Steve Hanke at his desk on The Johns Hopkins University campus in Baltimore. Image by Macroguy7979 (CC-BY-SA)
Renowned Professor Steve Hanke, a professor of economics at Johns Hopkins University, has described President Muhammadu Buhari as a “sleepy” president. The university don and fellow at the Independent Institute posted this derogatory remark about the president on his 635k Twitter followers’ account.
Steve wrote “After 8 years as Nigeria’s president, Sleepy Buhari will step down. What’s Sleepy’s legacy? He has left Nigerians with more violence, debt, and corruption than before his reign. Sleepy’s man Bola Tinubu will now take the reins. What does the future hold?”
Recall that the British Broadcasting Corporation, in a report on May 21, 2023, accused Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari of leaving a legacy characterized by elevated rates of kidnapping, inflation, and debt. In response to the accusation by the BBC, Steve took to Twitter to attack President Muhammadu Buhari and his successor, the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
This tweet generated heated discussion among Twitter users who commented on the thread, as the attack did not go well with some commenters.
A Twitter User wrote
Yes we have problems and challenges, I agree. But we will survive, nigeria still remain the giant of Africa. No Africa country can calm it, they would have to bring their score card. I love my country and I will never talk down on my country. God bless nigeria first and others.
Instead of you being more wary of your well-being and that of your family, you’re poke-nosing on something that doesn’t concern you and your generation. I pray you keep this energy so intense that you forget to mend your matter. Nigeria will prevail against all odds.