In light of the above, nicknaming political leaders by those they lead is not an anathema but a universal phenomenon, as outlined above. Therefore, the Nigerian presidency cannot stop or ban by fiat those who are expressing their angst or resentment towards President Tinubu and referring to him as T-Pain, as my good friend Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity, is reportedly trying to do.

After all, President Tinubu is also popularly called ‘the Jagaban,’ and I believe he is unperturbed by the nickname—whether it portrays him in a positive or negative light.

Back in the days when then-Information and National Orientation Minister, the late Dr. Dora Akunyili, did not find it acceptable that our youths had rebranded Nigeria in their own lingo with the moniker ‘Naija’ and she banned it and tried to stymie it, she failed to succeed. As it turned out, her disapproval of the use of the term ‘Naija’ by our youths as an alternative to the name Nigeria was an exercise in futility because the nomenclature—‘Naija’—is apparently here to stay, as evidenced by its continued use against the dictate of the then-minister’s fiat or diktat.

One cannot help but recognise the resilience of Nigerians and their ability to navigate tough times, as evidenced by the numerous video skits and comedies dominating TikTok and other social media platforms.

The referenced comics that are making light of the otherwise very rough times that a critical mass of Nigerians are going through are, believe it or not, helping to diffuse the palpable tension in the polity. The rib-cracking jokes and comedies are too numerous to catalog in this piece. But one can bet that hardly anyone engaging with social media has not come across content parodying the dire straits in which Nigerians find themselves as they navigate the new environment created by the reform measures of President Tinubu’s administration, which are expected to ultimately help reset Nigeria.

Although the reforms are taking their toll on Nigerians today, Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda’s goal is clearly to be the harbinger of prosperity for our compatriots and posterity. As optimists, we pray that this mission is realised sooner rather than later. Already, inflation is ebbing, and our national debts are being paid off. Hopefully, bank interest rates will drop when the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) decides to ease the tight monetary control measures it introduced to rein in inflation following the convergence of the two foreign exchange windows inherited from its predecessor resulting in a massive devaluation which has made the economy flush with naira.

Sometimes, the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the best things that will ever happen to us. Social scientists refer to this as Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG), which is a positive transformation that can occur after experiencing adversity, trauma, or challenges. This manifests in the form of increased resilience, coping skills, and purpose, such that losing a job sparks entrepreneurship and success by adopting an attitude of resilience, as enunciated by Friedrich Nietzsche: “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger,” and “Fall seven times and stand up eight,” which is a Japanese proverb.

The quotes above underscore and illustrate that adversity is not a dead end but a detour, because challenges can foster growth, wisdom, and strength—every experience, good or bad, shapes us. As we all get tossed up and down by the turbulent waves of hardship that have been occasioned by the incumbent administration’s socio-economic reform measures, we must develop coping mechanisms that will enable us to thrive in the face of adversity. It is worth remembering that, as human beings who must learn to respond to change, whether good or bad, our primary focus should not be on the hardship we are currently experiencing, but on how we respond to it and grow from it.
Of course, no person is without flaws, and President Tinubu, like all humans—especially those in politics—has his imperfections. However, his commitment to steering Nigeria out of its current economic struggles is evident. His success, however, depends on the support of the citizens, who must stand by him as patriots.

Therefore, I urge everyone to exercise greater patience, as the president is indeed responding to the concerns and struggles of the people. He has been making adjustments, such as replacing underperforming ministers, setting clear performance benchmarks, and reducing government expenses by limiting official cars and security details—steps that many of us have long advocated for, even if like the proverbial Oliver twist some Nigerians are still asking for more from President Tinubu who have always averred that he is not soliciting the sympathy of Nigerians because he asked for the job, but appealing for the patience and support of the critical mass of down cast Nigerians to deliver on his mandate, which is a fair requirement and l urge us all to oblige him.”

My prediction of a respite for the long suffering critical mass of Nigerians in a series of articles including another one titled: “Governing Nigeria is tough, But Tinubu is achieving remarkable progress” in my weekly column of  at least three (3) months ago is now manifesting. 

If president Tinubu remains steadfast in his reforms, especially when the four tax reform bills receiving attention at the National Assembly , NASS finally get passed into law, Nigeria will truly be on the path to a reset. My optimism is underscored by the fact that a replacement of the colonial tax laws with new and operationally effective and productive ones  as opposed to maintaining the old consumption ones will definitely unleash the hidden potentials of our great country.

Arising from the above, l would like to wager a bet that the best is ahead of Nigeria.
Concluded.
Onyibe, an Entrepreneur, public policy analyst, Author, wrote from Lagos.  He can be reached via: www.magnum.ng