***‘Nigeria Cannot Be Governed from Airport Lounges’
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a strongly worded condemnation of what it describes as the excessive and poorly justified foreign travels by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, warning that the pattern reflects a troubling disconnect from Nigeria’s deepening domestic crises.
HURIWA said it is “gravely alarmed” that at a time when Nigeria is grappling with escalating insecurity, economic hardship, and widespread public frustration, the nation’s leadership appears increasingly absorbed in international engagements with little visible impact on the lives of ordinary citizens.
The Association in a statement by its national coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko expressed particular concern over the worsening security situation across parts of the country, including reports of mass abductions and communities under siege, stressing that such conditions demand hands-on, visible leadership from the Commander-in-Chief.
“It is unacceptable that a nation under this level of strain appears to be governed remotely,” the group stated. “Nigeria cannot be run from airport lounges while citizens face daily threats to their lives and livelihoods.”
HURIWA questioned the tangible outcomes of the President’s frequent foreign trips, asking what concrete investments, enforceable agreements, or measurable economic gains have been secured to justify the significant public expenditure involved.
According to the group, each trip comes with heavy financial implications—ranging from aviation logistics and security deployments to accommodation and large official entourages—all funded by taxpayers already burdened by inflation, subsidy removal, and declining purchasing power.
Beyond the economic cost, HURIWA warned of a growing perception crisis, arguing that governance must not only be effective but also visibly grounded within the country. It stressed that leadership, particularly in times of national distress, requires presence, urgency, and sustained engagement with domestic realities.
While acknowledging the importance of diplomacy, the Association insisted that international engagements must be strategic, limited, and directly tied to clearly defined national interests with verifiable outcomes.
“Diplomacy must deliver results—not headlines,” the statement emphasized. “Anything less risks reducing governance to optics rather than substance.”
HURIWA also raised concerns about the apparent imbalance in diplomatic reciprocity, questioning how many global leaders have visited Nigeria in return and what this suggests about the strategic value of such frequent outbound engagements.
The group therefore called on President Tinubu to urgently recalibrate his governance approach by cutting down on non-essential foreign trips and prioritising decisive action on Nigeria’s pressing internal challenges—ranging from insecurity and economic instability to unemployment and social discontent.
“The mandate is clear: fix Nigeria,” HURIWA stated. “That responsibility cannot be outsourced or pursued from foreign capitals. It demands presence, focus, and measurable results at home.”
The Association concluded by reaffirming its commitment to holding leadership accountable, stressing that history will judge the current administration not by the number of international trips undertaken, but by the real improvements delivered in the lives of Nigerians.
HURIWA Blasts Tinubu’s Foreign Trips, Demands Urgent Domestic Leadership
