Why Nigeria’s Challenges Will Stay For Long – Former US Ambassador

A US official has predicted that the Boko Haram problem and economic challenges will remain for a long time.

With the election of the new government Nigerians hope for a quick stabilization of economy and the elimination of the insurgency.

President Muhammadu Buhari in his May 29 inauguration speech identified the major problems to be addressed during his first days in the office. They include terrorism and corruption.


However, John Campbell, the former US  Ambassador to Nigeria, explained why the country should not expect immediate solutions.

He was quoted as saying by The Punch:

“Nigeria’s challenges are great: Boko Haram and a huge population of internally displaced, a potential renewal of an insurrection in the oil patch, ubiquitous corruption, falling oil prices, labour unrest, and generally, a people by and large alienated from their government and their elites.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed for patience from the Nigerian people. It remains to be seen whether they will give it to him. Nigeria’s challenges will be there tomorrow and for long after.”


Meanwhile Prof Shehu Riskuwa, a former vice chancellor of Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, on May 30, Saturday, expressed confidence that “with well-coordinated security strategies and political will to implement, Nigerians will soon put the menace of Boko Haram insurgency behind them”.
Recall that the Nobel Prize laureate Wole Soyinka recently made the claim that Nigeria “will never get rid of Boko Haram” insurgents who he called “fanatics”.

He, however, expressed optimism about Buhari’s victory and the further development of the country