President Bola Tinubu’s recent Independence Day speech did not exactly respond to the cries of millions of Nigerians for the government to review its strangulating policies.
Development Diaries reports that in the speech, the president assured Nigerians that his administration was committed to finding sustainable solutions to alleviate their suffering.
However, the speech did not exactly respond to the cries of millions of Nigerians for President Tinubu to ease their suffering by reviewing the strangulating policies of his government.
In the president’s words, ‘Our administration knows that many of you struggle with rising living costs and the search for meaningful employment. I want to assure you that your voices are heard.
‘Once again, I plead for your patience as the reforms we are implementing show positive signs, and we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel’.
Many citizens expected the president to address some of the demands made by the #EndBadGovernance protesters, one of which was basically to address the hike in fuel prices and the impact of inflation on the livelihoods of many.
Unfortunately, what was heard was the generic response – ‘As your President, I assure you that we are committed to finding sustainable solutions to alleviate the suffering of our citizens’.
Another key point from the president’s speech, which does not address the present situation of the country, is the announcement of a 30-day National Youth Conference.
We agree with Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria’s (HURIWA) take on it, in which they described it as a wasteful exercise designed to deflect attention from government’s failures.
Organising a youth confab, while symbolically significant, falls short as a solution to Nigeria’s current crisis due to the country’s deeply entrenched structural issues.
The major challenges facing Nigerian youth, such as unemployment, insecurity, and inadequate education, are the results of systemic failures in governance, policy implementation, and economic management.
While engaging youth in dialogue is important, it does not replace the need for comprehensive policy reforms that have a measurable impact on the economy, job creation, and security.
Past forums and conferences like the 2014 National Conference have often resulted in well-articulated proposals that fail to be implemented due to political will or bureaucratic sluggishness.
The president failed to listen to Nigerians to reduce the price of fuel, create employment and lift the value of the naira, but is concerned with organising a youth confab. Again it shows a major disconnect from the reality of citizens, which breeds mistrust.
It is not surprising that the youths for whom this conference is meant do not trust the intentions of the government.
For the youth confab to have any meaningful effect, it would need to be accompanied by robust policy frameworks, transparency in governance, and a genuine commitment to long-term socio-economic transformation, rather than serving as a public relations exercise or a temporary distraction from the urgent issues at hand.
Again, Development Diaries calls on President Tinubu to acknowledge the concerns of Nigerians and take tangible steps that can help ease tensions and restore confidence in the government’s ability to ensure the security and welfare of the people as constitutionally mandated.
Photo source: PBAT Media Centre
