Former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has stated that while President Bola Tinubu has good intentions for the country, being well-meaning alone is not sufficient for effective leadership.
Speaking in an interview with Channels TV on Thursday, February 6, Fayemi, who described Tinubu as his elder brother, emphasized the need for intentional and strategic leadership.
“He (Tinubu) is well-meaning, but well-meaning is not enough in leadership; intentionality is critical to success,” Fayemi said.
The former governor, a prominent member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and a known ally of the president, pointed out that those in government often recognize the truth but fail to act on it due to various political and structural constraints.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made bold decisions that previous leaders were hesitant to take, including fuel subsidy removal and the convergence of the foreign exchange window.
However, these decisions have contributed to the current cost-of-living crisis,” Fayemi noted.
He acknowledged that while initiatives such as the student loan program, security efforts, and tax policy reforms have been introduced, they need to be better integrated within an effective policy framework to yield meaningful results.
“This is where leadership acumen must align with policy execution to change the narrative. Perhaps, this is an area where more work is needed,” he added.
Fayemi further stressed that Nigerian leaders must acknowledge their shortcomings and apologize to the people for failing to fully deliver on their promises.
“Clearly, we must apologize to Nigerians. We have not achieved all we set out to do—not necessarily due to incompetence, but because of structural impediments that have made governance challenging,” he said.
He admitted that more effort is needed to improve the lives of Nigerians, warning that failure to act decisively could pose serious risks for the country’s future.
“We need to get our acts together as leaders. If we don’t, the risks we face as a nation far outweigh any potential gains,”.