By Chidinma Iroegbu
Former Governor of Oyo State and Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Senator Rasheed Ladoja, has expressed confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s capacity to steer the country through its present challenges, saying the President clearly understands the enormity of the task before him.
Ladoja spoke on Friday after a courtesy visit to President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, noting that the visit was primarily to appreciate the President for attending his coronation in September 2025.
The monarch explained that although he had intended to visit the President shortly after the coronation, the opportunity only presented itself while he was in Abuja for the Daily Trust Dialogue.
“I have been trying to come since September 26 to thank him for finding time to attend my coronation. Being in Abuja for the Daily Trust Dialogue made it possible for me to come and say thank you. We are also pleased with the direction the country is heading,” he said.
Reflecting on President Tinubu’s leadership, Ladoja said the President’s years as governor of Lagos State had equipped him with the experience needed to confront Nigeria’s complex governance realities.
“If you understand where he is coming from, you will know that he knows what he is doing. He transformed Lagos from what it was to what it became by the time he left office,” he said.
However, the former governor noted that managing Nigeria presents far greater challenges than administering a single state, given the country’s size, diversity and competing interests.
“Nigeria is far more complicated than a state because we do not all agree on what we want as a country,” he added.
Ladoja also observed that state governments now have more financial resources than they did during his tenure as governor, enabling them to better discharge their responsibilities. He expressed optimism that the economic reforms being pursued by the Tinubu administration would yield lasting results.
“The economy has to be fixed, and it is being fixed. We hope that by the time he leaves office in 2031, Nigeria will be in a position that all of us will be proud of,” he said.
On pressing national concerns, the Olubadan urged the federal government to intensify efforts in food security, healthcare and security, describing insecurity as the most urgent challenge facing the country.
“We expect more to be done in food production and healthcare. We need standard hospitals where our people can be properly treated. But the biggest problem we are facing today is insecurity,” he said.
He lamented that insecurity has increasingly hindered farmers from accessing their farmlands, noting that what was once confined to certain regions has now spread to the South.
“Fear has disrupted farming and normal economic activities across the country. But I do not believe the problem is insurmountable. On the whole, we believe the President is now addressing it in the right way,” Ladoja stated.
He expressed hope that sustained government action would restore public confidence, boost agricultural production and stabilise the economy.