Opinion: Pretending Not to See Tinubu’s Impact Is an Act of National Dishonesty

Every nation rises or falls on two pillars: leadership and honesty.

Leadership provides direction; honesty compels the people to acknowledge what is true, whether it is comfortable or not. In today’s Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made decisions that are already shaping our economy, institutions, and security framework. Yet, a section of the public insists on pretending nothing changes. This selective blindness is not patriotism—it is sabotage of national progress.

Economic and Governance Reforms Cannot Be Denied

Tinubu’s administration inherited a fragile economy weighed down by subsidies, distortions, and revenue leakages. The removal of the fuel subsidy and reforms in the foreign exchange regime were not acts of convenience but of courage. They have opened difficult conversations about sustainability, productivity, and fiscal responsibility—conversations Nigeria postponed for too long.

Equally significant is the push for institutional renewal. The administration’s effort to appoint capable hands into critical positions, strengthen revenue agencies, and prioritize fiscal discipline underscores a governance style anchored on responsibility, not sentiment. Those who dismiss these strides as “ordinary” fail to grasp that institutional renewal is the bedrock of every great nation.

Security: A Nation’s Hardest Test

No economy thrives where insecurity festers, and no leadership can be judged fairly without weighing its effort to protect lives and property. Here too, President Tinubu has acted with urgency. From restructuring the armed forces' leadership to intensifying collaboration with local vigilante systems, the administration has demonstrated awareness that security is not merely about firepower but intelligence, community trust, and coordinated strategy.

The renewed focus on securing oil-producing regions, curbing banditry in the North West, and tackling insurgency in the North East is evidence of deliberate engagement. These measures may not yield instant peace—because security challenges are layered and deeply rooted—but it is sheer intellectual laziness to ignore the current policy recalibrations.

The Dangers of Pretended Blindness

There is nothing wrong with criticizing government policies. In fact, constructive criticism strengthens democracy. However, when individuals deliberately feign blindness to the efforts being made—when they refuse to acknowledge even the most minor gains—they are not being objective or partisan. That culture of cynicism is dangerous. It weakens morale, emboldens enemies of the state, and denies the people the chance to unite behind progress.

Towards Honest Appraisal

Nigeria does not need cheerleaders who sing praises without critique. Neither does it need cynics who deny reality because it does not align with their political bias. The nation requires honest appraisal: acknowledgment of what is working, constructive scrutiny of what is not, and a shared commitment to building on progress rather than denying it.

History will remember this administration for its boldness in tackling issues others avoided. But history will also judge Nigerians for how fairly and honestly they engaged with that boldness. Pretending not to see the impact does not erase it. It only reveals the moral poverty of those who refuse to admit the truth.

By Erefoluwa Maurice Keka

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