President Bola Tinubu has declared that education is the most powerful weapon to fight poverty a statement that has reignited uncomfortable conversations about the state of Nigeria’s own educational system. Speaking at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in Saint Lucia, Tinubu told the students that nothing beats the value of learning. “If anybody tells you that education is not crucial, ask the person to try ignorance,” he said.
This bold declaration came during a diplomatic visit, where the president also encouraged young people to reject laziness and AI shortcuts and instead embrace discipline and analytical thinking. On paper, it was an inspiring moment. But in reality, it exposed a deeper contradiction.
Tinubu Says Education Fights Poverty While Nigerian Schools Suffer
While Tinubu preached the gospel of education abroad, Nigerian students continue to study under leaking roofs, sit on bare floors, and face constant strikes by lecturers. Over the past decade, Nigeria’s education budget has remained embarrassingly low, with less than 10% consistently allocated to the sector — far below the UNESCO recommendation of 15-20%.
University students in Nigeria lose years due to prolonged strikes. Secondary school students struggle with inadequate infrastructure and overcrowded classrooms. Primary school pupils are often taught by underpaid and underqualified teachers. But none of these systemic failures featured in the president’s glowing speech about the power of education.
Tinubu Says Education Fights Poverty But Offers Scholarships Abroad
To add salt to the wound, President Tinubu announced that Nigerian universities would be offering scholarships to students from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) from next academic year. He also proposed visa waivers for holders of diplomatic and official passports from those countries.
This has led many Nigerians to ask: if the government can afford scholarships for foreign students, why are Nigerian students dropping out over unpaid fees? Why do public university hostels look like abandoned refugee camps? Why do parents have to sell property to give their children access to private education?
The president may have earned a new title — Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Lucia (K.C.S.L.) — but at home, he is yet to be knighted by the trust of the Nigerian student.
Tinubu Says Education Fights Poverty While Nigeria’s Schools Decay
Tinubu says education fights poverty, and on the international stage, it’s a quote that earns applause. But back home, where students are left to fight poverty with broken chalkboards and outdated textbooks, the applause fades fast. Until the Nigerian education system reflects the passion of its leaders’ speeches, words like “education is the most powerful weapon” will sound more like PR than policy.
