President Bola Tinubu has opened up about his early struggles as an international student, sharing that he once drove a taxi in the United States to fund his tertiary education.
In a recent post shared on X, the Nigerian leader recounted how he had to delay his schooling for several months to save up enough money to pay his tuition fees. He eventually attended Richard Daley College before completing his studies at Chicago State University, according to Punch.
Tinubu connected his personal background to the current administration's Nigerian Education Loan Fund, popularly known as NELFUND. He pointed out that the initiative was designed to spare today's students from similar hardships, revealing that the federal scheme has now disbursed more than N372 billion to over 1.6 million beneficiaries across the country.
The story has since triggered conversations across the media space, with commentators noting how Nigerian leaders often rely on humble beginnings to connect with citizens. Broadcaster Rufai Oseni of Arise TV questioned the fresh account, pointing out that Tinubu had previously told the BBC about inheriting prime real estate from his family.
However, Minister of Education Tunji Alausa defended the president's story, stating that he had personally interacted with Tinubu’s former classmates from his time studying abroad.
The use of grass-to-grace narratives in Nigerian politics dates back across several administrations. Former President Goodluck Jonathan famously rallied voters in 2011 with memories of attending school without shoes, while Muhammadu Buhari highlighted his modest herd of cows and bank loans to win over the electorate in 2015.
Beyond the online debate, Tinubu spent the weekend on official and political engagements across the South-South region. On Friday, he visited Uyo to inaugurate a series of infrastructure developments executed by Governor Umo Eno, including an aviation village, an airport clinic, and a new terminal building.
