Veteran columnist, author, and former Managing Director of the Daily Times of Nigeria, Akogun Tola Adeniyi, has once again declared that Nigeria is heading for an inevitable collapse, insisting that no force on earth can stop the country from falling apart under its current trajectory.
In an explosive interview with Business Hallmark, the fiery public intellectual dismissed the existence of democracy in Nigeria and across the world, describing global governance systems as elite-controlled charades.
“There’s no democracy in Nigeria, and there’s no democracy in America. It’s all a lie,” Adeniyi said. “In America, it’s the government of the rich, by the rich, for the rich. In Nigeria, it’s plutocracy and cronyism.”
He argued that political structures in both developed and developing countries are inherently anti-people, citing events such as the Vietnam War and COVID-19 policies as examples of governments ignoring the will of their citizens.
Addressing Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, Adeniyi described the herdsmen crisis as a “land-grabbing agenda” masked as ethnic conflict, adding that foreign mercenaries and geopolitical interests are fanning the flames of insurgency.
On the 2014 Chibok girls abduction, he expressed deep skepticism, suggesting it was a politically orchestrated event to discredit former President Goodluck Jonathan. “You don’t kidnap 280 girls without serious logistics. That whole story doesn’t add up,” he said.
Adeniyi also criticized President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, including the removal of fuel subsidies and naira devaluation, blaming external influences like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.
“These policies were dictated by the IMF and World Bank. Tinubu used to oppose subsidy removal—so what changed after he got to Aso Rock?” he queried.
As Nigeria looks toward the 2027 general elections, Adeniyi warned against political distractions, emphasizing that unresolved foundational issues like power devolution, quota systems, and national unity make elections meaningless.
“This country isn’t serious. Why are we already talking about 2027 when this government hasn’t delivered anything?” he asked. “It’s the arrogance of power. People who don’t know if they’ll wake up tomorrow are already plotting their return to office.”
He also dismissed claims of “state capture” as self-inflicted. “If only one million people are in government, how can they silence 230 million? Are they using juju? Nigerians are enslaved and still cheer their captors.”
While expressing deep distrust in the political system, Adeniyi defended the Nigerian media, calling it “the only institution still standing.”
“Despite being compromised in parts, the media is still exposing wrongdoing. If not for them, we’d all be living underground,” he noted, adding that African journalists outperform their Western counterparts in courage and intellect.
On the recent political turmoil in Rivers State, Adeniyi described the crisis as a prelude to 2027 political maneuvers.
“What’s going on in Rivers is about Tinubu’s ambition. He wants access to the state’s resources for re-election, and it’s a mutual back-scratching deal with Wike,” he claimed.
Reacting to former military president Ibrahim Babangida’s recently released memoir, Adeniyi said the book offered no new revelations to him and questioned the authenticity of the June 12 annulment process.
“The annulment was announced via an unsigned, undated press release on plain paper. Even Tony Anenih, Babangida’s chief strategist, wasn’t aware of it,” he disclosed.
Adeniyi concluded by reiterating his belief that Nigeria’s problems are self-inflicted and that citizens must take responsibility for their predicament. “We must stop blaming Tinubu or governors. Nigerians must blame themselves.”
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