Has the thought about the best President Nigeria has ever produced crossed your mind? Nigerian to Nigerian, I know you probably don’t want to think of “best” and “president” in the same sentence, but stay with me. Let’s start from the get-go.
We can only say a word like president now because of independence. Nigeria’s history dates back to colonialism, the period when European countries travelled across various African countries to dominate and rule over them. It wasn’t until 1960 that Nigeria gained its independence from the British. It was only after then that Nigeria became a self-ruled nation. However, the government began with military rulership, known for its use of force in power exertion.
Civilian/ democratic government (where people had the power to elect their leaders through the system of voting) fully came to being in Nigeria in 1999. That takes us back to the topic of the best Nigerian presidents from independence to date.
Best Nigerian Presidents From 1960- Date
1. Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007)
2. Umaru Musa Yar’adua (2007-2010)
3. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (2010-2015)
Best Nigerian Presidents From 1960 -Date
The list is curated based on such metrics as economy, security, integrity, infrastructure, and general impact on the people and in the world at large. This list would probably resonate well with the Nigerian populace. Based on public opinion, historical facts, and accomplishments, below are the best Nigerian presidents who gave us hope.
1. Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007)
From General to President, Chief Olusegun Matthew Obasanjo had a two-term tenure that spanned from 1999-2007. He is widely regarded as an elder Nigerian statesman, a political leader who promotes the public good and is known for leadership and the necessary qualities needed to govern a state.
He was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on March 5, 1937. He became the military Head of State after General Murtala was assassinated in 1976. In 1979, he made a rare move by voluntarily stepping down from his military office to give rise to democracy. This marked the emergence of the 2nd Republic of Nigeria. This is one of how he put the nation’s long-term good above his gain. This move made him the global face of patriotism.
38 years after Nigeria became independent, it became grossly partitioned, economically unstable, and isolated by the world. It was in 1999 that Obasanjo became president under the People’s Democratic Party and moved to fix Nigeria’s problems at that point. This marked the beginning of the 4th Republic of 1999 to date.
As President, he negotiated a deal with the Paris Club of Creditors that led to Nigeria receiving a debt relief of $18 billion and clearing $30 billion in debt. This move quickly changed the status quo of the Nigerian economic problem. Before him, landlines were only accessible to the wealthiest people in the nation, but by 2007, millions of average Nigerians already owned mobile phones.
He established the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to curtail the excess of people in power and get rid of corruption. These anti-corruption agencies are still in active function to date. He also replaced the old, unreliable pension scheme with the Contributory Pension Scheme, which is still in use today. Obasanjo repainted Nigeria’s global image, which boosted the confidence of foreigners and gave rise to foreign investors, especially in such aspects as banking, telecoms, and oil.
Not only did he leave a legacy of national unity – his cabinet was a mixture of different cultures- he also fostered pan-African unity, like mediating in Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire’s conflict.
Of course, his regimes weren’t perfect. He made the move to add a third term to increase his stay in office, and it was also said of the anti-corruption agencies that he set up that they were made for his vendetta against the opposition, not to really clean the nation. Notwithstanding, he’s certainly been one of the best presidents Nigeria has had. He is still highly revered today, even by people presently in office, for his impact.
2. Umaru Musa Yar’adua (2007-2010)
The line in Ola Rotimi’s The gods Are Not to Blame, that said “joy has a slender body that breaks too soon,” captures the heart of Nigerians on this president. Yar’adua – the political hero we sadly never got to fully experience.
He was born in Katsina in 1951, and became, Nigeria’s second president in the 4th Republic. He is regarded as the most honest Nigerian president. From his inauguration speech, he acknowledged the fact that the election that got him into power had shortcomings. This isn’t a move you see every day in Nigeria.
Yar’adua made sure the law and not he was supreme; he always followed due process. He also released prisoners who were illegally detained during his predecessor’s regime. He launched the Niger Delta Amnesty Program in 2009. Niger Delta is an oil-rich but very violent region. He gave the militants monthly stipends, trained them for jobs, and gave them amnesty. This move ensured peace in the area.
He presented a 7-Point Agenda for reform. This focused on power and energy, food security and agriculture, wealth creation and employment, transport sector reform, land reform, security, and education. Although the implementation wasn’t speedy due to his illness, it revealed his vision.
He set up the Uwais Electoral Reform to repair Nigeria’s electoral system. The system proposed an independent funding of the electoral commission, transparent collation of results, and accountability for rigging. Again, this didn’t take full form during. They were mostly implemented after his death.
He was a President who truly served the people, not just for a chunk of the national cake. As the Governor of Katsina and President of Nigeria, he had no major scandals to his name as he lived a free and principled life.
Nigeria was thrown into mourning after his death in office in 2010. He was the president who truly cared, but his plans were impeded by sickness and death.
3. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (2010-2015)
He was sworn into office after the death of Yar’adua in 2010 and formally elected in 2011. He had previously been the Deputy Governor and Governor of Bayelsa State. The election that got him into office has been regarded by Nigerians as the country’s fairest election yet.
Goodluck strengthened the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) body, as he appointed Attahiru Jega, who oversaw the 2015 election and was widely praised, as its Chairman.
During his regime, Nigeria saw economic growth. Nigeria became Africa’s largest economy in 2014, per GDP. He also created the “YouWin!” initiative to support youth entrepreneurs.
Freedom of speech and the press wasn’t just on paper during his tenure. He has been the most tolerant leader of criticism. Perhaps, his most outstanding feat; according to public opinion, was his peaceful handover of power in 2015. To date, he has been the only Nigerian President to concede defeat without dispute. He so graciously handed over power. He said that his political ambition wasn’t worth any Nigerian’s blood.
His regime was riddled with corruption scandals like the Diezani Alison-Madueke controversy and Boko-haram insurgency. These made him heavily criticized by Nigerians and the world at large. But in retrospect, he’s the gold Nigeria didn’t regard until they lost.
Conclusion
These three leaders: Obasanjo, Yar’adua, and Jonathan, weren’t selected because they were perfect, but because they stood out to renew Nigerian’s hope. They showed that service should have the people at heart, not just gain from the people. Democracy is, after all, the government for the people.
