Nigerian Journalist Writes Tinubu, Says Nation’s Greatest Crisis Is Communication Failure
By Tarakirivoice
Abuja — A Nigerian journalist and media entrepreneur, Mr. Passman Akpos, has written an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, asserting that Nigeria’s most critical challenge is neither insecurity, politics nor the economy, but a deep-rooted failure of communication between government and citizens.
In the letter addressed to the President, Akpos, who describes himself as a journalist, political analyst and social commentator, said Nigeria has consistently treated the “symptoms” of national problems while ignoring their underlying cause.
According to him, successive governments have invested heavily in security through increased budgets, sophisticated weaponry and massive recruitment of personnel, including recent plans to employ about 50,000 police officers, yet insecurity continues to worsen.
“This cycle persists because we are addressing insecurity with force, not understanding,” he stated, arguing that violence often emerges after years of ignored grievances, hunger, frustration and alienation in communities.
Akpos also dismissed claims that Nigeria’s core problem is political leadership, noting a recurring national pattern where presidents are harshly criticized while in office but praised after leaving power. He cited former President Goodluck Jonathan as an example, saying the cycle is already repeating itself under the current administration.
He further argued that Nigeria is not poor, pointing to the country’s abundant natural and human resources, including crude oil, gas, solid minerals, fertile land and emerging resources such as black sand deposits in parts of the Niger Delta. He said the real deficit lies in what he described as “listening governance.”
The media practitioner explained that genuine communication goes beyond government announcements and policy broadcasts, stressing that communication is incomplete without feedback from citizens. He said many government projects and policies fail because authorities often do not ask whether they reflect the immediate needs and priorities of the people.
“Insecurity is born from silence, not suddenly,” Akpos wrote, adding that criminality escalates when early warning signs are ignored and communities feel unheard.
He criticized what he described as the government’s tendency to use the media mainly for publicity and policy defense, rather than as a structured tool for gathering citizens’ feedback. According to him, when the only signals government receives are protests, attacks and unrest, the response often becomes suppression instead of introspection, further eroding public trust.
As a solution, Akpos urged President Tinubu to “send the journalist, not the gun,” calling for deliberate investment in local and community-based media as early warning and feedback mechanisms. He argued that journalists embedded within communities can detect tension early, understand local priorities and relay accurate feedback to government before crises escalate.
He said such an approach would lead to need-driven policies, early detection of insecurity, restored trust, improved economic productivity and greater political stability.
“A well-supported media reduces misinformation, weakens sensationalism and strengthens transparency,” he noted, urging the government to see the press as an ally rather than an adversary.In his final appeal, Akpos called on the President to be remembered as a leader who listened, emphasizing that “sometimes salvation comes not from force, but from foresight, listening and wisdom.”
The letter was signed by Passman Akpos, Founder and Publisher of Tarakirivoice Newspaper Enterprise, who expressed willingness to further engage the government on his proposals for national development
