and unemployment, the spate of criminality quadrupled. The absence of the rule of law demonstrated in the process and outcome of the 2023 elections sustained societal degradation quickly taking hold of swathes of the country. Insecurity escalated. Kidnapping, banditry, and terrorist activities sadly reached heights never previously witnessed. Non-State Armed Groups were able to establish themselves as alternative local government in pockets across the North of Nigeria.

Oil Subsidy removal and Floating the Naira

In all this APC, apologists would argue BAT needed time, and the country would soon reap the benefits of oil subsidy removal. Meanwhile, the nations GDP plummeted as its Poverty Index soared, with Nigeria's numbers living under poverty becoming one of the highest comparable to Afghanistan. In the North, numbers of Out of school children were beyond reckoning, with many being easily recruited into banditry. Foreign Direct Investment has nose dived. And BAT goes "a-borrowing," ensuring the people would go a-sorrowing!

Interestingly, BAT wants to be credited for seemingly stabilising the Naira currently trending N1,440 to the dollar. This is akin to a fools gold. The fact is he destroyed the economy just as he promised to "reduce the purchasing power of the naira" in his election campaign. Without production and nothing to sell, reducing the purchasing power is a nail in the coffin of manufacturers who require forex for imports. Previous governments dual exchange rate - a CBN rate as against a parallel market rate was not perfect. Whilst the intention was to ensure limited forex was available for genuine import business procurement, sadly same officials would procure forex from CBN but re-sell at the Black market for profit, never actually achieving the primary objectives of this system.

BAT's decision to float the Naira, shortly after removing oil subsidy was a double whammy for a system already collapsing.

In 2014, under President Jonathan, "GEJ," the dollar exchanged for less than N200. Under APC Buhari "GOD," this went up to approx. N450 to the dollar. BAT took office in May 2023, and claimed to remove subsidy (already initiated by Buhari deferring budgetary provisions), but in the absence of any cushioning, triggered the collapse of the naira initially to over N1800 to the dollar. Though stabilising at about N1450 to the dollar, this can not be claimed to be a win by BAT.

Craving accolades

The ill effect of BAT's poor leadership is reeling the country to nearly keeling over.

Perhaps he confuses being controversial with consequential. Hence, he thought changing the national anthem to the relic was so important even if it revealed his impetuous streak. It was evident to many that there was no reason for that change other than to spite OBJ, a political heavy weight with more ascendant qualities in every respect.

From embarking on a coastal-highway-to-nowhere white-elephant project concessioned without competitive bidding, to having an airport and an army barrack named after himself, it is clear BAT is desperate to be listed as one of Nigeria's significant leaders. On the contrary, he does not in any measure or quantum merit the office he occupies by virtue of the process and his actions since he stole the office. Hopefully he is the last of the worse of leaderships Nigeria would ever allow to assume office when the right parameters come in place.

Poor governance results in bad roads, often a result of crony contractors who do shoddy jobs. Consequences include hiked transport fares, prohibiting travel by road due to a combination of cost and exposure to criminals! Cost of flight (burdened by taxes, maintenance, etc) makes air travel a no-go area for the middle class. The added cost to staple foods makes daily living beyond the reach of many, turning Nigeria into a "Sachet economy."

Prospects

So, what is the hope of the average Nigerian in the coming days?

The New Tax Laws?

BAT has enacted this tax escapade in a self-deluded belief he could tax his way to wealth! What is apparent here is BAT engineering mechanisms for another pillage of government coffers (shortly after concluding an opaque MOU with France).

Barring very few departments or ministries, APC is a government riddled with the most corrupt and inept characters. As a tree, so would be its fruits.

A reminder of this fact is BAT's Ambassadorial nominees, who were all confirmed by the rubber-stamp senate.

Nigeria is not being governed by merit. People in today's APC GOD are affiliates of a criminal enterprise designed to maintain an oppressive class, who seek to entrench themselves at all cost.

Across all levels of government, only a handful of leaders have been exceptional, rejecting to propagate ineptitude, and they have paid a price for daring to be different.

Conclusion

Nigerians may not and should not expect any fundamental changes from this government in 2026. Indeed with elections looming, the worse of APC would be replayed.

I shudder to think Nigerians may not be able to live freely and successfully in their own country for another term. Poverty and resignation to fate, has so disemboweled many, that people do not have the guts or resolve to fight another '2023 elections' if the outcome is going to be predetermined by another "Mahmood Yakubu" INEC surrogate. Oh and talking about that devil, yes the one that woke up at 4:00am to declare BAT as winner of that election, he may also have made the ambassadorial list, but certainly not for long.

Perhaps, "A New Nigeria is Possible".

Short of a people's revolution, this is indeed the only hope for Nigerians at this juncture. Galvanising a formidable unified opposition is critical. The premise may require clear terms of reference. The standards must be transparent, objective and bereft of previous practices where nominations are handed over to the highest bidder. The qualifications of nominees must not be lacklustre, or below any standards expected for a chief executive of a corporate enterprise. Every nominee would be required to subscribe to scrutiny of their past involvements in leadership - public or private, evidence of previous inditements or being implicated in the failure of agencies. Any opposition party leader wanting to unseat this overtly corrupt and incompetent APC GOD, must itself come with "clean hands."

May 2026 be the year of gestation and 2027, The Rebirth of a New Nigeria.

NDAG UK

January. 2026