Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu possesses the leadership qualities Nigeria needs to attain national development and fulfil the long-held aspirations of its people.
Speaking at the 2025 Distinguished Personality Lecture held at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, on Thursday, Wike presented a lecture titled “The Nigeria of Our Dreams”, where he strongly criticised the country’s history of poor leadership as the primary obstacle to progress.
Quoting renowned author Chinua Achebe, Wike referenced the iconic work “The Trouble with Nigeria”, stating that Achebe’s assertion about Nigeria’s problem being rooted in leadership failure remains accurate. According to him, successive leaders—both military and civilian—have emerged through self-centered arrangements, often disconnected from national development goals.
He, however, singled out President Tinubu as a leader who stands apart from that trend.
“In President Tinubu, we have a leader committed to real change,” Wike said. “He has demonstrated strength of character, resilience, and the courage to make difficult decisions in the interest of the nation.”
Highlighting Tinubu’s controversial removal of fuel subsidy on his first day in office, Wike described the move as a bold step that previous administrations only talked about but never implemented due to political pressure and fear of backlash.
“Unlike his predecessors who acknowledged the subsidy’s damage but failed to act, Tinubu took decisive action. Despite the challenges that followed, he has remained committed to addressing the economic consequences with realistic reforms,” the minister added.
Wike noted that states now have access to more financial resources due to the subsidy removal, national debts are no longer growing at an alarming rate, and fuel prices are beginning to reflect market realities.
He also commended the president’s efforts to decentralize governance, saying that the establishment of regional commissions is gradually correcting the long-standing imbalance of power and resources overly concentrated at the federal level.
“This approach is returning power to the people and giving every region the opportunity to drive its own development,” Wike noted.
On security, the minister explained that the federal government is boosting military effectiveness through increased funding and ongoing training programs. He also cited Tinubu’s recent approval of a national forest guard initiative as a strategic move to secure forests that have become hiding places for criminals.
“Under this administration, no part of our country will remain a safe haven for bandits and terrorists,” Wike declared.
He concluded by calling on Nigerians to rally behind Tinubu’s leadership, stressing that only visionary, courageous governance could steer the country toward a future of prosperity, peace, and inclusive development.
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