By Prof Joy Omorogbe.
Dr Akinwumi Adesina, a former Minister of Agriculture, now lectures Nigeria from abroad, claiming that Nigerians are worse off than sixty-four years ago. This is rich coming from the architect of the much-derided Phones for Farmers project, a sixty billion naira scheme that quickly collapsed under its own absurdity. The National Assembly once invited him to explain allegations of fraud involving rice import duty waivers during his questionable stewardship as Minister in Nigeria. That is the record.
Today, from the comfort of global offices, Adesina paints a doomsday picture while ignoring his own history. During his time in office, Nigeria saw headline-chasing policies that lacked depth and produced little value. He had his chance. He blew it.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is now doing what others refused to do. He removed the wasteful fuel subsidy, ended the rigged currency regime, and is rolling out infrastructure and agricultural reform with real targets and timelines. These are painful but necessary choices, not crowd-pleasing gimmicks.
Nigerians are not worse off. They are better placed for real recovery. What they face now is the truth, not deception. The President is not decorating the symptoms. He is tackling the disease. That is leadership. That is responsibility.
The task of rebuilding a nation broken by decades of half-measures and policy cowardice is not a popularity contest. It demands bold action, not empty commentary. Unlike in the past, when image building stood in for substance, Tinubu’s government chose the more challenging path leading to long-term growth. There is no shortcut to economic stability.
Dr Adesina’s remarks reflect either a lack of self-awareness or a refusal to reckon with the failures of his own legacy. Nigeria does not need selective outrage from those who once sat at the table and left the rot behind. What it needs is support for reforms, patience with the process, and honesty about how we got here.
The country is finally facing forward. Slowly, yes. Painfully, yes. But this time, with purpose and a clear-eyed plan. That is more than can be said for the years of illusion that got us here in the first place.
Dr Adesina continues to dance the familiar dance of arrogance rooted in ignorance, performing for global audiences while pretending amnesia about his own flawed legacy. It is the classic theatre of a man too proud to admit his part in Nigeria’s past failures yet too removed to contribute meaningfully to its recovery. His voice may echo in foreign halls, but back home, the people remember. And no amount of eloquence can erase the truth.
— Prof Omorogbe is a Research Professor at the University of South Florida, Tampa
