In a fierce response to President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day speech, Phrank Shaibu, Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the president’s claims of progress as “empty rhetoric” and disconnected from the everyday hardships faced by Nigerians.
Shaibu issued a statement shortly after President Tinubu’s national broadcast, describing the speech as a stark contrast to the grim realities on the ground. “The yam may be plentiful, but if the pot is empty, the stomach still rumbles. Today, Nigeria’s pot is not only empty but cracked, and the people remain hungry,” Shaibu stated, emphasising that ordinary Nigerians are suffering from widespread hunger, insecurity, and economic despair, despite the government’s claims of progress.
While President Tinubu hailed the government’s reforms in the education and healthcare sectors, as well as economic strides, Shaibu dismissed these assertions as misleading. “A man who builds many huts without roofs has only built shade for goats,” Shaibu remarked, pointing out that despite promises of better infrastructure, classrooms remain overcrowded and under-resourced, hospitals are devoid of basic facilities, and citizens continue to feel disconnected from the government’s supposed progress.
On the issue of soaring living costs, Shaibu painted a grim picture of the economic burden on Nigerians. “While food prices soar and transport costs skyrocket, millions are struggling to afford even one meal a day. If these are the seeds of reforms, then the fruit remains bitter,” he added.
Shaibu further criticised the president’s praise for the armed forces, stating that, despite their efforts, the country remains riddled with insecurity. Banditry, kidnapping, and armed robbery continue to plague communities, and Shaibu pointed to the tragic killing of Somtochukwu Maduagwu, an Arise TV news anchor, as an example of how no one—be it a civilian or journalist—is safe in today’s Nigeria. “A farmer cannot boast the bush is cleared while weeds still choke his yam,” Shaibu said, underlining the ongoing threat to citizens.
The Special Assistant also called out the government’s rhetoric surrounding youth empowerment, accusing officials of making hollow promises while young Nigerians face a harsh job market. “You cannot tell a child to dream big while you steal the mat he sleeps on,” Shaibu lamented, reflecting the frustration of many young graduates who are now resorting to menial jobs or informal sector activities to survive.
Shaibu concluded his statement by stressing that at 65, Nigeria should not be celebrating empty statistics or political speeches, but confronting the harsh realities of poverty, insecurity, and dysfunctional systems.
“Independence anniversaries should be moments of sober reflection, not self-praise. Nigeria is 65 years old, but our leaders still serve promises as though they were meals. The yam is there, but the pot remains empty,” he stated.
