The Currency Of Hope (IV)

By Ronke Bello

It is so relieving that the much anticipated first anniversary of the Tinubu administration has come and gone. The event, happening just a few days apart from the Democracy Day Celebration made it more festive. Equally, the very present leadership style of President Tinubu rose to the occasion that indeed in the realm of leadership, Napoleon Bonaparte’s famous words, “Leaders are dealers in hope,” remain as relevant as ever.

This is much so because all leaders who deliberately aim to succeed understand that instilling hope continually in the people consequently leads to increased motivation, faith, a call to duty and participation in their country’s growth and development. A larger part of the Presidential team also used the occasion to attempt to renew the hope of the masses in areas of work being done towards fast-tracking the economy, etc.

A very robust and all-inclusive ministerial-briefing was well covered by most Nigerian news outlets unfortunately watched majorly by the elites who had alternate power supplies. The matter of continuous blackouts in most Nigerian cities, towns and villages and how it hampers major information dissemination by the government in today’s supersonic and high-tech world is an issue for another day.

Impressive outings nevertheless which would have been a round success if only these laudable wins and projections were supported with such wins at the sub-nationals and by the legislative arm whose now seemingly aborted “constituency briefings” were so robust, rich and impactful at the states and local governments levels in the early years of this 4th Republic.

Some of these laudable wins, actions and policies that have been started were well established in my pre-first anniversary publication “The Currency of Hope 3”.

I guess these articles, having served as a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign team and most importantly as a participant in various duties in and on behalf of Nigeria for a few decades now caught the attention of four Nigerian huge and well-established television organisations that have both local and international mileages: The NTA, AriseTv, TVC and The AIT.

I found myself on all four in a space of a few days and the panel discussions or interviews were the same: How far with the “candidate” now government you marketed to Nigerians? Like many, we marketed these statesmen on conviction and that conviction has not changed that President Tinubu means well for Project Nigeria and will (with the help of his privileged team ) not drop the ball.

However many can’t see this promised egalitarian society when it is hard to survive each day, especially in the light of the chock-holding prices of food items and healthcare which are directly tied to life itself. In fact on one of the platforms, a caller reminded us that “even spiritual fasting has a timeline and deadline”.  Besides this is a bias that has gone viral that the Tinubu government will be a ‘Lagos for Lagos Affairs’ when it comes to appointments and benefits. In addressing this, we will have to keep faith in President Tinubu as a patriot, elder statesman and nationalist who has promised a fair reward system.

Basically, what are the timelines, milestones and mileage for our renewed hope journey? Yes, the people keeping faith read the government policy thrusts and are excited by some of them, but the majority of the people seem lost in their thoughts when they weigh their present-day living conditions viz a viz the laudable agenda.

Though good and sustainable leadership takes time to institutionalize, the reality is the citizens’ hope also dwindles when they consider such hope as farfetched. A case of “Hope delayed makes the heart sick”. Owing to this, the grassroots seem cut off from governance and that exactly is where the people (the true measurement of Nigerians) are. It is reassuring that the People’s President himself at an event alluded to this by saying:

“When we want the votes, we go to the locals; when we get the votes, we move to and focus on Abuja,” -President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (May 30 2024, Abuja, Nigeria).

As the matter stands today, the hardest part is an attempt to explain to or refocus the thinking of the people at the grassroots to focus more and demand qualitative leadership from their local government bosses and their governors. The fixation on Abuja, the federal team and indeed the president is unequivocally large. Many will readily quote the federal government budget more than those of the state or local governments. It seems true that “all rises and falls on federal leadership! It is however a great thing to note that the third arm of government i.e the Judiciary is expected to soon assist in interpreting some laws especially as they affect the autonomy of the local governments.

The Tinubu’s first anniversary was met with potpourri reactions of some sort. While some said the not-too-new government was doing fairly well, some ascribed its challenges and rather bumpy ride thus far to the issues inherited. Others could not just see that tiny light that is showing through our telescope that indeed there will be light at the end of the tunnel. Some others point-blank have written off our renewed hope agenda and can’t wait for the next two years to hit the streets campaigning and preparing for the next elections.

As obvious, other issues on the citizens/leaders table range from security to infrastructure and the “Japa syndrome “ that has seen what can be described as a huge generation’s belief that in a sense even if hurriedly with little research anywhere on the surface of the earth is better than Nigeria.

My outings on these platforms received some pats and some hard knocks. These are all welcomed for our task is to keep listening and engaging our people at all levels. After all “The Leader’s ear must ring with the voices of the people”-Woodrow Wilson and President Tinubu has re-emphasized this continually that he hears the people loud and clear! Let’s keep faith with him.

As patriots, it is a matter of duty to keep our hopes alive. As members of the renewed hope team, we owe the people those deliverables as promised. Not necessarily because another election will soon come and our party will have to win the hearts and votes of the people but because Nigeria should work and become greater in our own time so that history when written will be kind to us.

A major takeaway from the rare and privileged outings and interactions with Nigerians( home and Diaspora ) to which I am most humbled is the “Need For Speed “ in actualising the good words and intents of this administration as many refused to buy the line that one year was relatively too short to write off the administration.

In conclusion, Chan Master Fuchan Yuan describes the three essentials of leadership as humility, clarity and courage. Thus in riding on our currency of hope we have the humility to accept where the gaps are, the clarity of knowing what we need to do to close the gaps or erase them totally and above all the courage to do what is right even if painful to keep repositioning Nigeria into true greatness. The Tinubu Administration has sailed into its second year; more fair winds, more hopes, more thoughts, more prayers, more hard work.

God bless Nigeria.

Bello, (Ph.D.), academic, publicist, policy analyst and author writes from Abuja.