Eid Sermons, UK Trips, And The Elephant In The Room

President Bola Tinubu marked Eid-el-Fitr on Friday at Dodan Barracks in Lagos with a message that struck the right chord. He called on Nigerians to report suspicious movements, be their brother’s keeper, and remember that peace and security are not one man’s job.

Vice President Kashim Shettima echoed the same tune from Ramat Square in Maiduguri, assuring the faithful that insecurity would “soon be contained.”

The First Lady, Remi Tinubu sent her own message urging unity and compassion. It was a full house of goodwill, piety, and reassurance from the top. And to be fair, the messaging was timely.

I commend the President for making a point that too many Nigerians overlook, that security is a shared responsibility. For too long we have treated security as something the government alone must deliver while citizens stand on the sidelines and complain. Tinubu is right that Nigerians must be vigilant, report suspicious activities, and take ownership of their communities.

That is how countries work. No police force or military in the world can secure a nation without the active cooperation of its citizens. Community policing works when the community actually polices. So on this score, the President deserves credit for being direct.

That said, I think the government can strengthen this message by matching it with visible action. Citizens are more willing to be vigilant when they see that their reports lead to results. When a farmer in Zamfara reports suspicious movements and sees the security forces respond swiftly, that farmer becomes an evangelist for community vigilance. But when reports go unanswered, people lose faith in the system. The government should consider publishing regular updates on how citizen intelligence has contributed to security operations. Let people see that their vigilance matters. That kind of feedback loop will do more for national security than a thousand speeches.

The convergence of Ramadan and Lent this year offered a genuinely powerful moment for national reflection, and both the President and the Vice President used it well.

Tinubu’s point about diversity being a strength that we worship the same God even if our styles differ is not just good rhetoric. It is a necessary reminder in a country where religious fault lines are often exploited by politicians who should know better.

The fact that the President, a Muslim, made this point while acknowledging the Christian season of Lent shows a deliberate effort to speak to all Nigerians. That matters.

Shettima’s presence in Maiduguri was also significant. Borno State has been through hell and back in the last 15 years, and the Vice President choosing to pray there rather than in Abuja sends a message of solidarity that the people of the northeast need.

Borno, to be fair, has made remarkable progress under Governor Babagana Zulum. The return of displaced persons to some communities, the rebuilding of schools and hospitals, and the relative reduction in Boko Haram attacks in certain local government areas are real achievements that deserve recognition.

Shettima knows Borno better than most people in government ,he was governor when the insurgency was at its deadliest. His optimism that insecurity will be contained is worth taking seriously, though I would encourage the government to give us measurable benchmarks so we can track that progress together.

Now, to the President’s visit to the United Kingdom and the reception by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Tinubu described the honour as a reflection of Nigeria’s place in the emerging global economy. There is some truth to that. Nigeria remains Africa’s most populous nation, one of its largest economies, and a key player in West African stability. The British understand that, and the reception at Buckingham Palace reflects Nigeria’s strategic importance on the global stage. Our country’s weight in international affairs is not something we should downplay or take for granted.

However and this is where I think the government can do better, we need to start measuring the success of presidential foreign trips not just by the protocol and the pageantry but by the tangible outcomes. The Tinubu administration has shown a willingness to make bold economic decisions, the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the exchange rate being the most significant. That same boldness should extend to how we conduct economic diplomacy. Every foreign trip should come with a scorecard that Nigerians can see and evaluate.

The President also made an important point about nation-building being collective, inclusive, and shared by all Nigerians. I agree. But I would push this further.

Collective nation-building requires that citizens feel they have a stake in the project. And the way you give people a stake is through equitable policies, transparent governance, and economic opportunities that are not concentrated in one region or among one class of people. The Renewed Hope agenda has the potential to deliver on this, but it requires consistent execution, not just consistent messaging.

I also want to address something that critics have raised -the President praying at Dodan Barracks in Lagos rather than in Abuja. Some have read meaning into this. Personally, I think a president has the right to spend Eid wherever he chooses. Lagos is his home. Dodan Barracks has historical significance. And in a democracy, we should not begrudge our leaders their personal traditions. What matters is not where the President prays but what he does when the prayers are over. If the governance is working, he can pray on the moon for all I care.

The Grand Chief Imam of Lagos, Alhaji Sulaiman Abou-Nolla, captured something important when he said this is a time for calmness, not chaos, a time for wisdom, not provocation. That message resonates beyond the Eid ground. Nigeria is going through a difficult economic transition. The pain is real. Prices are high. The naira has taken a beating. But difficult transitions, by definition, are difficult. The question is whether the pain leads somewhere or whether we are suffering for nothing.

I believe the Tinubu administration has a plan. The fuel subsidy removal, however painful, was a decision that 20 years of governments ducked. The exchange rate unification, however messy, was overdue. The tax reform efforts, however contested, are necessary for building a modern economy. These are not the actions of a government that is winging it.

They are the actions of a government that is willing to take short-term heat for long-term gain. The challenge now is execution and communication. Nigerians need to see that the pain is producing results. Not in five years. Not in the next budget cycle. Now. Show us the small wins. Show us communities where things are improving. Show us the data.

The First Lady’s call for unity and compassion, while expected, is worth amplifying. Senator Remi Tinubu has consistently used her platform to encourage interfaith harmony and support for the vulnerable. In a political environment where first ladies are often caricatured or dismissed, her steady messaging on national cohesion is a positive contribution.

At the end of the day, the Eid messages from the presidency were appropriate, well-timed, and largely on point. The call for shared responsibility on security is correct. The celebration of diversity is welcome. The emphasis on collective nation-building is necessary. But speeches are starting points, not destinations. The real test of leadership is not what you say at prayer grounds, but what happens between the prayers. And between the prayers, Nigerians are watching, waiting, and hoping that the promises will match the performance. I believe this government has the capacity to deliver. The question is whether it has urgency.