The sentiment that “people vote with their pain” seems both valid and urgent—but it should also invite deeper reflection and a fairer assessment of the political moment Nigeria is navigating under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Such narrative sounds well-crafted but shortsighted; it echoes historical anecdotes without context and overlooks the deeper strategies and philosophies powering Nigeria’s current reforms.
Yes, Nigerians are enduring difficult times—but history teaches us that pain often precedes progress. From Deng Xiaoping’s post-Mao China to Lee Kuan Yew’s transformation of Singapore, bold leadership has always had to make tough, unpopular decisions to launch their nations toward greatness. Tinubu, a student of transformative governance, is not governing by accident but by strategy—firm, intentional, and structured for long-term national revival.
President Tinubu is not merely “ten steps ahead”—he is laying the tracks for a nation that has for too long run on borrowed time. His political strategy mirrors Antonio Gramsci’s theory of “war of position”, where deep-rooted systems are shifted gradually through strategic alliances and calculated institutional reform. His assemblage of former opponents and technocrats isn’t mere theatre—it is coalition-building for governance stability.
What some call political crowding is actually reminiscent of Nelson Mandela’s idea of inclusive governance: bring everyone in, even dissenters, to build a stronger whole. Tinubu’s ability to rally fractured interests—across ethnic, political, and class divides—is proof that he is not just a tactician, but a national unifier.
Fuel subsidy removal, FX unification, and aggressive revenue reforms were never going to be painless—but they were long overdue. President Tinubu inherited a fiscal time bomb. Rather than defer responsibility like others before him, he chose the courageous route of fixing the foundations. Great leaders—from Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal to Paul Kagame’s post-genocide reconstruction—made unpopular economic decisions that later delivered transformative prosperity. That’s the path Tinubu is on.
Jobs will return not by preserving broken subsidies, but by unblocking Nigeria’s economic arteries. Power will stabilize as reforms in transmission and private investment gain traction. The naira will rebound not by decree but by production, exports, and confidence—exactly what Tinubu’s policies are designed to restore.
Those who say “this is not what we voted for” forget that Lagos was once a chaotic, revenue-starved city with broken infrastructure. Today, it is West Africa’s commercial heartbeat. That turnaround didn’t happen overnight—it was the product of vision, policy discipline, and political courage. These same traits are now being applied to Nigeria as a whole.
While others are tearing down, APC is building. While opposition parties struggle with leadership crises, the APC under Tinubu is crafting a national recovery blueprint anchored on inclusion, innovation, and investment. The President’s Renewed Hope Agenda is not a slogan; it is a doctrine of governance backed by policies, timelines, and measurable outcomes. No wishful thinking or social media rage can dismantle that foundation.
Nigeria is at an inflection point. This is not the time to romanticize street anger or cheer chaos. It is time for all patriots—youths, women, professionals, clergy, traders, and technocrats—to join hands with the only party currently offering real solutions. The APC is not perfect, but it is evolving, and under Tinubu, it is embracing reform with unprecedented political will.
The ballot speaks loudest when guided by reason, not rage. And if the people are truly the sovereigns of democracy, then they must be fair enough to judge not just with emotions, but with evidence, history, and hope.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not just walking a path—he is blazing one. He did it in Lagos. He will do it again for Nigeria.
Let us support this national odyssey with faith and fortitude. Let those who believe in the future of Nigeria anchor it not on empty rhetoric but on actionable support. As the heavens bear witness, and as saints and patriots pray, Tinubu’s steps are ordered. Nigeria shall rise. And the world will marvel.
Tinubuism is a Legacy rooted in proof.
Folorunso S. Aluko
