In Two Years, Nigeria Regains Global Respect — Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday declared that Nigeria is once again commanding respect in the international community, attributing the turnaround to the bold reforms his administration has undertaken in the last two years.

Speaking at the State House in Abuja during an audience with the Soun of Ogbomoso, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Oladunni Olaoye, Orumogege III, and other traditional rulers from Ogbomosoland, the President said the economy, which had been bleeding from years of corruption, fake statistics, smuggling, and arbitrary practices, is now stabilising.

“Years of neglect and self-deception, fake records, smuggling, and all of that denied Nigeria the necessary revenue for progress and development,” Tinubu said. “We had to take those actions. With your prayers, patience, perseverance and understanding, I’m glad to tell you today that the economy is stabilised. The bleeding has stopped. Haemorrhage is gone; the patient is alive.”

The President highlighted the creation of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which, he said, was designed to ensure that no student abandons education due to poverty. He described education as the “greatest weapon against poverty” and reiterated his government’s commitment to infrastructure renewal.

Tinubu also promised to direct relevant ministries, including Power, Agriculture, Water Resources, and Works, to address the requests of the visiting monarchs. According to him, interventions in these areas would not only benefit Ogbomoso but also push Nigeria towards self-sufficiency in food production.

Earlier, Oba Olaoye commended the President’s “courageous reforms,” particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and foreign exchange adjustments, noting that such policies were beginning to yield results. He lauded the awarding of the long-delayed Oyo-Ogbomoso Road dualisation contract, describing it as a vital economic corridor to northern Nigeria.

The Soun, however, urged the President to intervene in the areas of water and electricity supply in Ogbomoso, the upgrading of the town’s general hospital into a Federal Medical Centre, and the establishment of a research institute for the processing of Ogbomoso’s famed mangoes and cashew nuts.

He also expressed appreciation for the appointments of Ogbomoso indigenes, including Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, and Debo Adedokun, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement.

The monarch was accompanied by other traditional rulers from Ogbomosoland and prominent indigenes, among them the Areago of Ogbomosoland, High Chief Samuel Otolorin; the Alajaawa of Ajaawa, Oba Oyetunji Adeyeye; and the Olokin-apa of Okin-apa, Oba Prof. Akinola John Akintola. Also in attendance was Chief Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication and Agbaakin of Ogbomosoland.