An Open Letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Your Excellency,

I write with a deep sense of concern, not just as a citizen, but as one who believes that leadership must be seen, felt, and trusted—especially in moments of grief and national distress.

Recent reports surrounding your visit to Plateau State have stirred widespread unease. It is understood that your engagement with grieving families took place at the airport in Jos, rather than within the affected communities themselves. It is also reported that the bereaved families were assembled to meet you, rather than you going to them in their homes and communities where the pain is most real and deeply rooted.

Sir, symbolism matters in leadership. Presence matters even more.

When tragedy strikes—particularly the kind of recurring violence that has plagued parts of Plateau State—citizens do not merely seek policy responses; they seek empathy, reassurance, and a visible demonstration that their President stands with them, not at a distance, but in the very spaces where their lives have been upended.

A visit limited to an airport setting, reportedly lasting less than an hour, risks being perceived not as a heartfelt condolence mission, but as a procedural obligation. For families who have lost loved ones, homes, and a sense of security, such gestures—however well-intentioned—may feel insufficient.

Equally concerning is the reported emphasis on solutions such as the installation of CCTV cameras as a response to deeply entrenched and violent attacks involving sophisticated weaponry. While surveillance has its place in modern security architecture, it cannot substitute for comprehensive, proactive, and ground-level security interventions.

Mr. President, this moment calls for more.

What could have been done differently?

First, a direct visit to the affected communities would have sent a powerful message—that no Nigerian is too remote, too vulnerable, or too insignificant to receive the personal attention of their President.

Second, private, unhurried interactions with bereaved families in their own environments would have demonstrated empathy beyond protocol—an acknowledgment of their loss in a manner that dignifies their pain.

Third, a robust, clearly articulated security response plan—one that addresses intelligence gathering, rapid deployment, inter-agency coordination, and community-based protection—would inspire greater confidence than isolated technological measures.

Fourth, engaging local leaders, security stakeholders, and community representatives in a town-hall-style dialogue would have provided an opportunity to listen, learn, and act based on lived realities.

Your Excellency, leadership in times like these is measured not just by decisions made in offices, but by presence in places of pain. It is measured by how deeply a leader is willing to connect with the people, especially when they are at their lowest.

Nigeria looks to you not only for governance, but for reassurance—that the nation is not indifferent to its own suffering.

I urge you, respectfully, to let future engagements reflect the depth of empathy, urgency, and resolve that this moment demands.

Yours Sincerely
Frank Ofili