On The Recent New York Times Report: Questions Nigerians Should Ask Tinubu And Onanuga

After the recent scathing New York Times report on the Nigerian economy, it was expected that the ever predictable Nigerian Government would respond in self-defense. And, of course, out government didn't disappoint us here.

I think it is time that governments across boards in Nigeria learned to stop being reactors but instead to become proactors. In this light, I think that the Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga's response to the New York Times was unnecessary.

 It would have been more dignifying and edifying, I think, for the Nigerian Presidency to prove the New York Times wrong - if indeed they were - through action rather than struggling to do so in words. In other words, let the increased happiness of the Nigerian masses tell the stories more than any worded defense ever could.

However, I understand that Onanuga is doing his work to earn his pay. So, no surprises. And, he's really wonderful at marketing difficult products.

Then, to be fair, I want to see this from another angle too: The New York Times article has sparked a media debate and Onanuga's is the official local response in the discussion.

In this sense therefore, permit me to also contribute a local voice to the debate using this title - this time, from the Nigerian Street where the New York Times report is based, rather than from Aso Rock where life is so cozy. For me, this is going to ensure balance, enrich the discussion further, and help to bring about better outcomes. After all, better outcomes for our country is what we should all be targeting.

So, to start with, can Mr. Onanuga (or, for that matter, Tinubu) kindly answer the following questions begging for answers. I think, since their response is to a globally renowned media house, the world would also want to know their answers to the following questions…

Questions On The Disparity In Tinubu’s View On Subsidy Removal Between  2012 And 2023

1. You Mr. Onanuga might be right when you highlighted in your defense that Nigeria had maintained a fuel subsidy regime that gulped $84.39 billion between 2005 and 2022. It is okay you cared that this shouldn't have been the case in a country with so much infrastructural deficit and a high need for better social services. Your submission that it wasn't good that NNPCL had accumulated trillions of Naira in debt due to subsidy payment was near perfect. However, I’m forced to ask, wasn't Mr. Tinubu aware that these things were happening in 2012 when he was leading protests against the Jonathan Administration for attempting the exact same policy direction? 

   
        Courtesy of a Facebooker

2. Why did Tinubu criticize President Jonathan so bitterly for attempting to remove fuel subsidies knowing that it was the right thing to do to save the country a lot of cost?

3. After Tinubu became the President, why did he do what he was criticizing Jonathan for, without first apologizing to those he apparently misled in 2012 and since?

4. Don't you think that the country could have saved much of that $84.39 billion since 2012 if not that Mr Tinubu misled the masses to revolt against the Goodluck Jonathan Administration’s attempt in this same direction then? So why has Tinubu neither apologized nor explained why he architected so much wastefulness of the country's resources since 2012 as a private citizen?

5. Now that he became the President, why did Mr. Tinubu have to announce the subsidy removal on his first day in office without caring about the effects on the masses and without prior preparation to cushion the effects - yet he criticized President Jonathan for trying to do the exact same thing though with a human face back then unlike now?

Questions On The Denigration Of The Buhari Administration By The Tinubu Administration

In his defensive reaction to the New York Times report, Bayo Onanuga claimed that the Tinubu Administration “inherited a dead economy” and therefore didn’t create the economic problems Nigeria is facing but only got it handed down from the previous administration. 

“As a respected economist in our country once put it,” Onanuga is quoted as saying, “Tinubu inherited a dead economy. The economy was bleeding and needed quick surgery to avoid being plunged into the abyss, as happened in Zimbabwe and Venezuela”.

Writing on Tinubu's Nation Newspaper thereafter, one Kenechukwu Aguolu also toed the exact same line of argument. “When President Tinubu’s administration took office a year ago, it inherited an economy in a comatose state,” Kenechukwu wrote. So, it is safe to say that this is President Tinubu's view being expressed through his proxies.

So I ask: Mr. Tinubu, are you sure the economy was as bad as you painted when you took office in May 2023? Of course, you'd answer yes. In other words, you acknowledge that the Buhari Administration was a colossal failure?

So I ask you further,

1. So, why did you sell such a colossal failure to the country during the countdown to 2015 elections?

2. If you have realized that you made a mistake by selling a really bad product to the country, have you ever acknowledged your mistake or apologized for the error? Have you ever taken responsibility for the error and the profound damages it caused the country and its citizens? Is such negligence not totally disrespectful of Nigerians that you helped to cause so much suffering for 8 long years?

3. Did you therefore deserve the Presidency or the prison for your poor sense of judgement (or, more likely selfishness) that made you sell such a bad product to the country, thereby causing so much heartaches and deaths to Nigerians for years until now? And now, should you be criticizing the product you sold to Nigerians so much without first taking responsibility for the damages you incurred with it?

4. Did you promise to continue with Buhari's legacy or not? Have you kept that promise or not? If yes, why are you shifting the blame for a dead economy under your watch to the Buhari Administration? If no, why did you promise to continue in Buhari's legacy?

5. Can you honestly say that Nigeria’s economic indices didn't take a steep plunge a few days, even a few hours after you announced the subsidy removal on May 29, 2023? So, from whom did your administration inherit those immediate noticeable negative changes that greeted your callous announcement on your first day in office far before even constituting your economic team?

Why Have I Taken Time To Curate The Above Questions?

African leaders have been left for too long to do whatever pleases them while endangering the destinies of millions of people. They have taken the masses for granted for too long. I hold that this is a major factor behind Africa's underdevelopment. And the recent response of the Tinubu Administration to the New York Times speaks volumes about this. 

I strongly believe that neither Bayo Onanuga nor his master nor anyone else can attempt answers to the above questions without betraying the utter hypocrisy and subterfuge of the Tinubu Federal Government. Otherwise, I challenge them to answer these questions.

On the other hand, if they try to ignore the questions, they would only be laying credence to the allegation that they are purposely using their offices to deceive the masses - which is the point I uphold here too.

So, the next question would be: Why has Bola Tinubu chosen to deceive Nigerians instead of accepting responsibility for his own maladministration as reported by the New York Times and experienced daily by Nigerians? Isn't it how he has been deceiving Nigerians over the years by for example…

1. Revolting against President Jonathan’s attempt to scrap fuel subsidy as is now obvious in him doing the exact same thing?

2. Selling a Buhari Presidency to Nigerians as is now obvious in him criticizing the same product he sold?

As for you fellow Nigerians, I want to let you know that one reason our administrators take us for granted so much is because we don't demand accountability from them enough. When they disrespect and deceive us once and we keep calm and only complain under the hood, they deceive and disrespect us the more (as you see Tinubu doing over the years until now). As these corrupt administrators keep doing this, our subconscious mind soon begins to accept that being deceived and disrespected is okay for us; that it's our lot as citizens.

That's one mindset I see Nigerians manifesting in their huge numbers. But no, it can never be okay to be deceived and disrespected by those you call leaders, at least, not in a country called a democracy.

So, fellow Nigerians, could we stop allowing ourselvee to be taken as fools by our so-called leaders, nay administrators? At least, could we always let them know that we know that they are deceiving and disrespecting us and that we are not okay with it?

Therefore, I urge us to use this opportunity to begin to insist that the Tinubu Administration be thoroughly accountable to us by demanding answers to these questions while the world listens. Even if we fear to come out on the streets, can we at least, take these questions to social media and demand answers to them massively until the Tinubu Administration is compelled to address them?

What do we stand to gain from doing this? Among other things, we will make the Tinubu Administration know we are now a wakeful citizenry who are alert to any attempt at getting disrespected or deceived. So, the administration is going to beware of deceiving or disrespecting us further. 

This international media intercourse focusing on Nigeria now is a wonderful opportunity to kick this off. It will force this administration to respond adequately or get shamed before the eyes of the world.

Conclusion 

Complaining till eternity can never bring any positive change to Nigeria. That's because those we call leaders have generally shown themselves not to have any conscience in them. Instead, making the right demands clearly and promptly and taking measures to force them to comply, is what can bring the desired changes. As I wrote in This Is The Tap Root Of Nigeria's Problems, “don't complain if you won't act because all words and no action makes you look so silly”.

There are many more demands to make from our governments. And we will have the right opportunities to make them in ways that they will bear fruit. However, I have highlighted these few questions for a start. I would like to hear from you my fellow Nigerians at the comment section below. I want you to know that this is a media discussion happening at an international level and our voices will certainly be heard.