By Philomina Brando
President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that his administration’s painful reforms will pave the way for lasting prosperity, with technology and food security at the heart of the nation’s renewal.
Speaking in Brazil on Tuesday, Tinubu drew parallels between Nigeria and Brazil’s economic journeys, lamenting that while both countries once stood on equal footing, Brazil had surged ahead.
“Once upon a time, Nigeria and Brazil stood on the same level. Look at Brazil today, its technology, its food systems. We must ask ourselves: what do they have that we don’t? We have the brains, the energy, and the youth. Now, we must act,” the President declared in a statement issued by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.
He vowed to reposition Nigeria as Africa’s economic powerhouse. “We must bring Nigeria to the forefront of Africa’s progress, driven by technology, food sovereignty, and the courage to change our destiny,” Tinubu said.
Acknowledging hardship caused by ongoing reforms, he likened them to “bitter medicine” required for recovery. “Yes, the reforms are tough. But once the fever is gone, you know the cure was worth it,” he told the gathering.
Tinubu praised the Nigerian diaspora in Brazil as “the pride of our nation” and urged them to contribute skills and resources to rebuilding the country. He also backed a cultural voyage project led by Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, hailing his resilience at over 90 as a symbol of bold dreams.
Diaspora leader Chika Emmanuel pledged Nigerian Brazilians’ commitment to agriculture, infrastructure, and education, noting that the community had grown from three PhD scholars to 296 in just one year, mostly on scholarships.
The President, responding to calls for new consulates, urged patience, stressing limited resources.
The event, anchored by NIDCOM Chair Abike Dabiri-Erewa, drew top officials, including Speaker of the House Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Governors Uba Sani and Caleb Mutfwang, and Minister of Information Mohammed Idris.