By Taiwo Ogunniyi.
Sen. Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Nigeria's President-elect.
As President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be sworn in on May 29, 2023, agenda has been set for the president-elect given the state of affairs of the nation in this report, Taiwo Ogunniyi reports expectations from the citizens in Ilorin, capital of Kwara state on Saturday.
May 29, 2023, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be sworn in as the 16th president of the federal republic of Nigeria with agenda set for his administration in various sectors which include security, healthcare, education, economic infrastructure amongst others.
Nigerians hope that the incoming administration will hit the ground running without any further to justify the confidence reposed in him by the people.
Religious leaders, public affairs analysts, and concerned citizens amongst others expressed their views which center on the need for much improvement in the social and economic well-being of the citizens and the general development of the country.
The Presiding Pastor, of the Royal Covenant Assembly, Rehoboth Christian Ministry International, Pastor (Dr) Bola Payimo, charged Nigeria's President-elect, to make the fear of God the center of his leadership.
Bola Payimo reminded Tinubu that any nation without the fear of God would collapse.
According to him, many Nigerian youths are not contented with their life and so they went into crime.
A public affairs analyst, Mr Yemi Adurotoye said "Mr. President should gird his loins to reposition Nigeria. He should not just come to mark register after telling Nigerians that 'Emi Lokan'.
"He has to make history by threading where many think he could not step in. I share the same notion with those who believe strongly in his capacity, competence, and candor; he is not going in with sentiments that could serve as a blockage to progress. I pray for divine wisdom for him because Nigeria is as complex as its diverse nature.
"He needs to devise strategies to lift Nigeria from the category of Developing Nation to that of Developed Nation. He needs to creatively resolve the power debacle that is holding Nigeria back. He just has to harness both human and material resources for the greater good of all.
"Restructuring, devolution of power from the center, infrastructural provision, and industrialization among others are on the table for him," he said
A Concerned Citizen, Mr. Jimoh Suleiman, said " My message will rest on tripods, turn-around on the economy, insecurity, and the cancerous nature or posture of high-level corruption in the country.
"There is also the upbeat on the worrisome debt burden of over N40 trillion on the neck of Nigeria which is staring the face of the incoming administration."
A Public affairs analyst, Mr. Linus Imodibo urged Tinubu to, "Create opportunities for Nigerian to have means of survival and also have peace wherever they find themselves. Change the current ugly state of affairs, and rewrite the identity of Nigeria. He should look out for competency as he builds up the team that will help him run his administration."
Mr. Saliu Bello said, "My message to the incoming president is to do something about Boko Haram and Kidnapping"
A cleric in Ilorin, Very Reverend Father Anselm Pendo Lawani, the Diocesan Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Ilorin, urged the incoming administration to secure the life and properties of the peace-loving Nigerians.
The Cleric made the call at the fifty-seventh edition of World Day of Social Communications of the Catholic Diocese, organized by the Directorate of Social Communications with the Theme "Speaking with the Heart 'The Truth in Love' held in Ilorin.
Reverend Father Lawani said "If the people were secured, their properties secured, there will be peace and development"
Another resident of Ilorin, Mr. Samuel Oladele said, "I want to extend my heartfelt prayers and well wishes to the president-elect as he assumes this important role of leadership soon.
"May God grant him wisdom, discernment, and strength, as he navigates the challenges and responsibilities that come with leading a nation (Nigeria). May he be guided by justice, compassion, and the pursuit of the common good in all his decisions and actions.
"I encourage him to be a leader who upholds integrity, promotes unity, and works diligently for the welfare and development of all Nigerian citizens. Seek to foster peace, social justice, and economic stability, while addressing the needs of the marginalized and vulnerable members of society.
"He should remember the call to servant leadership, to lead with humility and a genuine desire to serve the people he has been entrusted to govern. He embraces transparency, accountability, and inclusivity, valuing the diversity and richness of the Nigerian people.
"He should seek to promote a society that upholds human rights, protects religious freedom, and fosters an environment of mutual respect and understanding among different faiths and beliefs.
He also urged Tinubu to lean on God's guidance and seek His wisdom while praying that his leadership would bring about positive change, progress, and blessings for the nation of Nigeria.
Rev. Felix Ajide, the Senior Pastor of King Jesus Praiseland Assembly, Ilorin, and Editor-in-Chief of ChoiceReporters.said " I want to advise the incoming administration of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu to prioritize education, electricity, security, economy, and employment.
"The administration should depart totally from the old ways where those in power alienate themselves and go imperial.
"We expect real democracy where everyone and all sections of the country are carried along in the scheme of things. Governance should have a human face by listening to the people towards meeting their aspirations and yearnings."
Mr Feranmi John said " A good leader should be decisive in his/her approach. "The economic and social climate of the nation needs apt decisiveness. Bola Tinubu is keen on leadership and I won't be surprised if he succeeds to imprint his legacy as a great president of the federal republic of Nigeria.
"He should nominate competent individuals in his cabinet.
"Energy is the backbone of every thriving economy, therefore he should make adequate power supply one of his priorities. This will encourage more creation of jobs and the influx of companies.
"Also, insecurity should be addressed. He should make sure that there is transparency and accountability in his administration.
The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Kwara, Rt. Rev. Sunday Timothy Adewole, while delivering the Bishop's Charge at the opening session of the 17th Synod of the Diocese in Ilorin, recently, lamented the "excruciating hardships" and suffering/Nigerians are passing through. The cleric admonished President-elect to ensure that the people are relieved from their pain and suffering when he assumes office on May 29, 2023, as compensation to them for voting massively for him.
He said: "I admonish Tinubu to make policies that will put smiles on the faces of all and give them a guarantee of a better nation. We are gradually seeing that politics is about a social contract between those seeking political offices and the voters. If you take them for granted, you do so at your peril. "However, we will continue to pray for you and your government."
Mr Debo Ajayi said "We wish our new President God’s guidance as he tries to bring together the various fragmented groups of the country.
"If there is any action that the New President needs to take, it is to work at the reconciliation of all aggrieved parties in Nigeria.
"Every election in Nigeria since the beginning of this nascent democracy has been fraught with serious disputations.
"All the elections were seriously flawed but none has been so contentious as the election that brought him to power. Sadly, the flaws came with tribal and religious divides. Without peace and stability, there cannot be progress, President Tinubu must work to ensure nation-building above political partisanship.
He noted that Tinubu is viewed generally more as a Nationalist than Tribalist, this is the time for him to act as the father of all, reminding him that the security of the country is an urgent task to be tackled.
"He must have been briefed by the various security organizations in the country.
"He needs to get fresh ideas from international security organizations on how to manage our perennial security challenges.
On the economy, he said that all eyes should be on Dangote so that the recently inaugurated oil refinery might not go the way of his monopoly of cement production in Nigeria.
" Petroleum and its products are the engine room of our economy. Look at the Trillions of Naira wasted on subsidies.
"We can’t continue like that without meeting our untimely dissolution as a country.
"Nigeria's Cement Dangote is one of the most expensive in the world yet the majority of its raw materials were sourced locally.
"If petroleum products are allowed to go the same way, there will be a crisis in the nation," he said.
The resident who described unemployment as another cankerworm hitting Nigeria stressed that the incoming administration to tackle it headlong.
"The cause of unemployment is over-dependent on imported goods and services.
"Nigeria has enough manpower for her goods and services. Once we have a President interested in the production of goods, unemployment will reduce drastically.
"Like Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India said on clothing his people
“ if India cannot clothe herself, let her go naked”
"We need a President like that for our internal consumption of locally produced goods.
"From car to water, we must look inward and produce what we need.
"The President must look at the specialization of production of goods by each geo-political zone
"For example, there is arable land and sufficient rainfall in the middle belt region, and that geo-political zone can be developed into the food basket of Nigeria, growing crops and some livestock."
According to him, the Landlocked South-East is great at Engineering feats, they could be made the industrial hub of Nigeria. etc "We must return to true Federalism by Devolution of powers.
"Our Federalism cannot be on a state basis but on geo-political zones platforms.
"Many of our states are not economically viable.
"Too much money is at the center and that is why the Federal Government is the hub of corruption in the country.
"All anti-corruption establishments must be revamped. What we have presently is a huge joke and no wonder corruption festers.
"Tinubu will endear himself to the nation by proclaiming free and compulsory education at all levels in the country.
"The disparity in the output of fee-paying private schools and public schools of Government is unreasonable. The gaps should be bridged by funding appropriately, government institutions from Primary to university levels," he said.
Lastly, health is wealth
Tinubu must significantly improve our health sector and stem medical tourism.
Let us have a level playing ground for all faiths in Nigeria. We must not allow religion to keep dividing us.
I agree we need God to help our country to overcome her travails, we must seek Him with all fervency and do good to our fellow citizens.
President Tinubu must not underrate the power of prayers.
So many contentious issues in Nigeria that I don’t know whether to join the hypocrites in saying congratulations to the incoming President or commiserate with him as the cynics will do.
On a final note, I say nothing wrong with Nigeria that cannot be made right by Nigerians.
Together, we can.
I wish President Tinubu the best of luck and good health in dismantling the roadblocks ahead.
Mr Biodun Oluyemi Esan said "A new chapter would be opened with the inauguration of Sen Bola
Ahmed Tinubu as President of the country. President Tinubu would be
inheriting a fractured country and facing the herculean task of fixing
many dilapidated sectors such as the economy, security, infrastructure,
health, education, and a decayed system.
My message to the new president is to first concentrate on
electricity. The nation’s economy is premised on constant and
affordable electricity.
Many international companies operating in Nigeria have to close their
factories and move to neighbor West African countries where
electricity is stable.
Also, thousands of artisans have abandoned their trade because of
electricity and became commercial motorcycle and tricycle riders. If
electricity is stable, and most factories and manufacturing companies
that has become moribund would bounce back, there would be employment,
youth restiveness would reduce as they will be engaged in such factories
and the per capita income of the people will increase resulting in
better standard of living for Nigerians.
Also, president Tinubu should fight insecurity such as banditry,
kidnapping for ransom, terrorism, and cattle rustling to stand still.
Without adequate security, investors will not be encouraged to do
business in the country. The incoming president must therefore ensure
that lives and properties of citizens and foreigners in Nigeria are
guaranteed.
If President Tinubu can face these two critical areas in his first
two years, Nigeria will witness a turnaround in its economy.
I do not doubt in my mind that Asiwaju Tinubu will perform
excellently well, going by his antecedent as Governor of Lagos State and the architect of modern Lagos.
Kwara: Police Beef Up Security Towards Hitch-Free Inauguration, Public Holiday
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Kwara State Command, CP Paul Odama, has ordered an all-around security emplacement across the length and breadth of Kwara State for a rancor-free May 29, 2023, inauguration.
This is contained in a statement signed by SP Okasanmi Ajayi minor, Police Public Relations Officer, Kwara State Police Command on Saturday in Ilorin.
“To this end, policemen and women, attached to special forces and tactical units, including conventional officers, have been deployed to patrol the towns and major streets and all government facilities in the state to forestall any breakdown of law and order in the state.
“The citizens must have noticed movements of security patrols in the state in the week, especially in Baruten LGA and Kwara Central; this is part of the arrangements on the ground to ensure no act of criminality is allowed.
“The patrol would be sustained for tighter security of the lives and property of the citizens and residents of all parts of Kwara State.
“Consequently, the command is assuring the good people of Kwara State of her safety before, during, and after the inauguration ceremony.
“Motorized and foot patrols by security forces led by the police will be a common sight in the state from now on; as such, the people are advised not to panic and to be law-abiding at all times,” Ajayi said.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
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