President Bola Tinubu says his reforms have earned Nigeria renewed global respect.
Tinubu spoke on Tuesday when he received a delegation of monarchs led by Ghandi Olaoye, the Soun of Ogbomosoland, at the State House.
According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, Tinubu said that the country’s economy is now stable, attracting interest from around the world.
“Years of neglect and self-deception, fake records, smuggling, and all of that denied Nigeria the necessary revenue for progress and development,” he said.
“Then we were confronted again with arbitrage trading of currency, an illusion of selling papers, corruption all over the place, and the integrity of the country and its economy being significantly and adversely challenged.
“We had to take those actions [reforms]. With your prayers, patience, perseverance and great understanding, I’m glad to tell you today that the economy is stabilised. The bleeding has stopped. Haemorrhage is gone; the patient is alive.”
Tinubu said his administration has made significant investments in education, establishing the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) to ensure that indigent Nigerians can attend school.
Tinubu described education as the “greatest weapon you can give to human beings against poverty”.
“That’s what we are doing. We have remained aggressive on our infrastructure. And it’s just two years,” the president said.
Olaoye commended Tinubu’s achievements, saying, “only a bold leader could have made such a record. Removing fuel subsidy has shown us that it is the right decision, and we can see the effects”.
Olaoye said the foreign exchange reforms and the student loans scheme have enabled many students to continue their schooling.
The traditional ruler thanked the president for awarding the contract for constructing the Oyo-Ogbomosho road, which had been abandoned for decades.
The monarch also sought Tinubu’s intervention in the water and power supply in Ogbomoso and the upgrading of the town’s general hospital into a federal medical centre.
The delegation included Samuel Otolorin, Areago of Ogbomosoland; Oyetunji Adeyeye, Alajaawa of Ajaawa; Bolarinwa Olajide, Onisapa of Isapa; Babatunde Amao, Aale Oke-elerin, and Akinola Akintola, Olokin-apa of Okin-apa.
Others were Ogundare Oluwakemi Rebecca, Iyalode of Ogbomosoland; Sola Adepoju, former director-general of Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria; and Ganiyu Atanda Owodunni, Aare Musulumi of Ogbomosoland.
Last month, while addressing investors in Brazil, Tinubu said his reforms have ended corruption in Nigeria, made the economy more competitive, boosted revenue, and strengthened the nation’s finances
