Many have seen the video of Nigerian leader Bola Tinubu driving through Lagos Island during the Christmas holiday. It is the perfect story of Nigeria: the powerful leader driving through a throng of people in an avalanche of expensive SUVs. Security officials in suits jog alongside Oga’s bulletproof car.
If you wonder why we are so poor, the answers are in that video. The first image is of an economy, like a postcard, of thousands of people glued together on both sides of the street, frozen each to a spot.
The street is filthy, but that does not matter. The convoy arrives, confused supporters of Oga’s “Renewed Hope” slogan screaming their frustrations into the air. “We’re hungry!”
Inside the car with the hapless jogging officials, it is impossible to tell whether Oga is snarling or smiling. Other reports say that ahead of him, at his residence, crowds are also gathered, day and night, awaiting his largesse. As the extensive…