The Olubadan of Ibadanland and Chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, has expressed confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will reposition Nigeria and make citizens proud by the time he leaves office in 2031.
Speaking to journalists after meeting the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Ladoja said the visit also presented an opportunity to appreciate Tinubu for attending his coronation and to commend developments in the country.
“My coronation was on the 26th of September. I have been trying to come and thank him for finding time to come. So this is an opportunity for me because I came for the Daily Trust dialogue. So it is an opportunity for me to come and thank him and to tell him that we are very happy with what is happening in the country.”
Responding to questions on his assessment of Tinubu’s leadership style, the traditional ruler said the president’s track record, particularly his time as governor of Lagos State, showed he understood governance, even though Nigeria’s challenges were more complex.
Ladoja noted that state governments were now better positioned financially than during his time as governor, adding that economic reforms were already yielding progress.
“If you know where he’s coming from, you will know that he knows what he’s doing, that is what is most important. He was able to get Lagos from where it was to where he left it. So I’m sure that the situation in Nigeria might not have been as bad as it was. The problem is that Nigeria is more complex than a state because of the fact that not all of us have the same notion about what we want in Nigeria.
“But nonetheless, the states have more money than we had when we were governors, and they are able to meet their commitments better than we could when we were governors. So I believe that, by and large, the economy has to be fixed and it’s being fixed. We hope that by the time he’s leaving in 2031, he will have put Nigeria where all of us will be proud of it.”
On areas where Nigerians still expect improvements, Olubadan urged the federal government to prioritise food security, healthcare and security, which he described as the most pressing concern.
“Well, we expect the president to work more on the situation of food. We expect them to look at the situation of health. We should have standard hospitals where we can treat our people.
“But the major problem we really have now is the problem of insecurity. Farmers are finding it difficult to go to their farms and it is already spreading to the south also. So everybody is apprehensive about going to the farm. Everybody is apprehensive about going about their daily business. I don’t think it is insurmountable, but by and large we believe that the president is tackling this correctly now.”
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(Tribune)
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