WorldStage– United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, has encouraged Nigerians to stop being pessimistic, emphasizing that they must build the nation themselves.
According to a statement, the diplomat while speaking at Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary celebration in New York on October 5, 2025, thumbed up President Bola Tinubu for having never complained about problems he inherited from his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.
Mohammed, who previously served as Minister of Environment under Buhari, noted that while some people around Tinubu have complained, the president himself has not.
She stated that Tinubu “fought hard to get to that seat,” and had previously said “it was his turn” to become president.
The UN top official suggested that Tinubu’s presidency was divinely ordained, stating, “It was God that put him on that seat”.
She urged Nigerians to support the president, saying, “It is, therefore, incumbent upon us to get behind him and do the best we can for Nigeria”.
She encouraged Nigerians to stop being pessimistic, emphasizing that they must build the nation themselves.
Mohammed’s comments contrasted with other claims made by members of the Tinubu administration and other political
Despite Mohammed’s statement, other political figures have publicly placed blame on the Buhari administration.
For instance, Senator Sunday Karimi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said Tinubu inherited the “worst economic challenges” in Nigeria’s history.
Although Mohammed says she hasn’t heard him complain, President Tinubu has himself spoken about inheriting a challenging situation.
In May 2024, during his first year in office, he said he inherited a “bleeding Nigeria” with a “highly impaired” security situation.
He also acknowledged the inherited challenges during an Independence Day speech.
