By Onilede Titi Faith
Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has said it is almost impossible to defend the administration of President Bola Tinubu due to what she described as poorly executed policies.
Speaking on Monday at a panel session during the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), conference in Enugu, Ezekwesili reacted to remarks by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who had urged Nigeria to prioritize research and development over excessive focus on infrastructure projects.
Ezekwesili acknowledged that while some reforms were necessary, poor implementation had worsened the nation’s economic crisis.
Citing the removal of fuel subsidy, she said: “It was a good reform carried out the wrong way. The lack of preparation made inflation spiral out of control, and ordinary Nigerians are bearing the brunt. The declaration that ‘subsidy is gone’ without adequate cushioning measures has thrown millions into hardship.”
She stressed that inflation has hit the poor hardest, leaving them without a safety net, and warned that reforms must be carefully planned rather than rushed.
Beyond economic policies, Ezekwesili cautioned the legal profession and judiciary against succumbing to prebendal politics or endorsing a political class that prioritizes personal wealth over service.
“Politics has wrongly become the pathway to riches. Any profession that rewards this anomaly cannot claim to care about the future. With 133 million Nigerians already trapped in poverty, the legal profession must rise above endorsing corrupt practices,” she said.
Also speaking on the panel, legal practitioner George Etomi lamented the declining independence of the judiciary, remarking:
“Our judiciary was more independent under the military. Today, democracy is being abused, and the courts must be protected.”
Participants at the session expressed widespread discontent with Tinubu’s policies.
When asked if Nigeria was on the right track under the current administration, the overwhelming response was “no.”
Similarly, when asked if their hopes had been renewed under the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the audience responded with another resounding “no.”
