By Muhammad Mamman
Former Minister of Education and co-founder of Transparency International, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of intolerance and of steadily shrinking civic space in Nigeria.
Speaking at a democracy forum in Abuja over the weekend, the outspoken activist said the current government was exhibiting growing hostility toward dissenting voices, journalists, and civil society groups critical of its policies.
“This government is becoming increasingly intolerant of criticism,” Ezekwesili declared. “Civic freedoms are being eroded, and those who speak truth to power are being branded as enemies of the state.”
She criticised what she described as a “pattern of suppression,” citing recent clampdowns on peaceful protests, arbitrary arrests of activists, and attempts to stifle the press as examples of democratic backsliding.
Ezekwesili, a former World Bank Vice-President and leading voice in the #BringBackOurGirls movement, said the country’s democracy risked losing its soul if citizens were continually silenced.
“Our democracy was hard-won, and it must not be traded for fear or repression,” she warned. “A truly democratic government must tolerate criticism and protect the right of citizens to hold it accountable.”
Her remarks come amid rising public frustration over economic hardship, insecurity, and perceived disregard for human rights. Analysts note that her comments reflect a broader unease within Nigeria’s civil society community about what many see as a shrinking space for public participation and expression.
In response, supporters of the administration argue that the government remains committed to democratic ideals, insisting that actions taken against certain groups are based on security and public order concerns rather than intolerance.
Nonetheless, human rights organisations have continued to urge the federal government to respect freedom of speech and assembly as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution.
Dr Ezekwesili concluded her remarks with a call for renewed civic engagement and vigilance among citizens, stressing that “a silent society gives power to tyranny.”
