This is a bit long. But, if Nigerians can shun laziness to read through, I think there are some serious truths here. The writer links to many sources to prove his claims but I couldn't copy the links.

I visited Festac Town Lagos in 2006 when Tinubu held sway as the state governor. One thing I noticed without anyone telling me was this high austerity level in the air - which contrasted sharply with my experiences in a couple other parts of the country.

When I asked, I was told that the 3D suffering levels were as a result of The Obasanjo Federal Government withholding the allocation due to the state. I couldn't understand it because I always knew Lagos as a mega state with such a humongous IGR that it could function beyond average even without any federal allocation.

It took me over a decade before I realized what the man was actually doing then under the noses of millions of citizens. I remembered to revisit this issue because I see now a reenactment of what happened in Lagos in those days. The only difference I see is that then, it happened at a state level but now it is happening at the national level.

Here are some of the strategies I think Bola Ahmed Tinubu used to pocket Lagos and is now using on the entire country...

1. He Impoverishes The Citizens On Purpose So He Can Easily Buy Their Loyalty En Masse

If you have ever wondered how Tinubu succeeded in throwing up such an impervious dynasty in a state as complex as Lagos, now here you might have a clue. As I narrated above, I visited the state and people were suffering excruciatingly amid so much revenue generated within the state.

Of course, there was an alibi to hoodwink the people: The Obasanjo Administration became the easy scapegoat for being so high-handed as to withhold an entire state's allocation month on month. And, of course, as usual, the people took it line, hook, and sinker.

Now, I see the exact same template being used on the country. Otherwise, how come Tinubu was so desperate as to callously announce subsidy removal on his first day in office even far before constituting his economic team? Yet, it's the same subsidy removal he criticized bitterly during the Jonathan Administration!

Even if Tinubu had changed his mind on the subject of subsidy removal during the intervening years, who can explain the absolute desperation and the callousness with which he now approached the issue?

2. He Consciously Embarks On Diverting Citizen Attention Using Policy Direction And The Media

As we all may know, Nigeria became an official global hunger hotspot in only a year of the Tinubu Presidency. It's surely as a result of his acute maladministration. But instead, changing the national anthem became the President's priority? Even the blind should deduce from this a calculated attempt to control the minds of the citizens and keep them down.

For me, the national anthem saga was a ploy to divert citizen attention from the core economic downtime taking place under Tinubu's watch. That's the quintessential Jagaban for you. Anyone who could maneuver the strictly guarded drug market in the United States without getting a jail time, can maneuver almost anything else.

Once the people are deeply hungry but Tinubu has the sole access to the money, getting citizens to sing his praise will be an easy ride. Then, soon, he'd garner such a following that will grow into a nationwide version of his Lagos dynasty.

And this happens whether the man performs well or not. That's why he performed woefully in terms of infrastructural development as the Governor of Lagos but, when the Fashola administration came on board and outperformed him by far, Tinubu's followers still claim he built Lagos.

I used to think he was using 'juju' to secure such an insane level of loyalty. While I still can't rule that out completely, I now realize it is more about understanding Nigerians and controlling them using their 'mumu button'.

3. Borrowing Hugely Locally And Undertaking Ambitious Projects In Order To Make Enough 'Savings' And Kill Local Enterprises

Imagine this! The Buhari Civilian Administration kicked off a coastal rail project meant to run from Lagos to Calabar. That project never saw the light of day until another APC administration (Tinubu's) took over.

Now, nobody seems to be talking about the rail project anymore. Instead, the new administration is talking about a coastal road project running between the same two cities.

You see, instead of continuing the projects initiated by the previous administration, Tinubu starts new parallel ones. Who doesn't understand what this means? Of course, it’s apparently a conduit to siphon state funds even years after the administration is gone. That's why he prefers to negotiate fresh parallel contracts instead of building on what was already started.

Is it any wonder the Tinubu Administration is reported to have borrowed a whooping ₦20.1 trillion from local investors in its first year alone!

It seems to me that this is meant to enable him to ‘save’ funds enough to expand his financial chest in the interest of his empire-building. Analysts have also worried about how such huge domestic borrowing has the potential to steeply drive up both interest rates and inflation, which would drastically militate against the health of local industries.

This way, Tinubu will successfully and effortlessly buy more citizen loyalty including industry leadership. He might even be thinking of raising the austerity levels to the point that even the Peter Obis, Aisha Yesufus, and Rufai Osenis of the country will begin to defer to him just to be able to survive.

4. Installs His Most Loyal 'Boys' And 'Girls' In Key Positions

Once virtually everyone is submissive to Tinubu, the last step, I believe, would be to install those who have always submitted to him to control things for him from the street levels. This way, any possible rebellion would be crushed long before it gains any traction.

To do this, Tinubu might decide to infiltrate such entrenched nationwide groups as NURTW, NLC, TUC, etc. We all know what he did with the transport workers' leadership in Lagos. Well, it's a template as I already mentioned.

How Can This Trend Be Forestalled Then?

Tinubu's Lagos dynasty was built mainly during his 8-year tenure as the Governor of the state. It was possible for him to pull it off in such a short time only because he started quite early.

Remarkably, it all happened before the unsuspecting eyes of the citizens and especially of indigenous Lagosians like Bode George, GRV, and millions more. If only those indigenous Lagosians were alerted earlier and they took adequate proactive measures against it, I'm certain that it wouldn't have been what it is today.

It never feels OK to let one person have millions of destinies at his beck and call. It's in fact why democracy is widely considered as the best form of human government so far. Now, it's the exact reason why I'm calling on Nigerians to wake up now before it is too late as it became for Lagosians.

At least, you have seen evidences to the effect that Tinubu is already at the works to pocket the country as he did Lagos. You've seen how much he's already done in just a year. Then, you can imagine the much he's going to 'achieve' in the remaining years.

In a follow-up article, I hope to enunciate my ideas in greater detail on how Nigerians can effectively stop Tinubu on his tracks this time. As Edo people would say, "Nigeria no be Lagos".

Meanwhile, Let's Practice Democracy Here

I like leaders who don't try to stifle public opinions. They are the only leaders who are mature enough to lead democratic states. As a result, I try all I can to emulate them.

Thus, I acknowledge I might be wrong either partially or totally in the above submission. So what? I'd like to know what other people think about it.

What do YOU think about the issues I just raised? Your responses will help to inform my follow-up. So, kindly share your viewpoint below. Thanks.

SOURCE

Nlfpmod, could this be true?

Just one paragraph left and this would make a book

Someone with señsè thinks one man can pocket Nigerià.
A country that's so volatile on religious and tribal grounds.
Tinubu battled to get APC ticket but someone who classifies himself as intelligent thinks he will pocket Nigerià.

This is both frightening and plausible.

helinues:
Just one paragraph left and this would make a book

A store keeper needed at a company at Mushin. Salary is good.

, Use small sarcasm to deflect their talk wey no get head, but still dey show say Tinubu na visionary leader wey dey transform Naija for good Na so Tinubu dey put money for him pocket, but e dey use am take transform N

Lindlady:
A store keeper needed at a company at Mushin. Salary is good.

Go and employ your family Members and stop sounding dumb.

You have been repeating this same jargons for years with daily different dedicated monikers yet na me no get job.

May God have mercy on you on time so that you can be able to reflect about how you have been sounding for years, which is getting deteriorated

https://www.nairaland.com/lindlady/posts
https://www.nairaland.com/scratchdtoto/posts

Lindlady:
Meaning you don't want to work and earn a living?

Yeah, just as your family members

JagabanB:
Someone with señsè thinks one man can pocket Nigerià.
A country that's so volatile on religious and tribal grounds.
Tinubu battled to get APC ticket but someone who classifies himself as intelligent thinks he will pocket Nigerià.

If they told you he could do it in Lagos, would you have agreed. In those days, terrorists were blowing themselves and other people up in the Middle East, and we said, IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE because Nigerians too love their lives. Today, what's happening? Lol, our complacency no be here abeg.

helinues:


Go and employ your family Members and stop sounding dumb.

You have been repeating this same jargons for years with daily different dedicated monikers yet na me no get job.

May God have mercy on you on time so that you can be able to reflect about how you have been sounding for years, which is getting deteriorated

https://www.nairaland.com/lindlady/posts
https://www.nairaland.com/scratchdtoto/posts

Meaning you don't want to work and earn a living?

Tinubu dey do im best for Naija, e dey use im influence to bring development and balance to our country, make we support am for dis important role e dey play for our politics.

JagabanB:
Someone with señsè thinks one man can pocket Nigerià.
A country that's so volatile on religious and tribal grounds.
Tinubu battled to get APC ticket but someone who classifies himself as intelligent thinks he will pocket Nigerià.

Those people are now comedians. They claimed to be intelligent but dumb people dey rigged the election without them able to present where the election was rigged, the difference with figures and the total figures they arrived at to have made them the winner.

Brain is no needed to join such group . Dem dey search for fish on top of mountains

helinues:


Those people are now comedians. The claimed to be intelligent but dumb people dey rigged the election without them able to present where the election was rigged, the difference with figures and the total figures they arrived at to have made them the winner.

Brain is no needed to join such group . Dem dey search for fish on top of mountains

Sales boy needed at a supermarket in Lekki. Salary is attractive.

Tribalism.
The thief is playing the ethnic card

10mobile:

If they told you he could do it in Lagos, would you have agreed. In those days, terrorists were blowing themselves and other people up in the Middle East, and we said, IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE because Nigerians too love their lives. Today, what's happening? Lol, our complacency no be here abeg.

which complacency?

Say the northern and western part of the country are complacent due to religious and ethnic considerations

Let him strategise and manipulate all he wants the God that gave him breath can take it back when he least expected.

helinues:
Just one paragraph left and this would make a book

Of course

The book will surely be one of the best selling book in recent history

It exposed Tinubu for what he is...a notorious narcotics drug trafficker engaging in criminal state capture

He is a real grabber.

Bobloco:


Of course

The book will surely be on of the best selling book in recent history

It exposed Tinubu for what he is...a notorious narcotics drug trafficker engaging in criminal state capture

Toh

Make una get to work then. No time to waste time

JagabanB:
Someone with señsè thinks one man can pocket Nigerià.
A country that's so volatile on religious and tribal grounds.
Tinubu battled to get APC ticket but someone who classifies himself as intelligent thinks he will pocket Nigerià.

Swear say u read am. Lazy yoot.

helinues:


Toh

Make una get to work then. No time to waste time

I know say severe hunger no allow you step out of your one room apartment yesterday and today.

Welcum:

Swear say u read am. Lazy yoot.

I'm not like you, in my family, we grew up to meet a well stocked library in the home, so reading is what you are mandated to do right from what you call Primary 3.
Before you are through with primary school in my house, you are supposed to be able to read a book of 150 to 200 pages, summarize what you read and make your own vocabulary of words out of it, in Junior Secondary School we read books written by Shakespeare already.
That's how deep and sophisticated our reading habits are, I don't feel lazy to read unless I feel dizzy.

helinues:


Those people are now comedians. They claimed to be intelligent but dumb people dey rigged the election without them able to present where the election was rigged, the difference with figures and the total figures they arrived at to have made them the winner.

Brain is no needed to join such group . Dem dey search for fish on top of mountains

It's a group where any story can sell provided it appeals to their emotions.

10mobile:

If they told you he could do it in Lagos, would you have agreed. In those days, terrorists were blowing themselves and other people up in the Middle East, and we said, IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE because Nigerians too love their lives. Today, what's happening? Lol, our complacency no be here abeg.

There was never those days when Nigerians said terrorists blowing themselves up can't happen here, Nigeria has always been volatile on religious grounds, Maitatsine happened in the 80's, anybody who had self awareness in those age never said "it can't happen here".
God fatherism is common in state politics, it happens in different states across Nigerîà from time to time.
No single individual can pocket Nigerià, unless you don't understand how dynamic Nigeria is.
Even military head of states struggled to do it, a civilian can't do it.

Just one paragraph left and this would make a book

In A Single Word Mastermind.

Sir, respectfully, it seems you may be misinformed about Tinubus intentions as a politician and leader. His actions have brought progress and unity to Nigeria, not division.

JagabanB:
Someone with señsè thinks one man can pocket Nigerià.
A country that's so volatile on religious and tribal grounds.
Tinubu battled to get APC ticket but someone who classifies himself as intelligent thinks he will pocket Nigerià.

[color=#006600][/color]

Keep deceiving yourself. So you don't know the office of the Nigerian president is very powerful?
The office that controls judiciary, military and national assembly. And you say such can't influence the public?
I don't know what you guys gain from these kind of deception?

Shadomaan7:
Sir, respectfully, it seems you may be misinformed about Tinubus intentions as a politician and leader. His actions have brought progress and unity to Nigeria, not division.

I want to believe that you are just being sarcastic

There is nothing hidden about PBAT relationship with Lagos it’s all in plain sight and the indigenous lagosians understand it.

Every states needs a Tinubu whose commitment and unwavering loyalty to the state is unshakeable. Whose fortee is build and develop both state, institutions, people.

10mobile:
This is a bit long. But, if Nigerians can shun laziness to read through, I think there are some serious truths here. The writer links to many sources to prove his claims but I couldn't copy the links.



SOURCE

Nlfpmod, could this be true?

9japride:
[color=#006600][/color]

Keep deceiving yourself. So you don't know the office of the Nigerian president is very powerful?
The office that controls judiciary, military and national assembly. And you say such can't influence the public?
I don't know what you guys gain from these kind of deception?

If a president could pocket the country, OBJ would have done that ages ago.
If u are so smart, u should understand that the post is even talking about beyond being a president.

JagabanB:

If a president could pocket the country, OBJ would have done that ages ago.
If u are so smart, u should understand that the post is even talking about beyond being a president.

[color=#006600][/color]

Nigerian politics makes the leader to do things beyond normal responsibility.
They are so powerful and their influence can have a severe consequences on things.
If the masses have been electing people who are sincerely ready to make things work, the country could have been a better place.