A Canada-based Nigerian professor who identified himself as a former classmate of Peter Obi and former banking professional who once had dealings with President Bola Tinubu has sparked conversations online after sharing his views on Nigeria’s leadership and economic decline during a TikTok Live session.
The professor made the remarks during a live broadcast hosted by popular TikTok personality Emir Sirdam.
During the session, he claimed he attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, at the same time as Obi and later worked in the banking sector, where he became familiar with Tinubu during his corporate career.
The lecturer, who said he teaches Statistics and Econometrics at a university in Canada, spoke at length about what he described as Nigeria’s gradual decline and the opportunities lost over the years.
“My Generation Failed Nigeria”
He recalled a period when students from ordinary homes could access scholarships, affordable education, bursaries and quality healthcare without political connections or family influence.
Drawing from his own experience, he said merit once opened doors for young Nigerians, allowing them to secure university admission, scholarships and jobs based on academic performance.
He lamented that many of those opportunities no longer exist, leaving today’s youths to face far greater economic and social challenges.
“My generation enjoyed Nigeria so well, and instead of leaving Nigeria better, we are leaving Nigeria worse than we met it,” he said.
The professor also drew comparisons between President Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi, insisting that he knew both men personally.
While describing Tinubu as an intelligent individual, he questioned the direction of his administration and its handling of the economy and infrastructure challenges.
He maintained that Obi would approach governance differently, with greater emphasis on prudence, accountability and reducing the cost of government.
In his view, Obi’s reputation for financial discipline would translate into more efficient management of public resources and greater investment in sectors such as power, education and healthcare.
The discussion also touched on Nigeria’s longstanding electricity crisis.
He claimed Obi had studied Egypt’s power sector reforms and believed Nigeria could significantly improve electricity generation through large-scale solar energy projects.
The professor further alleged that some foreign governments and investors were willing to support Nigeria’s energy sector but had been discouraged by corruption and bureaucratic bottlenecks.
He was equally critical of government spending, particularly the cost of maintaining the presidential air fleet.
Comparing Nigeria with countries such as Canada, he argued that public officials should adopt more modest and cost-effective approaches, especially at a time of economic hardship.
Savings from reduced government expenditure, he said, could be redirected to critical development projects and social services.
He spoke of a time when public schools provided nutritional support for pupils, pipe-borne water was widely available and public institutions commanded greater respect.
Recalling his childhood in Lagos, he painted a picture of communities with better infrastructure and public services than what exists today.
He cited Apapa as an example, saying the area was once one of Nigeria’s most organised and attractive urban centres before years of neglect and infrastructural decay.
The professor also weighed in on the growing wave of migration among Nigerians, popularly known as “Japa.”
He expressed concern that many professionals, including teachers, school administrators and healthcare workers, now see leaving the country as their best option because of poor governance and economic difficulties.
He argued that many Nigerians in the diaspora would be willing to return home if the country experienced genuine reforms, stronger institutions and responsible leadership.
He warned against making political choices based on ethnicity, religion or regional loyalties, insisting that competence, integrity and leadership capacity should be the deciding factors in elections.
