Tinubu And The Burden Of Governance
By Jacob Edi
Governance is no tea party. It demands courage, clarity, and the moral stamina to make hard, often unpopular, choices. Since assuming office, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has come face-to-face with that reality.
The honeymoon is over, and what remains is the raw, relentless burden of governance.
Tinubu inherited a fractured nation: insecurity on all fronts, an economy bleeding from mismanagement, and corruption entrenched in the system. Yet, unlike many before him, he chose confrontation over complacency.
His swift removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira were not populist gestures but painful necessities. Every major presidential candidate had promised them, Tinubu simply acted first.
The backlash was inevitable. Nigerians want change, but not the pain that comes with it.
They crave reform, but resist disruption. Yet governance doesn’t bend to emotional economics.
For the political strategist who built empires in Lagos, this is a tougher test. Lagos was his experiment; Nigeria is his crucible. Every decision now ripples across millions of lives, every hesitation widens distrust, and every misstep becomes a national headline.
When whispers of a coup surfaced, Tinubu responded swiftly by reshuffling the military hierarchy.
It was a move to reinforce national security and remind all that loyalty to the state outweighs any regional or political allegiance. Leadership, after all, is about acting before a crisis matures.
Still, leadership isn’t judged by intent but by impact. Are Nigerians safer or better off than a year ago? Inflation soars, the naira struggles, and insecurity persists. But nation-building is never comfortable.
The early stages of reform are often chaotic before stability emerges. Tinubu’s Nigeria is in that turbulent phase, pain before progress.
His burden is heavier because the rot runs deeper. Buhari’s era left a hollowed-out economy and disillusioned citizens. Jonathan’s calm leadership faltered in indecision.
Tinubu, to his credit, seems ready to spend political capital rather than rely on rhetoric.
Yet, beyond policy, his real challenge is psychological — to restore faith in governance. Nigerians have endured too many broken promises and staged optics.
They need proof that this time, the pain is purposeful and the sacrifice genuine.
Leadership demands decisiveness, but Nigerians also demand results. The patience of the people is thin, and so is their trust. The cheers that once followed Tinubu have faded; every action now invites scrutiny.
As another election cycle looms, the President must choose: rise to the challenge and carve his name in history, or be consumed by the contradictions of Nigeria’s complex democracy.
Governance is a lonely climb.
The applause dies.
The noise fades.
And all that remains is responsibility, the true burden of leadership.
