Video: Odumeje Blasts Tinubu: “A Businessman, Not a President”

Abuja, Nigeria – October 2, 2025

Controversial cleric, Prophet Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, popularly known as Odumeje, has once again set social media abuzz after launching a scathing criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, dismissing him as a mere businessman rather than a genuine leader.

In a viral video making the rounds, Odumeje questioned the legitimacy of calling Tinubu a “president,” insisting that true leadership is measured by vision, development, and impact on citizens’ lives, not by holding political office while presiding over poverty and insecurity.

“I don’t know who’s calling Tinubu president. Tinubu is a businessman, that’s all, not a president,” he declared. “If you want to talk about a president, you talk about Trump, Putin, Ibrahim Traoré, Xi Jinping, and many others; these are men that we call leaders.”

The cleric drew sharp comparisons between Nigeria’s current leadership and that of other nations. He praised Burkina Faso’s 36-year-old military leader Ibrahim Traoré for exhibiting what he described as true leadership qualities, asserting that even younger leaders elsewhere are prioritizing their nations’ futures, while Nigerian rulers treat governance like a private business enterprise.

“Leaders Build Nations, Businessmen Build Wealth”

According to Odumeje, Nigerian politicians—including those holding the titles of president, senator, and governor are primarily businessmen fixated on accumulating wealth for their families. He lamented that instead of laying down structures for long-term national prosperity, leaders in Nigeria focus on acquiring property abroad, leaving citizens to languish in hardship.

“Leaders develop their country so that their children and citizens can benefit. American leaders put the structure of America in order, and today everybody is enjoying it. Putin has put his country in order. But the ones we have in Nigeria are busy acquiring wealth for their own children,” he said.

Odumeje further condemned the culture of wasteful governance, where convoys of officials drive recklessly with blaring sirens, intimidating ordinary citizens, and offering no meaningful policies to improve their lives.

Electricity, Roads, Security: The Litmus Test of Leadership

Hammering on Nigeria’s persistent infrastructural decay, Odumeje posed a rhetorical challenge to Tinubu’s supporters:

“You are calling him a president, tell me one thing Tinubu has done since he entered this presidential seat. One cannot be called a leader when he cannot achieve constant electricity in his country. There are factories that need power, but Nigeria is not even close to development.”

He emphasized that uninterrupted power supply is the foundation of industrialization, yet Nigeria remains shackled by epileptic electricity despite decades of promises.

The cleric also lashed out at the poor state of Nigeria’s road network, which he said cripples industrial growth and exposes the lack of foresight among political leaders. “The type of roads they construct in Nigeria collapse before two years. Is that development?” he asked.

On the issue of security, Odumeje noted that no serious investor would risk capital in a nation where kidnapping, terrorism, and banditry remain rampant. He argued that until Nigeria tackles insecurity head-on, economic progress will remain a mirage.

“Nigeria, A Giant of Failure”

In perhaps his most damning remark, Odumeje rejected the popular description of Nigeria as the “Giant of Africa,” instead branding the nation “a giant of failure.” He tied this failure to decades of selfish governance, where leaders prioritize personal gain over national development.

He painted a grim picture of social consequences, noting the rising number of young Nigerian women turning to prostitution out of hunger and despair, while the political elite live in excess.

“Look around, our girls are on the street prostituting because of hunger. Is this what leadership looks like?” Odumeje fumed.

The cleric’s comments have sparked widespread conversation online, with many Nigerians echoing his frustrations over the country’s power, road, and security challenges. Supporters argue that Odumeje merely voiced the bitter truth about a leadership system that continues to fail its citizens.

For years, Nigerians have lamented the absence of stable electricity, quality infrastructure, and adequate security, issues that remain at the core of public dissatisfaction. Odumeje’s remarks, though blunt and controversial, highlight the widening disconnect between government promises and the harsh realities of daily life.