The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasheed Ladoja, has urged President Bola Tinubu to intensify efforts toward addressing food security, healthcare, and insecurity, which he described as Nigeria’s most pressing challenges.
Oba Ladoja gave the advice on Friday after a courtesy visit to President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He explained that the visit was primarily to thank the President for attending his coronation last September.
Speaking to journalists, the former governor of Oyo State said government intervention was urgently needed in food production and healthcare delivery, stressing the importance of functional and standard hospitals across the country. He, however, identified insecurity as the most critical issue, noting that fear has prevented farmers from accessing their farms and disrupted economic activities nationwide.
“Insecurity is already spreading to the South. Farmers are afraid to go to their farms,” he said, adding that while the situation was serious, it was not insurmountable. He expressed confidence that the President was addressing the challenge appropriately.
Ladoja said President Tinubu’s experience as a former Lagos State governor had shaped his leadership approach, noting that although Nigeria is more complex than any single state, the President understands the enormity of the task before him.
He also observed that states now enjoy greater financial resources than during his tenure as governor, enabling them to meet their obligations more effectively. Expressing optimism about the administration’s economic reforms, Ladoja said he hoped the policies would deliver lasting benefits.
“By and large, the economy has to be fixed, and it is being fixed. We hope that by 2031, Nigeria will be in a position we can all be proud of,” he said.
