The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, has said that Nigeria needs leaders like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to realise the long-aspired “Nigeria of our dreams.”

Wike made this assertion on Thursday while delivering the 2025 Distinguished Personality Lecture titled “The Nigeria of Our Dreams” at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

According to the minister, the primary challenge hindering Nigeria’s progress remains poor leadership. He referenced the renowned Nigerian author, Chinua Achebe, who in his seminal work “The Trouble with Nigeria,” stated that the country’s fundamental problem is “fairly and squarely the absence of proper leadership.”

“This statement, damaging as it may appear, is extremely difficult to controvert,” Wike noted. “Our leaders have, in the main, emerged through self-serving conspiracies that have little or nothing to do with national interests and development. This has been the case in both military and civilian contexts.”

He, however, singled out President Tinubu as a leader with the vision and resolve required to steer Nigeria towards growth and prosperity.

“Tinubu has stood out as the kind of leader Nigeria needs—one with character, resilience, and the boldness to lead in the face of adversity,” Wike said.

He described the ideal leader for Nigeria as one who believes in the nation’s vast potential and is committed to making informed, proactive decisions to harness it. Such a leader, he said, must have the courage to innovate, build, and act decisively while prioritising excellence over mediocrity.

“More importantly, the leader of the Nigeria of our dreams must build a society of free and responsible citizens where individual potential can flourish and free enterprise can thrive,” he added.

According to Wike, President Tinubu exemplifies these leadership qualities. He praised Tinubu’s enduring commitment to democracy, recalling his sacrifices during Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggles, and credited him with the transformation of Lagos State during and after his tenure as governor.

Wike also commended Tinubu’s bold move to remove fuel subsidy on his first day in office, a decision he said many previous leaders shied away from.

“While others spoke of the dangers of fuel subsidy, Tinubu acted, and is now courageously navigating the fallout of that decision,” Wike said.

He noted that, as a result of the subsidy removal, states now have greater financial resources to deploy for development, national debt accumulation has slowed, and the price of petrol is beginning to align more closely with market dynamics due to regulatory reforms.

The lecture attracted dignitaries from academia, politics, and civil society, as the minister reiterated his call for visionary, courageous, and people-focused leadership in the quest to build a better Nigeria.