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By David Bulus
Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard, once stated, “Life can only be understood backward; but it must be lived forwards.” Without a doubt, many of our current realities have firm roots in the past, and a broad assessment of yesterday and today makes for some fairly safe general expectations of what tomorrow holds. So, what does the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s achievements in Lagos State imply for the coming leadership of Nigeria?
Nigeria’s President-elect, Tinubu, served as the governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007. During his tenure, he implemented several policies and initiatives that have had a significant impact on the development trajectory of Lagos State.
Without taking the risk of rewriting tons of books on the subject, some of his major achievements can be broadly categorized, first, in the massive investment in infrastructure development across the state. The administration embarked on the construction of new roads, bridges, flyovers and modern transportation systems. This helped to ease traffic congestion and improve the overall transportation network in the state.
The reforms in the education sector have catalyzed the exponential growth of that sector. This can be seen in the establishment of new schools, the renovation and upgrading of existing schools, and the introduction of new curricula and teaching methods. These initiatives have helped to improve the quality of education in the state and increase access to education for children from low-income families.
The administration invested heavily in the healthcare sector, with the construction and renovation of several hospitals and health centres across the state. The administration also introduced the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme, which has helped to improve access to quality health care for residents of the state.
The Tinubu administration created several job opportunities through policies that facilitated the establishment of new industries and the expansion of existing ones. The administration also introduced several programmes and initiatives aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs and promoting small and medium-sized businesses.
The incoming Tinubu presidency will face its greatest challenge in securing Nigeria. It becomes imperative, therefore, to interrogate his performance in that area. It is to his credit that Tinubu implemented several measures aimed at improving security in the state, among which is the modern security infrastructure that has over time been improved upon to keep the city safe. This includes the establishment of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, the backbone that continues to provide financial support to security agencies in the state. Needless to say, it has contributed significantly to the reduction of crime and insecurity in the state.
So, what are the positive implications of Tinubu’s past achievements for Nigeria? How well can we fare, if he replicates the same sort of leadership dynamics at the national level? Without a doubt, the achievements of the Tinubu administration in Lagos State have had several positive implications for Nigeria as a whole.
The success of the Tinubu administration in Lagos State has served as an inspiration for other states in Nigeria to emulate. The policies and initiatives implemented by the administration have shown that, with the right leadership and vision, it is possible to achieve significant progress and development.
His was recognized as a model for good governance in Nigeria, demonstrating that it is possible to implement policies and initiatives that can have a positive impact on the lives of citizens and that good governance is key to achieving sustainable development.
The policies and initiatives implemented by the Tinubu administration have contributed significantly to the economic growth and development of Lagos State. This has had a ripple effect on the Nigerian economy as a whole, as Lagos is far ahead as a major economic hub in the country. It has since emerged, and rated, beyond Nigeria, as a major economy in the entire African continent.
This is exactly the dream of millions of Nigerian patriots – including those in the Diaspora – for Nigeria! Today, the problem of economic development in Nigeria includes the lack of job opportunities – a problem at the core of the high poverty levels, regional inequality, and social and political unrest. High inflation has also taken a toll on households’ welfare, and price increases in 2020-2022 have pushed more Nigerians into poverty. But under Tinubu’s leadership, all these are redeemable challenges.
The infrastructure development initiatives of the Tinubu governorship era in Lagos State from 1999 to 2003 have made the state more attractive to investors. This has led to increased investment and economic growth, which has had a positive impact overall, on the national economy. Till today, the inflow of foreign direct investment into Nigeria has mostly been assessed by the statistics from Lagos State. Now, with people-focused presidential leadership, Nigeria has a good opportunity to witness a replication of this aspect of the state’s quick-paced transformation.
What a broad assessment of Tinubu’s governorship accomplishment unmistakably demonstrates is that, with the right leadership and vision, which the oncoming Tinubu presidency promises, it is possible for Nigeria to achieve rapid progress and development, and that good governance is key to achieving sustainable development. Without a doubt, it will be a period that Nigerians can look forward to, for a positive and impactful shift in the nation.
•Bulus writes from Kachia in Kaduna State
