Former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has condemned the recent visit of Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, to northern Nigeria, where he distributed food to residents.
Lamido described the act as a “humiliation” and an insult to the people of the region.
In a video where he was addressing a gathering in Hausa, Lamido criticised the gesture, suggesting that it was degrading and politically motivated.
He said, “You will hear people saying that Arewa is known for bravery and integrity, yet Tinubu is going to Sokoto and Kano, distributing cooked rice to our people.
“This is total humiliation. Is this how to govern or promote good governance? What Tinubu is doing to the northern people is an insult.
“Is this what we have been subjected to? This is the height of humiliation, and they know it. Arewa, which produced great leaders like Aminu Kano, Sardauna (Sir Ahmadu Bello), Tafawa Balewa, and many other prominent figures, is now being reduced to a region where people are only given cooked rice.
“However, it is up to us to unite and resist this humiliation or fold our hands and allow an outsider to come to our region and belittle us.”
“It is time to stand for what is right. If we stay on the right track in this country, no one can ever defeat us,” he added.
Seyi Tinubu recently embarked on visits to several northern Nigerian states, including Niger, to distribute food packages during the Ramadan fasting period. The distributed items, such as Danwake—a popular local dish made from bean flour—were packaged in plastic bags adorned with images of President Tinubu and Seyi Tinubu.
This initiative was met with significant backlash from northern communities. Many residents perceived the gesture as an attempt to gain political favour amid prevailing economic hardships in the region.
Critics argued that distributing basic street food items during a sacred period, especially with personalised branding, was both insensitive and exploitative. The discontent was further amplified on social media platforms, where users questioned the sincerity and timing of Seyi Tinubu’s actions during the Ramadan Iftar period.
