Remember The Letter You Wrote To Jonathan — Former Ambassador Reminds Tinubu
Dr. Yemi Farounbi, Nigeria’s former ambassador to The Philippines, has voiced his disappointment over the perceived ideological shift in President Bola Tinubu’s…
Dr. Yemi Farounbi, Nigeria’s former ambassador to The Philippines, has voiced his disappointment over the perceived ideological shift in President Bola Tinubu’s policies.
Farounbi expressed concern that the President no longer embodies the progressive values he once championed during his tenure as Governor of Lagos. Farounbi specifically referenced a letter Tinubu wrote to former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012, in which he strongly advocated for true federalism and a restructured Nigeria. The former ambassador urged Tinubu to revisit the ideals he stood for at the time, suggesting the President has distanced himself from his earlier positions on decentralizing power and reforming Nigeria’s governance structure. “If I have that opportunity, I am going to ask him to look back at what he was,” Farounbi said. “I am going to ask him to look at the letter he wrote to Jonathan in 2012. I am going to ask him to look at the cases he took to the Supreme Court on local governments.”
Dr. Farounbi, who recently marked his 80th birthday, lamented the growing disconnect between Tinubu’s past advocacy and the current economic challenges Nigerians face under his administration. He criticized what he called an “ideological somersault,” questioning why the President has strayed from his earlier vision of restructuring Nigeria and promoting a sovereign national conference.
“I am going to ask him why he is ideologically somersaulting. Why is he not appearing as the Tinubu that we knew?” Farounbi asked. “Why is he not the Tinubu that was committed to the restructuring of this country, a Tinubu that was interested in a sovereign national conference, a Tinubu that was committed to true federalism?” The former ambassador’s remarks underscore the growing frustrations among Nigerians who are grappling with widespread economic hardship, job insecurity, and food shortages. Farounbi emphasized that a truly progressive leader should prioritize the well-being of the people by addressing these critical issues. Farounbi’s critique serves as a powerful reminder to Tinubu of the need for ideological consistency, particularly as the President continues to steer Nigeria through a challenging period.
The former diplomat urged Tinubu to return to his progressive roots, suggesting that such a shift could alleviate many of the nation’s ongoing difficulties. “Can he be true to himself? Let him be himself as he was in the past, and I think that a lot of these problems will not be there,” Farounbi advised.
