Column

By Sa'adiyyah Adebisi Hassan Nigeria’s tragedy is not a lack of leaders but a culture of dishonesty especially when judging power. We romanticize failure, weaponize nostalgia, and punish reform. This is a blunt assessment of Nigeria’s recent presidents across core governance pillars. Olusegun Obasanjo (1999–2007): Economic Repair, Democratic Abuse Obasanjo deserves credit for stabilizing Nigeria’s economy after decades of military misrule and restoring Nigeria’s international standing. Debt relief and diplomatic reintegration were real achievements. However, politically, he governed like a civilian dictator. Institutions existed, but power overrode them. The third-term agenda alone disqualifies him from any democratic sainthood. Anti-corruption was…