Two years have gone by since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took office under the banner of Renewed Hope. The expectations were high. Nigerians believed, despite the many challenges, that we were entering a new era — an era of reforms, prosperity, and genuine concern for the average citizen. But today, that hope is wearing thin. In fact, for many Nigerians, it has vanished completely.
The reality on the ground is painful: hunger is rising, the cost of living is unbearable, and the gap between the rich and the poor is growing wider by the day. Every morning, millions of Nigerians wake up not to chase dreams, but to battle starvation, unemployment, and hopelessness. The streets of our cities tell stories of desperation. Markets are no longer bustling with customers but echo with complaints. Parents can no longer provide basic meals for their children.
Mr. President, where is the joy you promised Nigerians? You spoke of renewed hope — but hope cannot thrive on empty stomachs or in homes filled with darkness because fuel and electricity have become luxuries. Hope cannot bloom in a country where basic healthcare is unaffordable and education is slipping out of the reach of the poor.
You surround yourself with advisers and officials, many of whom seem more focused on personal gain than national interest. While Nigerians queue for hours for basic commodities, some in government live in excess. They ask the people to be patient while they themselves enjoy privilege.
This is not the Nigeria we hoped for, Mr. President. And if you truly care — if your campaign was more than just words — then action must follow. Real action. Not press statements, not recycled promises, but immediate, visible, and sincere efforts to ease the suffering of the masses.
We cannot keep asking: when will the joy come? Should Nigerians wait for joy in their graves, having died of hunger and neglect? Or will it arrive while they are still alive — while they still have the strength to contribute, to believe, and to build this country?
History will remember your silence or your action. It is not too late to redirect this nation. It is not too late to put the people first. But time is running out, and Nigerians are growing weary.
Mr. President, the ball is in your court. Will you act now — or will the joy you promised Nigerians be nothing more than a painful memory of what could have been?
By: Godwin Offor