Tinubu At 74: Legacy, And The Burden Of National Rebirth

By Gloria Adebajo-Fraser

At 74, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stands at a defining threshold—not just of age, but of legacy. Leadership, at this level, is no longer about ambition; it is about consequence. It is about whether a leader chooses comfort or correction, applause or impact, preservation or transformation.

Nigeria today is not in need of cosmetic governance. It is in need of structural rebirth.

That is the burden President Tinubu has chosen to carry.

THE COURAGE TO REBUILD, NOT TO PRESERVE

Nations decline gradually and recover deliberately. Nigeria’s challenges—economic distortions, institutional inefficiencies, security vulnerabilities—did not emerge overnight. They are the product of decades of compromises, avoidance of hard decisions, and the recycling of mediocrity for over 50 years.

President Tinubu’s approach has been fundamentally different.

He has not come to manage decline. He has come to interrupt it.

The removal of fuel subsidy, restructuring of the foreign exchange regime, tax reforms were not politically convenient decisions.

They were necessary corrections to a system that had become unsustainable.

These actions alone required a level of political courage that many before him avoided.

Reform is not painless. It is surgical.

And like every surgical process, it involves discomfort before recovery.

A PRESIDENT MISREAD THROUGH A NARROW LENS

There is a growing tendency to interpret Tinubu’s leadership through narrow, often emotional lenses—ethnicity, religion, and regional sentiment. This is not only inaccurate; it is limiting.

The truth is more complex—and more instructive.

From the outset, President Tinubu signaled a shift away from identity politics. His decision to run on a Muslim-Muslim ticket was not merely political; it was philosophical.

 It challenged Nigeria to confront an uncomfortable question: can competence take precedence over religious balancing?

For decades, Nigeria has allowed identity considerations to overshadow merit.

 Tinubu’s decision disrupted that pattern.

It was a calculated risk—one aimed at moving Nigeria closer to global governance standards, where capability, not creed, determines leadership.

DISMANTLING THE MYTH OF ETHNIC BIAS

Critics have accused President Tinubu of ethnic bias, particularly in favour of the Southwest.

This argument does not withstand scrutiny when examined in full context.

If anything, the administration’s decisions reflect strategic balance rather than sectional preference.

The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, comes from the Northeast—a region that has not occupied that level of executive power since the era of Tafawa Balewa, over four decades ago.

That choice alone underscores a deliberate effort to include historically underrepresented regions in the highest levels of governance.

Beyond appointments, the Northwest has benefited from significant federal attention—major infrastructure projects, including hospitals, rail development, and road networks, alongside substantial allocations for safety nets and palliatives.

Yet, in an interesting twist, even within the Southwest, voices such as the MURIC Islamic association have raised concerns that Christians dominate appointments under a Muslim-Muslim administration.

This contradiction exposes a deeper truth: President Tinubu does not govern through the lens of religion or ethnicity. He governs through the lens of suitability and competence.

MERIT OVER MEDIOCRITY: A NECESSARY SHIFT

Nigeria cannot progress if it continues to prioritize representation over performance.

This is the hard truth many are unwilling to confront.

As I have consistently stated: “A nation rises when it places square pegs in square holes and falls when it promotes mediocrity in the name of balance.”

President Tinubu’s leadership reflects this principle.

Appointments under this administration increasingly reflect a merit-driven approach—placing individuals in positions where their capacity aligns with national needs.

This is not exclusion; it is efficiency.

It is also worth acknowledging an uncomfortable but factual reality: the Southwest remains one of the most educationally advanced regions in Nigeria.

 It is therefore logical—not preferential—that individuals from that region are frequently called upon to serve in roles requiring technical expertise and administrative capacity.

This is not bias. It is pragmatism.

Other regions must respond not with grievance, but with preparation—identifying and presenting their best talents for national service.

The era of symbolic appointments must give way to performance-based governance.

THE DISCIPLINE OF FEDERALISM AND THE MISPLACED BLAME GAME

Another critical misunderstanding lies in the allocation of responsibility within Nigeria’s federal structure.

President Tinubu has significantly increased financial allocations to states, providing governors with the resources required to implement palliatives and development initiatives. This is a clear demonstration of respect for constitutional roles.

Governors are the chief executives of their states. They are directly responsible for the welfare of their people.

The President can provide funding. He cannot micromanage implementation.

Yet, public discourse continues to hold the presidency accountable for failures at subnational levels.

This is not only inaccurate—it is counterproductive.

Accountability must be correctly assigned if governance is to improve.

A LISTENING PRESIDENT IN A TIME OF TRANSITION

Despite the scale of reforms, President Tinubu has demonstrated responsiveness. Policy adjustments, stakeholder engagements, and ongoing consultations reflect a leadership that listens and adapts.

But let us be clear: listening does not mean retreating.

It means refining implementation while maintaining direction.

Nigeria is in a transition phase.

The discomfort is real. But so is the necessity.

GLOBAL REALITY: THE WORLD DOES NOT WAIT FOR EMOTIONAL POLITICS

The global order is shifting rapidly—economically, technologically, and militarily.

Nations that fail to adapt will be left behind.

Nigeria cannot afford to remain trapped in outdated frameworks of thinking.

We must recalibrate—not just economically, but strategically.

Our defence infrastructure must evolve. Our institutional capacity must strengthen. Our leadership selection must prioritize competence over sentiment.

This is the direction President Tinubu is pushing Nigeria toward.

It is not easy. But it is essential.

THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL FACTOR: COMPETENCE OVER CONVENIENCE

Vice President Kashim Shettima represents a critical component of this administration’s strategic architecture.

He is experienced, intellectually grounded, and administratively capable. His performance has not been found wanting.

His selection was not symbolic—it was strategic.

It reinforces a key message: governance must be driven by capacity, not identity.

Religion should never be the basis for leadership selection in a serious nation.

THE BURDEN OF NATIONAL REBIRTH

President Tinubu’s presidency must be understood for what it is: a reform-driven effort to reset Nigeria’s trajectory.

This is not a popularity contest. It is a restructuring process.

And restructuring is never comfortable.

Some regions may feel temporarily disadvantaged. Some sectors may experience adjustment pains.

But reform, by its nature, redistributes priorities before it stabilizes outcomes.

The critical question is not whether every group feels immediately satisfied. It is whether the nation is moving in the right direction.

A CALL FOR NATIONAL MATURITY

Nigeria must outgrow the politics of pettiness.

We cannot continue to interpret national policy through narrow, sectional lenses.

We cannot demand excellence while rewarding mediocrity.

We cannot expect progress while resisting change.

Regions with grievances must engage constructively—bringing forward solutions, ideas, and capable individuals—not narratives of division.

Nation-building is a shared responsibility.

LEGACY IN MOTION

At 74, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not merely governing; he is shaping a legacy.

It is a legacy defined not by comfort, but by courage. Not by consensus, but by conviction.

He has taken decisions others avoided. He has stayed the course where others might have retreated. He has chosen reform over rhetoric.

History has a way of correcting premature judgments.

Many leaders who were resisted in their time were later recognized as necessary figures in their nation’s evolution. Tinubu’s presidency is on a similar trajectory.

CONCLUSION: THE TEST OF TIME

No leader is perfect. That is not the standard.

The standard is direction, intent, and impact.

President Tinubu has demonstrated a clear commitment to national rebirth—through reform, through discipline, and through strategic governance.

Nigeria is undergoing a necessary transformation. It is uncomfortable, but it is essential.

At 74, the President deserves not superficial praise, but thoughtful recognition of the burden he carries—and the courage with which he carries it.

The work is ongoing. The outcome is unfolding.

And in time, history will separate noise from necessity—and render its verdict.

•Princess Gloria Adebajo-Fraser MFR.

President, The National Patriots.