“I encourage you to continue speaking truth to power; not only to the government but also to all sectors of society, while also offering constructive solutions that will help us collectively build a nation where integrity, hard work and compassion are the hallmarks of public and private life” – President Bola Tinubu to the Catholic Bishops Conference.
in 1987, speaking truth to power had been the standing rule. None of your predecessors had escaped being carpeted for one reason or the other; although none of them ever explicitly asked for the truth to be spoken to power. They never listened to be quite candid; you have not been an exception in that regard. That is why your frequent resort to “marching orders” on important matters is embarrassing. They serve no purpose other than to give the impression of matters being addressed when, in actual fact, they are being swept under the rug. We all remember what happened when you went on an official visit to Makurdi. All the top security officers – the National Security Adviser, Chief of Army Staff, Air force, Navy, the Inspector General of Police, DG of DSS – were called to stand up one by one; and issued “marching orders” to stop banditry and mindless killings nationwide. The killings have not stopped in Borno, Zamfara, Benue, Plateau, Sokoto, Niger and other states. Who is marching to your orders?
Marching order on food announced
“Tinubu orders fresh push to crash food prices”. Report, September 11, 2025.
I thought it was a mistake by the reporter which the Presidency would disclaim. But, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, was quoted saying: “The President has given a marching order with a Federal Executive Council committee handling it on how we are going to promote safe passage of agricultural foods and commodities across various routes in the country.” As bland promises go, it will be difficult to find a worse one. “Goals are dreams with deadlines”, said Albert Einstein, 1879-1955. What was announced was a dream without any timeline and the announcement was made as the price of food stuffs fall during early harvest annually. No Federal Executive Council committee is needed for that to happen.
You are very wealthy according to those who claim to know you.. But, farming has never been one of the sources of your wealth. So, you could not have known that the reasons for relatively high food prices cannot now be addressed by a presidential order issued to people in Abuja. Perhaps, it will help to learn from a former President.
Why Presidents can’t dictate food price movements
“Farming would be mighty easy, if it is done with [biros and computers] in a cozy office.” President James Madison, 1751-1836.
Madison, a farmer, actually wrote “pencils” instead of biros and computers; but, the point is clear, farming and food prices can never be determined by government officials. Madison actually made the point that Presidents cannot make corn (maize) grow by executive order; and can therefore not control food prices as they wish. It is understandable why you are concerned about food prices and the deepening food crisis. But, the truth is, food prices can only come down significantly if the food supply increases. Unfortunately, what Nigeria is now experiencing is a food supply problem. My recent trips through some of Nigeria’s food baskets – Niger, Sokoto, Oyo and Ogun – point to low productivity as the problem. In Niger and Sokoto states, for instance, thousands of farmers have abandoned their farms on account of incessant attacks by bandits, herdsmen and kidnappers. Those still struggling to farm have been unable to purchase fertilizers at the going rates and are expecting low harvests.
These are not the problems that a FEC committee, with members sitting in cozy offices in Abuja can solve. The Federal Government does not have direct control over any land outside of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and cannot directly influence activities on farms nationwide. Security is the only thing under its control; and as far as farmers are concerned the FG is failing to provide the needed security for farmers.
Inevitable response to FG’s initiative
“The President is dealing with private organizations and companies. You don’t just come out and give an order to crash prices. It doesn’t work that way…At best, the government should have called stakeholders in the transport and agric sectors, discussed with them, and provided subsidies.” Peter Dama, Chairman, Competitive Rice Forum.
In another report titled Food price crash: Farmers reject Tinubu’s order as agro-imports hit N2.22tn, in the PUNCH on September 16, 2025, several farmers’ groups sent you a reply which Ministers and FEC members would not have the guts to tell you. First, they reminded the President that the food is private property and nobody, however highly placed in government, can tell them how much to charge for their products. Second, they brought to your attention that prices of food beyond the farm gate is a function of many variables whose costs are added on by the time food stuff reach the final consumer. Transport costs have been mentioned as the majour add-on to the basic food price. But, people with long-term experience would include the distribution chain costs. Middle men and women, who we all love to hate, constitute part of the additional costs; and they are certainly indispensable – irrespective of what ignorant commentators tell us. Farmers in remote villages cannot sell food to us directly. Factors and food merchants must go to the rural areas and bring the produce to nearby villages; then others take over to bring the bulk food items to cities. That is the global approach to food distribution. Every handler between the farmer and the consumer must be paid to play their roles – which, by the way, include suffering losses on account of spoilage, theft, flooding, and credits given to customers down the chain. Because the commodities are never insured, all losses are personal. Consequently, the gap between food prices in rural areas and urban areas is always very large. The onions I bought at Izom, Niger State, for N2000 was more than the stuff purchased at Mile 12 Market in Lagos for N8000.
The Minister of State hinted during his interaction with journalists at a one-day workshop that the committee might be focusing on the illegal extortion of truckers by the police, soldiers and even FRSC, as well as others, along their routes. From direct experience transporting food products, I can state authoritatively that those criminal surcharges add very little to the final landing costs and ultimate prices. Don’t get me wrong. They exist; but, they add very little to costs. At any rate, policemen, soldiers and FRSC have statutory security roles to play. It would amount to wishful thinking to expect that any committee established by the FEC can dislodge them. It might not even be in our interest to do so – despite their nuisance value.
Mr President, here are some truths to ponder
“Telling the truth and accepting the truth has been our majour problem in Nigeria. Some people will never tell you the truth while you are in power; and honestly many of us in power also don’t want to hear the truth.” Prof Zulum, Borno State Governor.
Mr President, issuing an order, to nobody in particular, who can carry out the order, is a waste of everybody’s time. Try something else.
VANGUARD.
