By Chioma Obinagwam
The speech delivered by Nigeria’s president, Bola Tinubu, on January 1, 2024 (New Year’s day) has elicited reactions among Nigerians.
Some of the concerns raised are the inability of the president to present a definite period for the accomplishment of his projects.
Confiance News gathered from the official X handle of a former Nigerian legislator, Senator Shehu Sani on Monday.
According to Senator Sani, he likened the speech to a native doctor’s prescription with an indefinite date of recovery.
He said: “The President speech is good and encouraging. It gives the kind of hope raised by Native Doctors; that you will be delivered from your sickness but no date.”
Confiance News recalls that highlights of the speech include: optimization of the national grid to improve electricity in the country; the resumption of local refineries; acceleration of the cultivation of 500,000 hectares of farmland to boost food production; bolster local and foreign investments, among other priority areas.
Reacting to the post, a netizen on X, Obiasogu David, is of the view that the gods (deities) did not furnish the president with a definite date.
He said: “Kai, Senator. This hit on our Jagaban isn’t fair.
If the “gods” didn’t give “Native Doctor” date for “your sickness to heal” will he announce one by himself?
Free Jagaban, the “gods” haven’t given him a “date” yet. Nigerians should just believe that “Joy will come.”
Hope this helps 👍.”
Corroborating Senator Sani’s post is Ebuka Nwafor, who is quite pessimistic of the actualizing of the projects highlighted in the speech said: “He obviously does not have any economic plan or agenda for Nigeria. His administration is like a big truck without a steering. How is he going to deliver Nigerians? It’s a sign that y’all must brace up for the days ahead, because that guy does not have any plan whatsoever for the people, and to think that he said that he will continue from the “good works of Buhari” is both scary and unfortunate. May God save y’all from APC administration.”
According to Olowude Seyi,
“Lmaoo. It’s a precarious situation we find ourselves with this present government, giving hope but doing the opposite, it’s sad.
Legistrators adding additional 1.2trn to read newspapers and building recreational centre within the assembly complex is nothing but anti-people agenda. It’s sickening.”
On the other hand, Yakubu Paul Deji, believes that the promises are doable but Nigerians should exercise some patience.
“The man not a miracle worker. Who ever gets there can’t perform magic. Let’s keep hope alive and pray that God helps them succeed if we don’t we doin ourselves a deservice.”
Reacting, Ohis another netizen kicked. He said: “Having a good solid plan and carrying it out isn’t magic, been able to tell people what you plan to do about a bad situation isn’t magic.
We should be able to hold people who call themselves leaders responsible, they should give us good reasons why they should remain in power.”
Senator Sani, who is also a human rights activist, in an earlier post, said: “The only innocent people paying the price for the destruction of the economy are the downtrodden masses.Those who wrecked the country are still at liberty with their loot & those in the position of power are still ‘maintaining’ their luxuries,unaffected by the prevailing pains.”
So far, it is quite glaring that expectations are high and the government needs to muster all resources to deliver on its promises.
