By Ayo Ayodele
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja after completing a ten-day working visit to Lagos, during which he held a series of strategic engagements with investors, government officials, and community leaders.
The President, who arrived in Lagos on Friday, September 26, after attending the coronation of His Imperial Majesty, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, in Ibadan, used the period to strengthen economic partnerships and promote Nigeria’s investment potential.
While in Lagos, President Tinubu met with top business leaders, including Mr. Bayo Ogunlesi, Chief Executive Officer of Global Infrastructure Partners, and Mr. Keem Belo-Osagie, Chairman of Metis Capital Partners and former Chairman of United Bank for Africa and Etisalat. Discussions focused on expanding infrastructure investment and unlocking opportunities in key sectors of the economy.
The President also received the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Mr. Arsenio Dominguez, who visited alongside the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, and other maritime stakeholders. President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to harness the potential of Nigeria’s maritime industry as a sustainable alternative to fossil energy.
On the eve of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary, the President traveled to Imo State to commission several projects executed by Governor Hope Uzodimma. He also unveiled a book authored by the governor, which documents a decade of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governance in Nigeria.
President Tinubu delivered his Independence Day national broadcast from the State House, Dodan Barracks, where he later inaugurated the renovated National Theatre—now renamed the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts. He used the occasion to urge Nigerians to speak positively about their country and remain united in building a prosperous nation.
Rounding off his visit, the President attended the burial of Mama Lydia Yilwatda in Jos, Plateau State, on Saturday, October 4. Mama Yilwatda was the mother of Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, Chairman of the APC. In his tribute, President Tinubu commiserated with the bereaved family and reaffirmed his commitment to fairness and equity among all religious groups in Nigeria.
The President’s return to Abuja marks the conclusion of a busy working schedule that combined national duties, investment diplomacy, and outreach to various communities across the country.