Activist and lawyer Deji Adeyanju has boldly confronted President Bola Tinubu, demanding urgent action to transform Nigeria’s crumbling healthcare system, July 16, 2025.
Accorting to report, his call comes hot on the heels of the passing of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, who died in a London clinic an event that painfully underscores the deep failings of domestic medical facilities.
Adeyanju’s message, posted publicly on July 15, laments the unbearable disgrace Nigerians face as their leaders routinely seek treatment abroad.
“The shame is becoming too much to bear,” he asserted, stressing that establishing a world-class hospital in Nigeria must become a national emergency.
The Clearest Indicator of a Broken System: Foreign Medical Trips
The late Buhari’s death overseas has reignited fierce debate about the Nigerian healthcare fiasco.
According to Adeyanju, Nigeria loses dignity and critical capacity whenever its elites flee abroad for healthcare, fueling public distrust in local institutions.
“This situation is no longer acceptable,” Adeyanju warned.
“President Tinubu, just give the approval and earmark the funds. A world-class hospital can be built before your tenure ends.”
His words are a stark indictment of successive administrations’ inaction, suggesting political will not lack of resources is the missing link.
Contradictory Defense: Buhari’s Medical Choices Under Fire
Former presidential spokesman Femi Adesina offered a controversial defense on Channels Television on July 15.
He claimed Buhari’s use of London hospitals predated his presidency, implying criticism of his overseas treatment is misplaced.
Adesina argued Nigerian hospitals “lacked the facilities and expertise” for Buhari’s care, hinting that insisting otherwise could have shortened his life, thereby derailing potential national progress.
This stance, however, fails to address the broader systemic failure that compels leaders and by extension.
The citizens to seek medical care outside Nigeria.
It also sidesteps the embarrassing optics of a leader championing local governance but distrusting national institutions.
Political Hypocrisy Amid Healthcare Decay
Adeyanju’s public demand from the heart of Abuja reflects growing frustration.
While Nigeria boasts aesthetic monuments and large-scale infrastructure projects, basic healthcare remains neglected.
Critics note the glaring hypocrisy:
- Nigerian officials preach self-reliance yet habitually import healthcare.
- The government’s silence and inaction amount to complicity in this ongoing degradation.
Many Nigerians view the government’s neglect as a betrayal jeopardizing lives while tolerating avoidable deaths.
The question arises:
Why does an oil-rich nation struggle to fund lifesaving medical infrastructure?
Fixing Healthcare: A Realistic Goal or Political Fantasy
Adeyanju insists the transformation is achievable.
“It only requires political will,” he said, emphasizing adequate funding and oversight could hatch a world-class hospital operating at par with international standards.
Skeptics caution that previous promises to overhaul healthcare failed due to corruption, mismanagement, and misplaced priorities.
Yet, the urgency of a national emergency, as defined by Adeyanju, forces the Tinubu administration to confront harsh realities.
Public Outcry and International Perceptions
The death of Buhari in London to an undisclosed illness casts a long shadow over Nigeria’s global image.
Foreign media outlets have highlighted Nigeria’s healthcare crisis, often ridiculing its inability to care properly for its citizens and leaders alike.
Nigerians from all walks of life took to social media to echo Adeyanju’s sentiment.
Many resent being forced into a humiliating dependency on foreign health systems when their taxes and national resources should secure quality care at home.
The Burden Becomes Too Much: Voices of a Nation
This controversy strikes at the identity and pride of Nigeria as a sovereign nation.
The healthcare scandal exposes institutional rot and broken promises.
Adeyanju’s plea is more than a critique; it’s a demand for accountability and reform.
The activist’s vocal stance is a mirror of collective anguish.
A nation insulted by its neglect, a people desperate for dignity, and a leadership challenged to act decisively.
Will Tinubu Seize This Moment
As the dust settles on Buhari’s state funeral held in Daura on July 15, the Nigerian healthcare sector remains a glaring stain shameful and intolerable.
The opposition and citizens alike await with bated breath.
A world-class hospital is not just a dream; it is a necessity that could redefine Nigerian leadership and public service.
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