Tinubu’s First Year In Office Marked By Hardship, Sorrow And Tears, By Buhari Olarewaju Ahmed

In a year marred by economic upheaval and social distress, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to remove the fuel subsidy has plunged Nigeria into a state of unprecedented despair. Since then, the country has been in turmoil.

With economic challenges already faced during the previous administration under President Buhari, now finds itself facing even greater hardship, with families torn apart, while people struggling to make ends meet.

The repercussions of Tinubu’s policies have been felt deeply in every corner of Nigeria. Families, once stable, now find themselves torn apart by financial strain. With the burden of increased living costs, many have been forced to make difficult choices.

Fathers ran away from the house, unable to bear the weight of their family responsibilities. Meanwhile, mothers, left to fend for themselves and their children, have been driven to desperate measures, with some resorting to street begging in order to survive

Desperate economic conditions force parents to watch helplessly as their daughters are trafficked abroad for prostitution, leaving the parents utterly helpless and unable to fulfill their duties as guardians.

Many businesses have shut down due to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s anti-people policies. Numerous foreign investors have fled the country because of the horrific and insecure environment, resulting in the loss of their capital and profits.

Within a year of President Tinubu’s regime, many people have been kidnapped, and some were killed simply because their families were unable to meet the ransom demanded by terrorists who have taken over the country’s security architecture.

Southern Kaduna, Plateau, and Benue states have experienced unprecedented killings within a year of Tinubu’s tenure. Hundreds of innocent people, including children, have been sent to their early graves due to the failure of the Commander in Chief of all the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Tinubu, who failed to protect their lives and the properties he swore an oath to safeguard.

Obviously, the country has moved from bad to worse. The exchange rate has compelled business owners to inflate the prices of goods and services because the government has failed to equalize the naira and the dollar, instead giving more priority to the dollar than the naira.

The organized labor in the country has been protesting for over a decade for the increase and implementation of a minimum wage for civil servants. Yet, the Tinubu government turns a deaf ear, but desperately rushes to approve a N90 billion subsidy for the 2024 Hajj, leaving civil servants who have worked for over 30 years to die of hunger.

Many government workers have died in miserable circumstances because their salaries are nothing to write home about. Amidst the removal of fuel subsidies and economic hardship, some people have found it difficult to survive on the peanuts they receive as salary.

Tinubu’s one year in office has unleashed suffering, pain, sorrow, and backwardness into the lives of people. It has crippled the economy and worsened the atmospheric conditions of the country with anti-people policies, without providing an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

The number of dropout school children in Nigeria has increased significantly. Many of these children roam the streets and resort to scavenging as the country has failed to provide them with free and quality education.

Despite the high expectations and promises made by Tinubu, who claimed to be the master planner, people were disappointed with his policies and the insecurity that has become a daily concern. People are scared to travel because they cannot predict what might happen to them during the journey.

People can no longer sleep with both eyes closed because they fear they might be the next target or victims of kidnappers. Nothing is working perfectly for the masses under the Tinubu administration except for policies that work against the people.

Under the Tinubu government, journalists are facing increasing threats and intimidation from security operatives as they strive to uncover and report on corruption and abuses of power by politicians and government officials.

Numerous reports have emerged, for instances where journalists have been harassed, intimidated, and even kidnapped by security personnel while carrying out their duties. Meanwhile, the attacks aim to silence voices critical of the government and suppress the flow of information to the public.

As Nigerians mark the end of Tinubu’s first year in office, the prevailing sentiment is one of anguish and disillusionment. While promises of economic reform were made, the reality for many has been one of suffering and despair. With no relief in sight, the road ahead appears fraught with uncertainty for a nation grappling with the aftermath of Tinubu’s policies.

Since everybody has been served breakfast, Nigerians need to be wise, unite, and rise up to challenge the status quo over the failure to reverse the policies that have impoverished the lives of the people.

A responsible and responsive government will always listen to the cries of the people. However, here in Nigeria, the government often mobilizes hundreds of security operatives to open fire on harmless protesters who are demanding their basic needs.

The division in the country over the sentiment of belonging to a particular party won’t solve our problems unless the masses rise up, speak out, and take action against the oppressors.