Manny Ita
Wale Tinubu, the Group Chief Executive of Oando Plc, called on Nigerians to end the habit of “condemning the country” and instead embrace a culture of building through setbacks. Speaking at the 56th Convocation Ceremony of the University of Lagos on Thursday, January 22, 2026, where he was conferred with an honorary doctorate in Business, Tinubu offered a candid reflection on his entrepreneurial journey and the necessity of national optimism.
The business mogul described himself as a “professional failure,” revealing that approximately 90% of his business attempts did not succeed. He argued that these failures were essential to his eventual wins, which “more than compensated for the losses.” Addressing the graduating class and a gallery of dignitaries, he emphasized that national progress is stalled when citizens lose faith in their institutions. “We learn from our failures, and we get it right,” Tinubu stated. “We stop condemning the country and believing it cannot go right.”
Tinubu also highlighted the critical role of universities in driving national solutions rather than acting as “spectators to national challenges.” He encouraged young Nigerians not to wait for “perfect conditions” to launch their ambitions, advising them to begin and adapt in the face of uncertainty. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, praised Tinubu’s career as an example of integrity and enterprise-building, noting that his contribution to the energy sector demonstrates the impact of indigenous leadership on national development.
The ceremony, which also honored former Attorney General Kanu Godwin Agabi, SAN, featured a presidential address delivered by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa. The President’s message reinforced Tinubu’s themes, declaring that “no nation can rise beyond the quality of its human capital” and reaffirming the government’s commitment to stabilizing the economy through ongoing reforms and investments in education.
