Bello Olamilekan Kabir-Yesbit, PhD
About three months before the 2023 general election, the phrase “he built Lagos” dominated discussions, with many believing Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s success in Lagos qualified him to build Nigeria. As a researcher, I analyzed secondary data to verify this claim. The conclusion on the mouth of huge numbers of Nigerians were that, a person that can build Lagos to the present edifice should be able to build Nigeria of our dream that was long promised by the Late MKO Abiola in 1993.
My findings revealed that Tinubu didn’t build Lagos from scratch but maintained its existing standard. He excelled as a grassroots politician and people-maker but struggled with administration and economic management.
To evaluate his performance, I considered variables such as:
– Infrastructure before and after 1999
– Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and its utilization
– Local government creation and economic impact
– Corruption levels between 1999 and 2007
Did Bola Ahmed Tinubu met a dilapidated Lagos in terms of structures and IGR? No. Lagos was the capital of Nigeria, until 1993 when it was moved to Abuja. During this period Lagos have had National Assembly that eventually become state House of assembly, Lagos have had two National stadium, have had two federal secretariat, but immediately after the relocation to Abuja, the federal government relinquished one to Lagos State. Lagos State was the capital of majority of the big multimillion companies, because Lagos was the then Nigeria Headquarter. But upon relocation to Abuja, the likes of AGIP oil, shell, Total,and many more big companies in Island, Ikeja and et al still remain in Lagos., and they didn’t stop been source of IGR to the purse of Lagos State Government.
This was why, when the former President Olusgun Obasanjo refused to furnished the then newly created LCDA by Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu between 2002-2007 allocation from the Federation purse, Lagos could still thrive because of the presence of sea port and air port, rail transport where IGR are geometrically generated. Hence the then Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu met a working Lagos, he met Lagos State University, University of Lagos, Yaba-tech, Laspotech, COED-Ijanikin and COED-YabaCOED-Yaba and many other sources of IGR that were not in 80% of other Nigeria State. All these were and still sources of IGR.
So, obviously, Lagos wasn’t dilapidated when Tinubu took office. As Nigeria’s former capital, it boasted national institutions, multinational companies, and infrastructure. The relocation to Abuja didn’t hinder Lagos’ IGR, thanks to its sea and air ports.
Now the question is; Is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a strategist? In truism, Tinubu is politically strategic, having championed South-west wins and prevented PDP’s takeover in Lagos. However, administratively and economically, he falls short. The appointment of ministers with questionable track records raises concerns. Nigeria’s economic policies are porous, plagued by corruption and poor implementation.
An administrator with politics of the finances will not make the fuel subsidy removal announcement he made during his assumption of office, Result revealed that, he didn’t have any understanding of the politics going on in the NNPC, even at post-announcement, result is still showing that he’s yet to understand the politics going on in NNPC, despite 2years into 4 years term.
Nigerians thought he would build Nigeria, because they believed he built Lagos. But how can you build Nigeria with the majority of the incumbent ministers with poor antecedent? What track records have David Umai when he was Governor, to infrom his ministerial appointment? What is Isa Bagudu still doing in the Feedal Executive Council despite the arrays of intellectuals on ground who could man the same portfolio better, what was his record as Governor? I was wondering what experiences has Edun, to be the Nigeria Finance Minister? Cardoso, the CBN Governor didn’t stay in the banking sector for up to 5-6years, no wonder it’s been difficult to regulate the geometric double digit inflation and killing foreign exchange on Nigerians? Adelabu, the Minister from Ibadan is a renowned chartered accountant, yet President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assigned him to the portfolio of Minister of Power, what a square peg to a round hole? You can’t build Nigeria with these set of people. The government fiscal and economic policy are so porous such that, the policies are marred with corruption, lack of intellectualism and poor implementation prowess. Extravagancy in the spending of government and this have rooted from the alpha to omega. Monies are given to Governors as a mean of palliatives to the people, but where are the palliatives? Primary health care with buildings but without ordinary paracetamol and antibiotics? Labours have been shouting of going on strike from state to federal? So is he really building Nigeria?
Bello Olamilekan Kabir-Yesbit, PhD, is an entrepreneur and university lecturer based in Ilorin.