President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that his administration’s economic measures are restoring stability to the nation’s finances and earning Nigeria renewed respect on the international stage.
The President made the remarks on Tuesday when he hosted the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Olaoye (Orumogege III), alongside a delegation of traditional rulers, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
His comments were later shared in a statement issued by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu said Nigeria had endured years of distorted records, widespread smuggling, currency racketeering, and entrenched corruption that left government revenue in tatters. According to him, decisive action was unavoidable to halt the decline.
“The country was bleeding. We had to make painful but necessary choices, and today the haemorrhage has stopped. With your support, the patient is alive again,” he told the monarchs, while thanking Nigerians for their resilience and prayers.
Reaffirming education as central to lifting people out of poverty, the President highlighted the establishment of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which he said guarantees that no student abandons school because of financial hardship.
“Education remains the greatest weapon against poverty. That is why we are committed to ensuring every child, regardless of background, has a chance,” Tinubu said, adding that his government has also pressed ahead with infrastructure expansion within its first two years.
He described the removal of fuel subsidy as a courageous decision that has begun to yield results, insisting that only bold leadership could have taken such a step.
Turning to the visiting monarch, the President commended Oba Olaoye’s developmental agenda in Ogbomosoland and promised that federal ministries of Power, Works, Agriculture, and Water Resources would examine his requests for interventions in the region.
Tinubu said boosting agriculture and infrastructure would be vital for food security and the transformation of rural economies.
In response, Oba Olaoye praised the administration’s reforms, especially the foreign exchange policy and the launch of NELFUND, noting that both were already making a difference for students.
The monarch expressed gratitude for the government’s approval of the long-delayed dualisation of the Oyo–Ogbomoso Road, which he said is key to trade and connectivity. He also urged the federal government to upgrade Ogbomoso General Hospital into a Federal Medical Centre and establish a research institute to support the mango and cashew industries.
Oba Olaoye further applauded the inclusion of Ogbomoso indigenes in strategic federal roles, citing FIRS Chairman Zacch Adedeji and BPP DG Debo Adedokun.
The royal delegation included five traditional rulers representing major councils in Ogbomosoland, as well as Chief Sunday Dare, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, who also holds the traditional title of Agbaakin of Ogbomoso.
