The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, has declared that President Bola Tinubu is the kind of leader Nigeria needs to achieve "the Nigeria of our dreams."
Wike made this assertion during his 2025 Distinguished Personality Lecture at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife on Thursday, where he spoke on the theme "The Nigeria of our Dreams."
Bad Leadership: Nigeria's Greatest Challenge
The FCT Minister identified poor leadership as the most significant obstacle hindering Nigeria's development, referencing Chinua Achebe's seminal work 'The Trouble with Nigeria,' which attributed the country's problems to "the absence of proper leadership."
"This statement, damaging as it may appear, is extremely difficult to controvert. Our leaders have, in the main, emerged through self-serving conspiracies that have little or nothing to do with national interests and development. This has been the case in both military and civilian contexts," Wike stated.
Tinubu's Leadership Qualities
According to Wike, Nigeria requires a leader with sound character and resilience who believes in the country's infinite possibilities and can make informed decisions to maximize its potential. He emphasized that such a leader must possess the courage to innovate and prioritize excellence over mediocrity.
"Let me make bold at this juncture to state that today, in our country, we have such a leader in the person of Tinubu," Wike declared. "He has shown in several ways and at different times, a stout commitment to the enthronement of democracy in our country, to the extent of even putting his own life on the line in the process."
The minister highlighted Tinubu's track record in Lagos State, describing the development under his leadership as "unprecedented, rapid, and exponential."
Bold Reforms and Policies
Wike particularly praised Tinubu's courage in removing fuel subsidy on his first day in office, a move previous leaders had discussed but never implemented due to potential backlash.
"Today, our states have far more resources to develop, the debts are no longer piling, and the price of petrol is gradually but steadily adjusting downwards in tandem with the forces of demand and supply and the strict implementation of regulatory conditionalities," he explained.
The minister also noted that the administration is addressing concerns about over-centralization of power through the creation of zonal and regional commissions designed to devolve development to respective areas.
Security Improvements
On security matters, Wike mentioned that the situation is being addressed through proper funding and training of security forces. He revealed that Tinubu has approved the recruitment of forest guards across the country to secure forests that have served as hideouts for bandits and terrorists.
"Put simply, the era of banditry and terrorism would soon come to an end," he assured.
Notable Endorsements
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun, represented by Deputy Governor Kola Adewusi, described Wike as a straightforward politician with exemplary leadership style and praised his infrastructural transformation of the FCT.
The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who was the Royal Father of the Day, expressed deep respect for Wike's fearlessness, describing him as an "upright politician" who "said things as they are."
Professor Adebayo Bamire, Vice-Chancellor of OAU, noted that the lecture's theme was timely and thought-provoking, offering "a vital platform for reflection, engagement, and forward thinking" on Nigeria's democratic journey.
