Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation Magazine, voiced his disappointment with President Bola Tinubu’s recent nationwide broadcast, arguing that the President failed to address the core demands of protesters across Nigeria.
Why It Matters
On Sunday, amid the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests that kicked off on August 1, President Tinubu addressed the nation. However, his speech seems to have done little to soften the unrest. “We want protesters to stop, but the President isn’t even interested in solving the country’s problems,” a sentiment echoed by many frustrated Nigerians.
Protesters have been vocal about their demands, which include the reinstatement of fuel subsidies, improved living standards, reduced governance costs, lower electricity tariffs, and effective solutions to the escalating insecurity. Yet, these critical issues were conspicuously absent from Tinubu’s address
What They Are saying
In a statement shared on his X handle, Momodu expressed his disappointment, admitting he had little faith that Tinubu would offer any meaningful concessions to the protesters. He remarked on his shock at the presidential speech, which he found lacking in empathy and substance.
Momodu, a seasoned social commentator and politician, explained that expecting Tinubu to change his approach was unrealistic. “As a man who has held an iron grip on Lagos State for the last 25 years, it would be difficult for him to change a winning formula that has worked for him ever since,” Momodu stated.
Momodu criticized Tinubu’s advisers, describing them as “fanatical cronies from Lagos” who have never dared to challenge their leader. “What did we expect his advisers to be telling him?” he asked rhetorically, suggesting that any hopes for a shift in policy were naive.
Momodu declared, “It was merely wishful thinking on the part of incurable optimists like me to think he was going to have mercy on hapless and seemingly helpless Nigerians.”
Momodu’s words correlate with the broader sentiment of disillusionment and frustration among Nigerians. The President’s speech, instead of offering hope or solutions, has only deepened the sense of betrayal felt by the populace.
Dele Momodu’s critique is spot on. President Tinubu’s speech was a classic case of political lip service, grand on “the normal usual”, but short on concrete solutions. The protesters’ demands are not unreasonable; they seek basic improvements that any responsible government should prioritize.
However, the President’s unwillingness to address these issues head-on suggests a troubling disconnect from the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.
Bottom Line
In a democracy, leaders are expected to listen, adapt, and respond to the needs of their people. Tinubu’s failure to do so in his nationwide address not only undermines his credibility but also increases the very unrest he seeks to quell.
