By Zayyad Muhammad
Love him or dislike him, Seyi Tinubu is steadily mastering the art of being close to power and leveraging his position as the son of Nigeria’s President. The President of Nigeria wields enormous power and influence, and Seyi is gradually grasping both the intricacies of Nigerian politics and the delicate task of managing those around his father.
Now, he has taken on a big and challenging task : restoring the APC’s once-unquestioned dominance in the North—a region that, while outwardly cordial, appears to be quietly drifting away from the party and the Tinubu/Kashim presidency. The north is revolting and smiling !
On this mission, Seyi could succeed or fail, depending on his arithmetics, his father’s policies and programmes, and most crucially, President Tinubu’s willingness to hear uncomfortable truths, especially those his close associates may struggle to tell him.
Seyi has identified one key battleground: the youth. His recent focus on distributing food items during Ramadan is a good step, so to speak. If executed strategically, it could yield some positive results. However, food distribution alone is a weak and short-lived strategy.
What more can Seyi do? A multi-pronged approach is needed, a kind of economic and political strategy. Beyond handouts, Seyi, being a young man himself—should focus on real empowerment. He must identify and support enterprising young Northerners who are not part of the political elite but are making tangible impacts in their communities. While he may have backed and empowered many individuals in the past, his new focus should be on fresh faces—ambitious, independent-minded young Northerners who, when empowered, can drive real change. This could translate into both grassroots influence and renewed political goodwill for the APC in the region.
Carefully expanding his network ‘politically’ will be impactful , Seyi needs to move beyond the usual circle of children from the political elite. The North is home to many educated and brilliant young minds who remain untapped. Bringing them into his fold could prove invaluable in rebuilding trust and influence.
Leveraging social media Influencers will play a crucial role, this time, entertainment influencers will have little or no impact.. Instead, Seyi should engage influencers whose voices carry weight—those known for insightful, educational, and impactful messaging that resonates with the region’s unique socio-political landscape.
Ultimately, Seyi Tinubu’s success in the North will depend on how well he moves beyond optics and embraces a more strategic, sustainable approach. The challenge is immense and thorny, but so is the opportunities
….Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Abuja
