Africa
Nigeria—No Turning Back: A Citizen’s Plea -By Prince Charles Dickson Ph.D
Mr. President, you once declared, “The mission continues”. Two years ago, you broke the eggs to make Nigeria’s omelette. Today, citizens starve as the pan heats. Yet turning back now would waste every sacrifice. History’s verdict hinges on whether you channel David’s resolve: Crush the rebellions of corruption, apathy, and division. Stitch Nigeria’s fraying fabric with equity and vision. Then—and only then—will Renewed Hope become tangible.
Dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
Permit me to proceed without the pleasantries of office…but do accept all the courtesies of the office.
When you assumed office two years ago on May 29, 2023, you invoked a “Renewed Hope Agenda.” You promised to dismantle the “chokehold on our nation’s neck”—fuel subsidies and a corrupt exchange-rate regime—declaring, “The hardest decisions are often the least popular, but the most necessary.” Your words echoed the resolve of King David in the Christian Holy Book, who crushed Sheba’s rebellion to preserve Israel’s unity. Today, Nigeria stands at a similar precipice. History will judge whether you seized this moment to steer us from the doldrums or retreated when courage was paramount.
King David’s throne was threatened not just by external enemies but by internal fractures. When Sheba incited revolt, David acted swiftly, dispatching loyalists to quell discord. His lesson? Leadership demands choosing “the difficult right over the easy wrong.” You, too, faced a nation “drifting perilously toward the abyss”. Your Day One reforms—subsidy removal and naira floatation—were Davidic in boldness. As your aide Bayo Onanuga noted, Nigeria was hemorrhaging ₦4 trillion in subsidy debts, while arbitrageurs exploited multiple exchange rates. You broke this “stranglehold on our future”.
Yet, like David, you govern amid fury. Inflation soared to 34%, food prices spiked 40%, and protests erupted over “colossal suffering”. Nigerians ask: Where are the tangible gains?
Two years on, your administration touts macroeconomic victories: External reserves surged from $4 billion to $38–$40 billion. GDP growth hit 4.6% in Q4 2024—a decade high. Tax revenues doubled, with states receiving ₦6 trillion extra to build roads and schools. Security gains include a 28% drop in violent crime and 8,000 terrorists eliminated. And these are figures I do not want to contest!
But macroeconomic metrics ring hollow to the mother in Kano paying more than ₦900/litre for fuel or the farmer in Benue fleeing bandits. The World Bank acknowledges reforms have yet to ease poverty or food insecurity. As Atiku Abubakar lamented, Nigeria now hosts “class-based systems where the wealthy enjoy VIP treatment” while the poor fight for crumbs.
Where is the Renewed Hope for them?
Like David, you cannot turn back. Sheba’s rebellion grew when unity frayed; Nigeria’s fissures—ethnic distrust, youth disillusionment, sectarian violence—demand the same strategic resolve.
There is a need to double down on economic reforms: Subsidy removal saved us from collapse, but the BUA Group chairman captured the irony: We subsidized entire regions, with Niger Republic thanking us for cheap fuel. Now, consumption has dropped 40–50% as smuggling eases. Use these savings to accelerate infrastructure: The Lagos-Calabar Highway and Sokoto-Badagry road promise ₦1.3 trillion annually when completed. Partner the private sector on PPPs like the Dasin Hausa Dam and MediPool medical hubs.
Restore Security—The bedrock of prosperity: farmers are “returning to their fields” in the Northwest, yet banditry festers. Replicate the success of the National Command and Control Centre, which slashed emergency response times by 43%. Deploy tech-driven solutions—e-gates, biometric screening—beyond airports to flashpoints.
Invest in Nigeria’s true wealth: Its people: The 3 Million Technical Talent Initiative trained 750,000 youths in AI and mechatronics of. Scale this! Link student loans (now accessed by 500,000) to job creation in agriculture and renewables. As the BUA chairman urged: “Bet on Nigeria”. His $1 billion investments prove confidence follows boldness.
Mr. President, history remembers David not for his perfection but for his unwavering commitment to Israel’s survival. You stand at a similar crossroads. As one citizen wrote: “This is not just a documentary. It is the story of a nation refusing to fail”. But hope is fraying.
Do not confuse criticism with rejection. When Abigail confronted David, she saved him from “bloodguilt” by speaking hard truths respectfully. Nigerians seek that dialogue: We see your reforms’ potential but demand empathy in execution. Ease food inflation with targeted subsidies for farmers. Make state governors accountable for federal allocations. Silence critics not with rhetoric but with results.
Mr. President I have an unyielding resolve why I will not turn my back on Nigeria
And permit me to explain in this manner, in Nigeria’s spiritual and civic landscape, the hymn “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” resonates with renewed urgency. Its declaration—“No turning back, no turning back”—transcends religious devotion to embody a patriotic covenant for every citizen who refuses to abandon Nigeria despite her trials. This profound vow mirrors the unwavering commitment required to nurture our nation toward its destined greatness. As political storms rage and institutions falter, this anthem becomes my moral compass, demanding not passive allegiance but active fidelity to truth and justice.
Nigeria stands at a spiritual and civic crossroads. Many young Nigerians, disillusioned by institutional failures, are re-evaluating their commitments—whether shifting from Christianity/Islam to indigenous beliefs or questioning national loyalties. This introspection reflects a deeper hunger for authentic integrity in both faith and citizenship. Just as the hymn’s early adherents faced persecution for their resolve, modern patriots confront the cost of loving a nation scarred by corruption, violence, and inequality. Yet true patriotism, like true faith, thrives not in comfort but in courageous constancy. The hymn’s refrain rejects retreat, compelling us to plant our feet firmly on Nigerian soil and declare: This homeland is worth the struggle.
To “follow Jesus” in Nigeria today is to embrace His defiance of corrupt authority. It demands that we channel spiritual resolve into civic courage: Condemn Corruption: Like the $6.2 million stolen from the Central Bank under false pretenses, systemic graft persists because too many choose silence over risk. Challenge Injustice: The political turmoil in Rivers State, where youths clashed over legitimacy, exemplifies the bloodshed bred when truth-tellers retreat. Reject False Nationalism: Christian and Islamic nationalism that conflates divine mandate with political dominance betrays the hymn’s call to sacrificial service.
Patriotism here is neither flag-waving nor anthem-singing—it is the uncomfortable labor of holding power accountable, knowing backlash may follow.
Nigeria’s redemption lies in our stubborn refusal to flee. Abuja and Lagos rank among Africa’s cheapest cities for expatriates, yet this “affordability” underscores the poverty strangling millions. Our resolve mirrors the hymn’s “Though none go with me, I will follow.” We must anchor in community, reject isolationist piety; true patriotism builds bridges across ethnic and religious divides.
We must invest in justice, support anti-corruption institutions to do the right thing, and protect whistleblowers.
As historian Chijioke Ngobili observes, Nigeria’s youth—future “intellectuals, politicians, capitalists and policymakers”—hold the keys to national renewal. Our exodus would ensure her collapse; our steadfastness births her resurrection.
“I have decided to follow Jesus” is more than a hymn—it is a civic oath. Nigeria’s wounds—from oil spills in Bayelsa to political violence in Rivers and banditry and terror in the North—cry out for citizens who will not barter conscience for comfort. Let us stand where others flee, speak where others whisper, and build where others destroy. With the martyrs’ resolve, we declare to our motherland: “The world behind me, the cross before me—no turning back.” For in her soil lies our sacred duty; in her future, our divine destiny.
Mr. President, you once declared, “The mission continues”. Two years ago, you broke the eggs to make Nigeria’s omelette. Today, citizens starve as the pan heats. Yet turning back now would waste every sacrifice. History’s verdict hinges on whether you channel David’s resolve: Crush the rebellions of corruption, apathy, and division. Stitch Nigeria’s fraying fabric with equity and vision. Then—and only then—will Renewed Hope become tangible.
No retreat, Mr. President. No turning back—May Nigeria win!
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Prince Charles Dickson PhD
Team Lead
The Tattaaunawa Roundtable Initiative (TRICentre)
Development & Media Practitioner|
Researcher|Policy Analyst|Public Intellect|Teacher
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