FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday, spoke in adulation of President Bola Tinubu, saying the country was in dire need of leaders like him to lead Nigerians to a country of their dreams.
He canvassed this position at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in his 2025 Distinguish Personality Lecture, titled: “The Nigeria of our Dreams.”
Wike, who aligned with the position of Chinua Achebe, in his controversial book “The Trouble with Nigeria”, singled out absence of proper leadership as the greatest bane militating against the development of the country.
“This statement, damaging as it may appear, is extremely difficult to controvert. Our leaders have, in the main, emerged through self-serving conspiracies that have little or nothing to do with national interests and development. This has been the case in both military and civilian contexts,” he said.
However, the minister, explained that President Tinubu had stood out as the leader the people of Nigeria need to drive the country to progress and prosperity.
He stressed that what Nigeria needed was a leader, who believed in the infinite possibilities that the nation exemplifies, while taking solid, proactive, logical and well-informed decisions that would maximally actualise her potential.
According to him, such a person must have the courage and audacity to act, build, innovate and generally expand the frontiers of development with a hands-on approach that would emphasise excellence over mediocrity.
The minister stated that such individual must also be prepared to lead with sound character and resilience in the face of challenges.
“More importantly, the leader of Nigerians’ dream must create a society of free and responsible citizens whose potentials flow freely and free enterprise thrives.
“Let me make bold at this juncture to state that today, in our country, we have such a leader in the person of Tinubu.
“He has shown in several ways and at different times, a stout commitment to the enthronement of democracy in our country, to the extent of even putting his own life on the line in the process.
“He has shown great capacity for engendering development as captured in the unprecedented rapid and exponential development of Lagos state under his watch and even beyond,” he said.
He exalted Tinubu for demonstrating a rare courage by removing fuel subsidy on the day he being sworn in as President, stressing leaders before him all spoke about the evil of fuel subsidy, but none had the ball to remove it.
“Tinubu did and is fittingly grappling with the inevitable, unintended and sometimes orchestrated consequences of this removal.
“Today, our states have far more resources to develop, the debts are no longer piling and the price of petrol is gradually but steadily adjusting downwards in tandem with the forces of demand and supply and the strict implementation of regulatory conditionalities.
“Also, the overwhelming cry of over-centralisation of power and resources at the national level and the attendant abuse of the doctrine of federalism is being systematically addressed.
“This is being addressed through the creation of zonal/regional commissions empowered to devolve developmental impetus to the respective zones and regions, so that power can truly return to the people,” Wike said.
Earlier, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, had touted Wike as a straightforward politician, with an exemplary wealth of political experience and leadership.
The governor, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi, described as visionary the minister’s infrastructural transformation in the FCT.
Also, the Vice-Chancellor of the university Prof. Adebayo Bamire, said the theme of the lecture, ‘’Nigeria of our Dream” was timely and thought-provoking.
The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who was the Royal Father of the Day, said he had immense respect for Wike because of his fearlessness in addition to being an “upright politician” who “says things as they are.
“Hate him; like him – what will be will be.” the Ooni said.
Olawale Ajimotokan and Funmi Ogundare
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