Toyin Abraham to Tinubu: Avoid mistakes of your predecessors

Toyin Abraham, the actress, has written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, following his inauguration ceremony.

Tinubu was sworn in as the 16th president of Nigeria at Eagle Square in the federal capital territory (FCT) on Monday.

His inauguration ceremony marked the end of an 8-year tenure of Muhammadu Buhari, his predecessor.

On Tuesday, Toyin reaffirmed her support for the president in an open letter via her Instagram page.

The filmmaker said her support for Tinubu is not motivated by ethnicity or religion but “out of my free will.”

Toyin also called on the president to “regain the trust” of youths and also “avoid the mistakes of your predecessors.”

The actress pleaded with Tinubu to listen to the concerns of Nigerians, adding that “we will all be watching closely.”

“People have asked why I openly supported your candidacy, when others opposed you. Some have even accused me of taking money to support you and questioned my reputation,” she wrote.

“I have received insults, my family has been bullied, I have received threats to my life and my business, all because of my personal choice, which I have never forced on anyone else.

“I am an Edo woman and a Christian, so I am not motivated by ethnicity or religion. I support you because I see the good you have done as a senator and a governor and the good you will do as president.

“It is impossible to be supported by everyone, but your win suggests that you are the choice of the majority.

“It makes me sad that people have made these false allegations, because I made the choice to support you out of my free will, as have many other Nigerians.

“I supported you and continue to support you because I have experienced your leadership in Lagos and your achievements as a public servant. I have also admired your ability to adapt to the times and the ways in which you have supported the dreams and ideas of so many younger people.

“That said, I will always side with the people and Nigeria over anyone, and I think I speak for all of us, when I say we need peace and stability in the country.

“The office of the president is a big responsibility, one that requires humility, intelligence and courage to successfully govern. These are qualities I know you have.

“I have a lot of respect for you but now that you are president, you belong to all Nigerians. The elections have shown that not everyone is happy with the government.

“Some of the youths are angry, not because they hate you, but because the system has failed them. Very few of them trust the government to do the right thing when given power.

“You have an opportunity to change the narrative and regain their trust.

“You must avoid the mistakes of your predecessors and unite Nigerians under your vision for our country. Listen to our concerns, and address our fears about the future of Nigeria.

“The country needs hope and real progress, and you have an opportunity to restore hope in our leaders and our country. There are many challenges that we face, from inflation, to poverty, to insecurity.

“We will all be watching closely to see how you deal with these problems. Continue your long held tradition of hiring the most intelligent minds, listen to their advice and give them the freedom to make their contributions to nation building.

“Listen to the people, and let your achievements in office convince those who are still distrustful of your motives about your genuine interest in the advancement of all Nigerians.

“The faith we put in you as president must be rewarded with progress. Protect your legacy by being honourable.”

 

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