THE WEAK often dramatize strength to impress the strong. The poor find ways to show the rich things aren’t as bad as they seem. It’s human nature – those with vulnerabilities often mask them with aggression to intimidate others. Ben Hanson, Jamaica’s renowned writer naturalised in Zimbabwe, explored this theme in his classic novel: Takadini, where villains masquerade as the brave.
Nigeria doesn’t need to prove anything to Britain.They know our strengths, weaknesses, and everything in between. They see our poverty, disunity, corruption, our lack of capacity to tackle insecurity and leadership flaws. A former British Prime Minister once said that Nigerianleadersare ‘fantastically corrupt’. Our story is out there – the world is a global village.
President Tinubu’s visit to the monarch will allow the monarch to ensure Nigeria’s alliances don’t jeopardise Britain’s traditional interests. Britain’s interests in Nigeria are selfish – they’ve watched Nigeria’s democracy struggle, benefited from corrupt politicians laundering stolen funds, and even supported questionable leaders to power. Despite this, the relationship continues, with Britain looking to protect its interests.
Britain is aware of Nigeria’s financial situation. Since May 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has spent over ₦34 billion on foreign trips, excluding this UK trip. Nigeria’s public debt reached ₦153.29 trillion as of September 30, 2025, driven by domestic and external borrowing. President Tinubu uses every opportunity to borrow including this trip to UK.
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The World Bank has expressed concern that despite Nigeria’s economic efforts, about 139 million citizens live in poverty, and the country risks losing reform gains if they don’t translate into tangible improvements in people’s welfare. Over 10 million Nigerians have been pushed into poverty between October 2025, with experts believing around 140 million Nigerians live in abject poverty.
President Tinubu’s UK state visit (March 18th, 2026) raises eyebrows. A huge entourage amidst Nigeria’s economic squeeze looks like a jamboree. The issue is not just what the government does, but how they do it – feasting while people suffer.
It has become the pattern of President Tinubu to engage in wasteful foreign trips. The trip to Turkey almosttook the entire machinery of government. A lot of people believed that the president’smany trips haven’t yielded any fruit. The world is neither deaf nor dumb. Nigeria needs to put its house in order to attract investors and boost its diplomatic standing.
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Timingis also off – Maiduguri bombings left 23 dead, and nation is mourning
Now, with a Yoruba president, some are urging patience and cooperation despite apparent underperformance. The pressing issue is security – lives and property are at risk – and any government failing to address this is neither truly reforming or performing.
This administration should define its priorities. It is expected that empathy and leadership should take precedence over diplomatic engagements. Opposition parties, like the African Democratic Congress, are right to have called President Tinubu to cut short his visit and return to Nigeria.
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Responding to King Charles’ invitation is understandable. Nigeria’s history with Britain is complex, and maintaining a relationship makes sense. At this time, Nigeria might not gain much, but Britain has a lot to gain – they’re aware China, Turkey, and France are gaining influence in Nigeria.
President Tinubu’s visit to the monarch will allow the monarch to ensure Nigeria’s alliances don’t jeopardise Britain’s traditional interests. Britain’s interests in Nigeria are selfish – they’ve watched Nigeria’s democracy struggle, benefited from corrupt politicians laundering stolen funds, and even supported questionable leaders to power. Despite this, the relationship continues, with Britain looking to protect its interests.
Britain, like the rest of the Western world, has watched Nigeria struggle with insecurity since 2009. It wasn’t until President Donald Trump showed interest in assisting Nigeria that the international community’s attention was pricked. History suggests that those who witness evil without intervening often have a hidden interest or are powerless
Insecurity costs Nigeria approximately $15 billion annually, disrupting agriculture, trade, and manufacturing. Over 200,000 farmers have been displaced, and 60% of farmlands in key states are abandoned or underutilised. How can economic reforms succeed when insecurity persists? Should the government prioritise security or economic reforms?
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Mr. VictorOladokun, in his articleto support the president’s visit to UK, highlights a cycle of demonization in Nigeria’s media landscape, where critics focus on setbacks and ignore progress. However, it’s notable that this cycle was actually established by Western Nigerian politicians who consistently criticised governments for nearly fifty years in opposition, often presenting themselves as having solutions.
Now, with a Yoruba president, some are urging patience and cooperation despite apparent underperformance. The pressing issue is security – lives and property are at risk – and any government failing to address this is neither truly reforming or performing.
