Nigeria is not Lagos: Babachir Lawal slams Tinubu over appointment of he's friend, Yemi Cardoso as the Governor of the CBN

Babachir Lawal, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), In a recent interview with TheCable, expressed his concerns and criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s leadership style in Nigeria.

Lawal particularly emphasized the repercussions of Tinubu’s appointment of Yemi Cardoso as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), suggesting that it was a move destined for disaster, as reported by The Cable.

Lawal highlighted the importance of appointing individuals based on merit and competence rather than personal relationships.

He argued against the practice of appointing someone solely because they are a friend or loyal to a leader.

According to Lawal, this approach is inadequate for a country as diverse and complex as Nigeria.
In the interview, Lawal pointed out that running a small ministry in Lagos does not automatically qualify an individual to manage the entire national economy.

“You can’t appoint somebody just because he is your friend or loyal to you. Nigeria is not Lagos.

“Simply because you run a small ministry in Lagos does not give you the ability to run the economy of the country. Nigeria is complex.

He stressed that Nigeria’s economic dynamics are unique and do not conform to the standard patterns found in economic textbooks.
Nigeria’s economy does not normally follow the known pattern of economic operations—issues in Nigeria like demand and supply that are in the textbooks. The way Nigeria works is completely different from textbook economics,” Lawal stated.

Using the example of project bidding, Lawal highlighted the idiosyncrasies of the Nigerian economy.

He explained that even if a business makes an excellent presentation and supports its bid with superior qualifications, the project might still be awarded to someone based on personal relationships rather than merit.

This, according to Lawal, demonstrates the need for leaders who understand the intricacies of Nigeria’s unique economic landscape.

The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation went further to emphasize the diversity of Nigeria, stating that:

“We need people who understand that Lagos state is different from Enugu, Borno, Anambra, Sokoto, and Adamawa.”

He argued that Tinubu’s appointment did not reflect this nuanced understanding of the country, and as a result, Tinubu is facing the consequences of his choices.

“Bola (Tinubu’s) appointment did not reflect this knowledge of the country, and he is reaping the consequences of it,” he said.

Reflecting on his earlier warnings, Lawal expressed a sense of vindication but cautioned against taking pride in predicting a disaster.

He asserted that his prior warnings were motivated by a genuine concern for the well-being of the country.

He said, “I have been vindicated, but it is not something to be proud of when you predict a disaster and it happens. I knew it would happen, and that was why I spoke out then.”