Audacity of Hope: Tinubu’s First Moves and Nigeria’s Turning Point.

By Tele Oyegoke, APC Chieftain from Inisa, Odo Otin LGA, Osun State

Nigeria’s story swings between setback and possibility. When Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu took oath on May 29, 2023, he chose possibility. He started with hard decisions on day one, not promises for tomorrow. In a country used to postponement, that was audacity.

*The Ambition: From Emi Lokan to Eagle Square*  

Tinubu’s journey to Aso Rock is a story of decades in the making. From exile, to trade unionism, to governor of Lagos, to political strategist. “It is my turn,” Emi Lokan in Yoruba, was not vanity. It was the voice of a man who studied Nigeria’s script and believed he knew the next line. From day one, ambition was not hidden. It was the opening act. And ambition tied to purpose is the first spark of nation building.

*Day One: Subsidy is Gone*  

No president has ever started with such a thunderclap. Three words “Subsidy is gone” shook markets, streets, and parliament. For 40 years, fuel subsidy was Nigeria’s beautiful lie. A bandage hiding a hemorrhage. Tinubu removed the bandage on inauguration day. Pain followed, as pain follows surgery. But the intent was clear: stop the bleeding so the body can heal. The removal ended a 40 year drain on public funds. Fuel subsidy enriched a few while refineries rusted. It hurt at the pump, but it freed trillions for roads, schools, and hospitals. Short term pain for long term repair.

*FX Unification: One Rate, One Market*  

The CBN unified exchange rate windows. One dollar price replaced the confusion of multiple windows. Investors now face one rule, not many loopholes. The naira adjusted, but confidence is returning because transparency has a value.

*NELFUND: Giving Students a Future*  

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund says no student should quit school over fees. Loans, not handouts, mean students finish and repay when they work. For a student in Inisa, Odo Otin, that is dignity. Education becomes a right, not a luxury.

*LG Autonomy: Power to the People*  

The push for local government autonomy is simple: Abuja cannot fix every rural road. If LG chairmen control their funds, primary health centers and markets in places like Inisa get fixed faster. The fight with governors is tough, but development must start at the base.

*Infrastructure: Roads That Connect a Nation*  

Beyond policy, Nigerians see concrete. The Lagos Calabar Coastal Highway is stitching the South together. The Sokoto Badagry Highway is reviving trade from the North to the Atlantic. There are others too numerous to mention, rail upgrades, bridge repairs, and rural road networks. Roads are not just tar. They are jobs, food moving to market, and children reaching school on time.

*Power Sector: Chasing Stable Light*  

The Siemens power deal and grid upgrades show intent. Factories cannot run on generators forever. The road is long and littered with failed promises, but the scale of investment is bigger now. Stable power means jobs, and jobs mean hope.

*Foreign Reserve: $51 Billion Milestone*  

Amid reforms, Nigeria’s foreign reserves crossed $51 billion in mid 2026, the highest in 19 years. That buffer lets the CBN defend the naira, pay for imports, and absorb shocks. FX reform, higher oil receipts, and renewed investor trust got us here. Reserves are not food on the table, but they are the nation’s savings. For the first time in almost two decades, the account looks strong.

*Insecurity: The Unfinished Chapter*  

Hope cannot grow where there is fear. Banditry, kidnapping, and communal clashes remain. Government must fund intelligence and community policing, create jobs to dry up crime, and prosecute sponsors without bias. 

Citizens must report suspicious movement, reject ethnic profiling of crime, and build trust in our towns. Inisa, like every community, is safer when neighbors watch out for neighbors. Security is all of us.

*Tourism: Osun Deserves More Visibility*  

Nigeria’s culture is wealth waiting to be unlocked. Osun State alone has assets the world should see: the UNESCO Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove, Erin Ijesha Waterfalls, Kiriji War sites, and rich festivals. Yet tourism gets little national push. 

I solicit more federal visibility and investment in Osun’s tourism sector. Good roads like the Lagos Calabar and Sokoto Badagry corridors must link to cultural sites. If visitors can reach Erin Ijesha easily, if Osogbo’s grove gets global marketing, tourism will create jobs faster than oil. Our heritage should earn foreign exchange, not just applause.

*Osun and the August Test*  

As the August election draws near in Osun, we must rally support for the APC. Elections are not just about votes. They are about direction. The reforms in Abuja need allies at the state level to deliver results at the grassroots. Osun must stand with the party that is building roads, securing reserves, and opening doors for students. Our votes in August will decide if Inisa and the rest of Osun move forward with this national vision.

*Conclusion: Hope Tested, Not Empty*  

Tinubu’s first moves are foundation work. Subsidy removal, FX reform, NELFUND, LG autonomy, roads, power, $51b reserves, they are messy and noisy, but houses stand on foundations.

The audacity is not in denying pain. It is in believing Nigeria can endure it to reach gain. From Inisa to Lagos, from classrooms to waterfalls, the test is the same: will we stay the course?

Hope must be matched with patience, accountability, and work from all of us.