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The flight from London had arrived. I was waiting for the Chief Judge of Kwara state. An elderly man wheezed past me imperiously like he owned Ottawa Airport. Like he personally appointed the Mayor of Ottawa. The unmistakable trade mark of the Nigerian. I was going to hail him and ask if he was my guest.
The performance requires a villain. Africa has been performing that role for free, and at some cost to itself for considerably longer than it should have.
In that sense, Tinubu may be regarded as the most “Nigerian” of Nigerian presidents—not necessarily as a compliment, but because he appears to encapsulate many of the contradictions, ambiguities and controversies that have long defined Nigerian politics.
Donald Trump’s return to the White House marked the triumph of image over expertise. Cabinet positions increasingly resembled casting decisions. Loyalty became more important than experience. Television skills became more valuable than administrative competence.
Imagine buying a VIP ticket to a concert that ended three weeks ago, paying full price at the gate, and then convincing your friends that you’re just double-checking whether the stage lights still work. That is essentially the energy behind a newly discovered line item in Nigeria’s approved 2026 national budget.
Centre for Nigeria Progress 