By SKC Ogbonnia
The controversial meeting of Nigerian billionaire businessmen Aliko Dangote, Tony Elumelu, and Femi Otedola with Bola Tinubu, the disputed president-elect of Nigeria, has raised alarm and sparked outrage. This meeting, held amidst the ongoing tension over the legitimacy of Tinubu’s election victory, has been described as an act of reckless impunity. With their immense wealth and influence, these businessmen are seen as playing a dangerous game, supporting a man accused of corruption and lacking the physical and mental capacity to lead a nation.
The most provocative of the actions came from Tony Elumelu, the chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), who is alleged to have used his position to assist in the fraudulent processes that enabled Tinubu’s alleged rigging of the 2023 presidential election. Elumelu reportedly weaponized his influence at UBA to facilitate the distribution of new naira notes during the cash crisis, effectively aiding in the election manipulation at a time when ordinary Nigerians were desperate for cash. As UBA customers slept in their bank branches, unable to access even small amounts of their hard-earned money, Tinubu and his cohort were allegedly profiting from the financial chaos.
This blatant abuse of power has led to calls for a nationwide boycott of UBA and the businesses of Dangote and Otedola. However, these calls for economic retaliation are just the beginning. The reality is that Tinubu’s ascension to the presidency, under dubious circumstances, is now seen as an existential threat to the future of Nigeria. As the ruling class and their business allies cling to power, the people of Nigeria, once passive in the face of corruption, are beginning to organize and resist.
Nigerians are no longer naïve. They have realized the depths of the betrayal by the ruling elites who have colluded with corrupt politicians to deny them the chance to elect a president of their choice. With Tinubu at the helm, it is feared that the same failed policies of Muhammadu Buhari, which have left the country in tatters, will continue. Despite his numerous health concerns and his involvement in past corruption scandals, Tinubu has openly declared his intention to continue Buhari’s legacy, a move that has only deepened the public’s anger and frustration.
What is even more troubling is that these billionaire businessmen—Dangote, Elumelu, and Otedola—are fully aware of the allegations against Tinubu and yet continue to lend him their support. They know that Tinubu has never hesitated to reveal his unfitness for leadership, from his physical decline to his notorious reputation as one of Nigeria’s most shady politicians to ever run for president. Yet, despite all these red flags, they have thrown their weight behind him, making it clear that their interest in preserving the status quo of institutionalized corruption outweighs the cries of the people. The massive wealth they have accumulated over the years is largely a result of the lawlessness and the lack of transparency in Nigeria, which has allowed them to thrive at the expense of the masses.
Their resistance to change has only intensified. They are determined to maintain their control over the nation’s wealth and resources, and Tinubu represents the perfect figurehead to ensure that the status quo is preserved. However, the people of Nigeria are no longer willing to remain passive in the face of this ongoing injustice. The growing disillusionment among the masses is palpable, and they have begun to recognize that the fight for a better Nigeria is not only against corrupt politicians but also against the influential businessmen who enable them.
The situation is dire. As the country continues to grapple with Tinubu’s illegal and controversial rise to power, there are warnings that a revolution is on the horizon. As John F. Kennedy once said, “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.” The anger among the masses is reaching a boiling point, and many now see the ruling elites—including the billionaire businessmen who continue to back Tinubu—as the true enemies of the people.
While the immediate calls for a boycott of businesses owned by Elumelu, Dangote, and Otedola continue to grow, the people are preparing for what could be a larger, more dramatic action. The masses, both at home and abroad, are waiting for the final outcome of the court cases challenging the sham election, but there is a growing sense that change must come—and it will come with or without the elite’s support. Nigerians are waking up to the fact that their freedom and future are being jeopardized by a small group of people determined to protect their own interests.
A revolution, it seems, is inevitable. It will not be a conflict defined by ethnic or religious lines, as some may hope, but a fight between the masses and the ruling elite. It will be a fight against the corruption and injustice that have plagued Nigeria for decades. The future of Nigeria depends on whether the people can overcome these powerful forces and restore true democracy and justice to the country.
