Renewed Hope or Renewed Hardship? How Nigerians Groan Under Tinubu – Otunba (Dr) Babatunde Olushola Senbanjo Writes

By Otunba (DR) Babatunde olushola Senbanjo(BOS)

The current state of the Nigerian nation reflects a profound crisis of governance.

When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office with the mantra of “Renewed Hope,” citizens cautiously anticipated structural reforms aimed at economic revitalisation. Instead, the administration’s trajectory has triggered unprecedented economic hardship, placing an unbearable strain on the average citizen and plunging millions into multi-dimensional poverty.

The primary catalysts for this economic decline were the immediate, unmitigated removal of the fuel subsidy and the floating of the Naira. Implemented without robust, transparent safety nets, these policies triggered a devastating domino effect. The cost of transportation, basic foodstuffs, and electricity has skyrocketed beyond the reach of the working class.

Today, families are forced to make impossible choices between nutrition, healthcare, and education. The foundational duty of any government is to secure the welfare of its people, yet current economic realities suggest a deep disconnect between state policy and human survival.

Compounding this hardship is the persistent issue of systemic corruption and fiscal irresponsibility.

While the citizenry is continuously urged to endure fiscal austerity and “sacrifice” for the nation’s future, the lifestyle of the political elite remains ostentatious. High-profile financial scandals within federal ministries, alongside allegations of substantial unremitted revenues and opaque spending, continue to erode public trust. A situation where the masses bear the entire burden of aggressive reforms while public officials indulge in luxury purchases is both economically unsustainable and morally indefensible.

Furthermore, the administration has struggled to effectively address Nigeria’s volatile security landscape. Pervasive banditry, kidnappings, and agricultural disruptions continue to displace rural communities and cripple domestic food production. Without structural security, economic interventions remain superficial.

This combination of economic stagnation and physical insecurity has left citizens trapped in the historic trope of “suffering and smiling”, putting on a resilient face while enduring systemic institutional neglect.

Nigeria cannot survive on propaganda or a mirage of future prosperity. For the country to avert total institutional collapse, the federal government must urgently pivot.

This requires a shift from abstract economic models to empathetic, people-centred policies, a genuine and visible crackdown on public corruption, and the immediate reduction of the cost of governance. The resilience of Nigerians must no longer be taken for granted; it is time for the government to deliver tangible governance, not perpetual hardship.