IS IT FAIR TO BLAME THE PRESIDENT FOR NIGERIA’S PROBLEMS? I SAY YES! WE MUST BLAME THE PRESIDENT — AND HERE ARE 7 GOOD REASONS WHY by Ope Banwo, Naija Lives Matter and Mayor Of Fadeyi

— A respectful counter to a beautifully written but incomplete reflection by my good friend, Oladele Ogunlana titled “Must We Always Blame The President?”

To be clear, Me and Oladele Ogunlana, one of the preeminent Event Comperes in Nigeria today, go way back more than 30 years and still great friends till today . So for the always ready to fight partisans, this is not a dig on him but a counter thought to for his thought provoking piece on Instagram which he himself demanded from Nigerians .

so everyone calm down as you join the debate on either side

I read this deeply moving piece with admiration. My friend clearly has a poetic mind and a noble heart. He raised thoughtful questions about our national values, our culture of misplaced applause, and the silence that too often meets true excellence.

But as stirring as the message was, I must respectfully disagree with the core question:

“Must we always blame the President?”

My answer is simple, clear, and unapologetic:

YES. We must. And here are 7 reasons why.

1. Because He Asked for the Job — and Promised to Fix It

The President is not a victim. He campaigned for the job, spent billions to get it, told us to “EMI LOKAN,” and insisted he was the only one who could fix the country. He wasn’t begged into power — he fought tooth and nail for it. So, the buck stops with him. Leadership is not just a privilege; it’s an accountability contract.

2. Because That’s How Leadership Works — Everywhere

In every serious country, the President gets the blame and the credit. That’s why they are elected. When the economy tanks, when insecurity festers, when fuel prices rise, when scholars go uncelebrated, or when citizens die needlessly — the head of state is the symbol of responsibility. Not blaming the President is like blaming the tail when the head leads the snake into fire.

3. Because He Appointed Everyone Else

The writer asked: “Where are the advisers?” Well, let’s not pretend they came from heaven. The President appointed them. If they are incompetent, silent, or complicit — then he is either blind or comfortable with mediocrity. The failure of the team is the failure of the coach who picked them.

4. Because Nigeria Runs a Presidential System — Not a Village Meeting

This is not a parliamentary democracy where power is shared equally across party lines. In a presidential system, the President is the Chief Executive Officer of the nation. He controls the executive arm. He commands the armed forces. He directs policy. He signs the budget. He appoints ministers, advisers, and heads of agencies. So yes, his fingerprints are on everything — and so must be the blame.

5. Because Culture Flows From the Top

When a nation claps louder for celebrities than scholars, when we reward show over substance, that is a reflection of leadership priorities. Presidential silence is not neutral — it’s policy. If the President chooses not to make a cultural moment out of academic excellence, it sends a signal that entertainers matter more than educators. Leadership sets the tone.

6. Because Selective Applause Is Also Failure

The writer admits there was a presidential acknowledgment for some scholars — but then he waited for more. And he’s right to wait. Because leadership isn’t about checking boxes; it’s about creating consistent national ethos. If the government only makes noise when celebrities win, but whispers when scholars rise, then that’s not an accident. It’s a value system endorsed by Aso Rock.

7. Because Not Blaming the President Is How We Got Here

Let’s be honest: our national culture of excuse-making is exactly why leadership keeps failing. We say “it’s not just about the President” every time, and so nothing changes. We spread the blame so thin that no one ever gets held accountable. But until we start demanding more from the one person with the most power, we will keep sinking.

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Let’s Be Clear

Blaming the President doesn’t mean citizens don’t have roles to play. We all do. But in governance, power comes with responsibility — and the more power you hold, the more blame you must carry. Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not just a man — he is the most powerful man in Nigeria. If we can’t hold him accountable, then who do we hold?

So yes — with all due respect to the writer — we must always blame the President.

Not because it’s convenient.

Not because it’s popular.

But because that is the price of power — and the only hope for change.

Let’s start there. Let’s speak truth. Let’s not confuse poetry for policy.