Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
Chudi Okoye, PhD, is a contributing analyst to USAfricaonline.com
U.S President Joe Biden delivered his 3rd State of the Union address to Americans on March 7, 2024. Amid swirling concerns about his advanced age and whether he can hold down a second term, Biden, with whom I strongly disagree over his position on Gaza, came out swinging in his address.
The President, who is 81, looked all of 70 as he delivered his fiery speech. But this likely won’t completely quell concerns about his age. It certainly won’t stop his political opponents from raising the issue.
Over in Nigeria, however, we have a supposedly 71-year-old president, Mr Tinubu, who looks at least 90. His speech is slurred, his gait is stiff, his thinking is fuddled and, perhaps, as a result, his policies are muddled.
And yet, though the Nigerian population is, on average, younger than America’s (~18 vs. ~38), Americans seem far more concerned about age-related debilitations than we are in Nigeria.
How is it that a young country, Nigeria, continues to abide cognitively depleted geriatrics in its leadership?
This issue must be properly and forcefully litigated in 2027.
Arise, youths of Nigeria! What the heck is the matter with you?
